Today we will learn some Spanish words to express possibility. Quizás and tal vez are one of the most commonly used. Our Spanish school, El Rincón del Tándem, will provide a short guide below on how to say “maybe” in Spanish. Enjoy your reading 😉
In today’s blog we will focus on those Spanish words that express possibility.
In Spanish we can use several words and phrases to say “maybe, perhaps, possibly”.
Take a closer look at all of them and see the examples below!
QUIZÁ(S)
The Spanish word Quizá(s) (adverb) denotes the possibility that what is said is true, that might have happened or will happen in the future.
Both forms, quizás and quizá, are correct. They can be used with verbs in the indicative and subjunctive mood:
- Quizás mañana salga el sol = Perhaps tomorrow it will be sunny
- Quizás me dieron la dirección equivocada del hotel = Maybe I was given the wrong address of the hotel
TAL VEZ
Tal vez is an adverbial phrase expressing possibility. It can be used interchangeably with quizá(s) and like the latter, it is usually placed at the beginning of the sentence.
Both indicative and subjunctive moods are allowed.
- Tal vez viajaré a Islandia el próximo año = Possibly I will travel to Iceland next year
- Tal vez Ana esté enfadada contigo y por eso no te habla = Maybe Ana is angry with you and that’s why she’s not talking to you
Important: Tal vez can be also spelled “talvez”. Both forms are grammatically correct, although tal vez is the most common.
The spelling “tal ves” is, on the contrary, a mistake. This adverbial phrase does not exist in Spanish.
POSIBLEMENTE
Posiblemente is a Spanish adverb and it is used the same way as quizá(s) and tal vez.
- Posiblemente nos encontremos mañana en el teatro = Possibly we will me tomorrow at the theatre
- Posiblemente Julia abrirá su peluquería = Possibly Julia will open her hairdressing salon
ES POSIBLE QUE
This expression can be also used to indicate the possibility that something might occur. It literally means “it is possible that”.
When using es posible que, we must remind that the following verb must be in the subjunctive mood.
- Es posible que tenga que viajar por trabajo = I may have to travel for work
A LO MEJOR
This adverbial phrase works the same as tal vez and quizás, but unlike them, only indicative mood is allowed in the present tense:
- A lo mejor me voy a vivir al campo = Maybe I’ll move to the countryside
- A lo mejor cojo el bus antes de que anochezca = Maybe I’ll catch the bus before it gets dark.
As usual, we hope this short article helped you to express possibility in Spanish 😊
Finally, if you wish to study Spanish in Valencia, our Spanish school, El Rincón el Tándem is happy to provide you with group and private lessons in a friendly environment.
If you want to have a more immersive learning experience, you might be interested in our Intensive Spanish Course.
¡Hasta pronto!
