might; maybe

かもしれない expresses that something is possible but uncertain. Attach it to a plain-form verb/adjective or a bare noun. It is weaker than でしょう or にちがいない. The polite form is かもしれません.

Examples

• 明日あすは雨あめかもしれません。

  Ashita wa ame kamoshiremasen.

  It might rain tomorrow.

• 彼かれはもう来こないかもしれない。

  Kare wa mou konai kamoshirenai.

  He might not come anymore.

Vocabulary in these examples

• 明日 tomorrow
• 雨 rain
• 彼 he, him
• もう already; more
• 来る to come

Related patterns · Guessing and hearsay

• 〜そうだ（様態） looks like; seems (from appearance)
• 〜そうだ（伝聞） I hear that; they say that
• 〜ようだ it seems; it appears (based on evidence)
• 〜らしい seems; apparently (from what one heard)
• 〜にちがいない must be; I'm sure that