How to use ~かもしれない (~kamoshirenai): A Streetwise JLPT N4 Grammar Guide

cocaine tea

この「こな」は砂糖さとうじゃないかもしれない。
This “powder” might not be sugar.

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Read the explanation below to understand the nuance of how this grammar structure is used.

Aight, listen up. Keep it real, ~かもしれない is all about uncertainty. It’s when you ain’t 100% sure ’bout somethin’. This is your “might,” your “maybe,” your “could be.”

You ain’t stating facts, you’re just makin’ a guess based on what you see or feel. It’s like when you see a dude roll up in a brand new ‘Vette.

You think, “He might be rich,” (かれ金持かねもちかもしれない) but you don’t know his pockets for real. It’s speculation, you feel me? It’s not a strong guess, it’s just throwin’ a possibility out there. It’s that “I dunno, but…” energy.

You use this joint when you’re choppin’ it up about the future, or when you’re worried some shit might go down.

It’s for when you’re guessing, predicting, or just worried about a possibility. Like, if you see some cats posted on the corner lookin’ suspicious, you’d say, “Yo, they might be waitin’ for someone,” (かれらはだれかをっているかもしれない).

It’s for any time you ain’t makin’ a promise, just sayin’ what’s possible.

Think of かもしれない like rollin’ dice in a back alley. You toss ’em, but you don’t know what they finna land on. It might be snake eyes, it might be a 7.

かもしれない is that moment the dice are still rollin’. It’s a gamble on the truth. You ain’t settlin’ the score, you’re just callin’ the odds. It’s a 50/50 shot, maybe even less. It just could happen.


Grammar Conjugation Guide.

Read the table below then use it to conjugate some words you know.

Here’s the breakdown of how you hook this up.

Word TypeHow to ConnectExampleEnglish
VerbPlain Form + かもしれないべるかもしれないMight eat
VerbPlain Past + かもしれないべたかもしれないMight have eaten
i-AdjectivePlain Form + かもしれないさむいかもしれないMight be cold
na-AdjectiveStem + かもしれないしずかかもしれないMight be quiet
NounNoun + かもしれないあめかもしれないMight be rain

Check it, this grammar is easy money. You just stack かもしれない right onto the plain form (dictionary form, past form, etc.) of verbs and i-adjectives. No switchin’ it up.

For na-adjectives and nouns, you just drop the だ that usually comes after them and slide かもしれない right in. Sometimes you’ll hear old heads say しずかだかもしれない, but just droppin’ the ‘だ’ is smooth and more common. It’s that simple. It plays nice with damn near everything.


Example sentences with audio.

Listen to and repeat the sentences below.

ボスは今日きょう機嫌きげんわるいかもしれない。
The boss might be in a bad mood today.

かれりすぎたかもしれない。
He might know too much.

今夜こんや拳銃けんじゅう使つかわないといけないかもしれない。
I might have to use my gun tonight.

このくるま盗難とうなんしゃかもしれない。
This car might be stolen.

てきのファミリーは攻撃こうげき計画けいかくしているかもしれない。
The rival family might be planning an attack.

あのおんな潜入せんにゅう捜査そうさかんかもしれない。
That woman might be an undercover cop.

かれえらそうだが、ただのチンピラかもしれない。
He talks big, but he might just be a small-time punk.

警察けいさつはこの場所ばしょ見張みはっているかもしれない。
The cops might be watching this place.

このカバンに100まんドルはいっているかもしれない。
This briefcase might have a million bucks in it.

ボスは盗聴とうちょうをつけているかもしれない。
The boss might be wearin’ a wire.


Keep your head up and your grammar tight. Peace.

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