MAYBEwhen you think something may happen or may be true, but you are not sureRELATED WORDSoppositeCERTAINLY/DEFINITELYsee alsoPROBABLYSURE/NOT SUREPOSSIBLE1 when you think something may happen or may be true, but you are not sure 认为某事可能发生或有可能是真实的，但又不确定maybe/perhaps /ˈmeɪbi, pəʳˈhæps/ [adverb]use this when you think that something may happen or may be true, but you are not sure.Perhaps is more formal thanmaybe. 可能，也许〔perhaps比maybe 正式〕 ‘Will you be there tomorrow?’ ‘I don't know, maybe.’ “你明天会去那里吗？”“不知道。也许吧。” I wonder why she's late - maybe she missed the train. 不知道为什么她迟到了一也许是没赶上火车。 The footprints belonged to a large cat, a tiger, perhaps. 这些足迹是大型猫科动物的，可能是老虎的。 I'm not sure why I couldn't sleep. Perhaps it was the coffee. 我不清楚为何睡不着，也许是喝了咖啡的缘故。maybe not/perhaps not ‘It's not her fault that she can't get a job.’ ‘Well, maybe not, but she should make a little more effort.’ “她找不到工作可不是她的错。”“啊，也许不是她的错，可她也应该再努力一些才对。” Housing prices will continue to rise, though perhaps not as much as was predicted last year. 房价还会继续上涨，虽然也许不会像去年预测的涨那么多。may/might/could /meɪ, maɪt, kʊd/ [modal verb]use this with other verbs, to show that something is possible, or likely, but you are not sure about it.May andmight are more formal thancould可能，也许〔may和might 比could较为正式〕 Take your umbrella -- it might rain. 拿把伞吧——也许会下雨。 Hundreds of workers may lose their jobs if the strike continues. 如果罢工持续下去，几百名工人可能会失去工作。 We could be home before midnight if the traffic isn't too bad. 如果交通情况不太糟，我们在子夜前可以到家了。may/might/could have done something ‘Bruce isn't here yet.’ ‘He may have decided not to come.’ “布鲁斯还没到。”“他也许决定不来了。” It's a good thing we got her to the hospital right away -- the doctor said she could have died if we'd waited. 幸亏我们立即把她送去医院，医生说我们如果等着的话，她可能就没命了。it is possible (that)/there's a chance (that) /ɪt ɪz ˈpɒsbəl (ðət)ǁ-ˈpɑː-, ðeəʳz ə ˈtʃɑːns (ðət)ǁ-ˈtʃæns-/use this when you think that something may happen or may be done, but that it is not very likely 有可能 I might have to work on Saturday, so it's possible I won't be able to come to your party. 我周六可能要工作，所以也许不能来参加你们的聚会。 There's a chance that I'll be in California in October, so I might be able to visit you for a few days. 10月份我可能去加州，这样我也许能有几天时间来拜访你。it is just possible (that)/there is just a chance (that)when something is possible, but very unlikely 有可能 Tomorrow should be sunny but there's just a chance of showers in the afternoon. 明天应该是阳光明媚，但下午可能有阵雨。 It's just possible we'll finish the job by tonight, but it'll probably be tomorrow. 我们虽然有可能今晚把这件事做完，但是很可能得明天才完成。outside chance/possibility Martinez will need surgery, but there's an outside chance he'll be playing again before the end of the season. 马丁内斯要做手术，但在赛季结束之前他还有可能上场。slim chance/possibility Sims has some numbness and weakness in her legs, and surgeons say there is a slim possibility of paralysis. 西姆斯腿部有些麻木软弱感，外科医生说有瘫痪的可能性，但这种可能性不太大。possibly /ˈpɒsɪbli, ˈpɒsəbliǁˈpɑː-/ [adverb]use this when you think that something may be true, but you do not have enough information to be sure 可能，也许 ‘Do you think she was murdered, inspector?’ ‘Possibly.’ “你觉得她是被谋杀的吗？警官。”“有可能。” He's playing in the US Open Golf Championships - possibly for the last time. 他在美国高尔夫球公开赛上比赛—也许是最后一次了。 Stone is possibly America's finest film director. 斯通也许是美国最优秀的电影导演。 The cancer was possibly caused by exposure to asbestos. 这种癌症有可能是由于暴露在有石棉的环境下引起的。 Trade between the two countries began in the 11th century, possibly even earlier. 这两个国家的贸易始于11世纪，也许更早些。 Many analysts believe interest rates will rise, possibly as early as next spring. 许多分析师认为利率会提高，可能最早明年春季就开始。quite possiblyvery possibly 很可能 The examination hall was vast, with at least 700 or 800 students and quite possibly as many as 1000. 考试大厅面积很大，至少容纳了700或800名学生，很有可能多达1000人。conceivably /kənˈsiːvəbli/ [adverb]if you think something mayconceivably happen or be true, it seems unlikely but you can imagine that it is possible 也许〔指可以想象但可能性较小〕 Reservations are advised but you might conceivably find a hotel the day you arrive. 建议预订房间，但你抵达当天也许能找到有空房的旅馆。 It is still unlikely, but unemployment could conceivably begin to fall by the end of the year. 虽然仍不大可能，不过失业人数到年底可能会开始下降。you never know /juː ˌnevəʳ ˈnəʊ/spokensay this when you are not sure whether something will happen, because no one knows what will happen in the future 【口】谁也说不准 I don't think I'll ever get married, but you never know. 我想我是永远也不会结婚的，但谁说得准呢。 Why don't you ask for a raise? You never know, they could say yes. 你干吗不要求加薪？谁也说不准，他们也许会同意的。who knows? /ˌhuː ˈnəʊz/spokensay this when you have no way of knowing whether something is true or not true 【口】谁知道呢？ ‘Will you still be working here next year?’ ‘Who knows? Maybe I will, maybe I won't.’ “你明年还会在这里工作吗？”“谁知道呢？也许会，也许不会。” Maybe he wasn't telling the truth. Who knows? 可能他没在讲真话。谁知道呢？