JLPT N4 grammar
〜かもしれない — Meaning & Examples
Maybe / might (30–50%). Plain form + かもしれない; な-adj and nouns drop だ. Casual short form: かも. 行くかも = I might go.
〜かもしれない and 〜でしょう
〜かもしれない — "might / maybe"
Formation: plain form + かもしれない
い-adjective: 高いかもしれない
な-adjective: 静かかもしれない (drop だ)
noun: 学生かもしれない (drop だ)
彼はもう帰ったかもしれません。
= He might have already gone home.
この店は今日休みかもしれない。
= This shop might be closed today.
Casual: かも on its own — 行くかも。 = I might go.
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〜でしょう / だろう — "probably / I expect"
Formation: plain form + でしょう (な-adj and nouns drop だ)
明日は晴れるでしょう。
= It will probably be sunny tomorrow. (weather forecasts use this constantly)
彼は来ないでしょう。
= He probably will not come.
Two extra uses of でしょう:
1. Seeking agreement — with rising intonation:
おいしいでしょう？ = It is delicious, right?
- Softening a statement so you do not sound too blunt. This is why announcers and weather reporters live on でしょう.
Register: でしょう is polite, だろう is casual and sounds masculine in speech.
Practice questions
Try these 3 questions on 〜かもしれない. Pick an answer in your head, then open “Show answer”.
1. Which expresses the LOWEST confidence?
- 〜にちがいない
- 〜はずだ
- 〜かもしれない
- 〜でしょう
Show answer
Answer: 〜かもしれない
The dial runs かもしれない (maybe, 30–50%) → でしょう (probably) → はずだ (should be) → にちがいない (must be, ~95%).
2. 静か + かもしれない becomes?
- 静かかもしれない
- 静かだかもしれない
- 静かなかもしれない
- 静かのかもしれない
Show answer
Answer: 静かかもしれない
な-adjectives and nouns DROP だ before かもしれない: 静かかもしれない, 学生かもしれない.
3. To say "you should sleep early" (advice), you use?
- 早く寝たほうがいいです
- 早く寝るはずです
- 早く寝るでしょう
- 早く寝るかもしれない
Show answer
Answer: 早く寝たほうがいいです
はず is NOT advice — it means "I expect that." For advice use 〜たほうがいい: 早く寝たほうがいいです.
Practise 〜かもしれない in the free app
This point is part of the “🤔 How Sure Are You? — でしょう・かもしれない・はず・にちがいない” lesson in A Star Japanese. Study it with examples, a quiz, flashcards and timed JLPT N4 mock exams. Free on iPhone and Android.
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Related N4 grammar points
From the same lesson: 🤔 How Sure Are You? — でしょう・かもしれない・はず・にちがいない
Frequently asked questions
What does 〜かもしれない mean?
Maybe / might (30–50%). Plain form + かもしれない; な-adj and nouns drop だ. Casual short form: かも. 行くかも = I might go.
Is 〜かもしれない on the JLPT N4 test?
〜かもしれない is taught in the JLPT N4 grammar course in A Star Japanese (lesson “🤔 How Sure Are You? — でしょう・かもしれない・はず・にちがいない”), so it is a pattern learners at this level are expected to recognise. The JLPT does not publish an official grammar list, so treat this as a study guide rather than an official requirement.
How can I practise 〜かもしれない?
Open the “🤔 How Sure Are You? — でしょう・かもしれない・はず・にちがいない” lesson in the free A Star Japanese app for iPhone and Android. It has examples, a quiz after every lesson, flashcards with spaced repetition and timed JLPT N4 mock exams, with no ads.