Maybe With شاید

Level 3

شاید and باید look alike and differ by one letter, because شاید is maybe and باید is must.

How It Works

What you sayDari
Maybe it will snow.شاید برف ببارد.
Maybe I will come.شاید بیایم.
Maybe he or she won't come.شاید نیاید.
Maybe we will be at home.شاید در خانه باشیم.

شاید usually stands at the start of its clause, and a subject can come before it. A time word can come before it too: فردا شاید باران ببارد.

The verb after شاید agrees with its subject, just like the verb after باید: شاید او دیر برسد (maybe he is late), شاید ما دیر برسیم (maybe we are late).

For the two verbs that have their own subjunctive, use باشم and داشته باشم: شاید او خانه نباشد (maybe she is not at home).

شاید alone also answers a question: شما می‌آیید؟ شاید. (Are you coming? Maybe.)

Examples (5)

  1. شاید فردا برف ببارد.

    It may snow tomorrow.

    ببارد is the subjunctive after شاید.

  2. شاید او در خانه نباشد.

    Maybe she isn't at home.

    نباشد is the negative subjunctive of be.

  3. شاید امشب به خانهٔ کاکایم برویم.

    Maybe we'll go to my uncle's house tonight.

    برویم is the ما form of the subjunctive.

  4. شاید این کتاب را دوست داشته باشی.

    Maybe you'll like this book.

    دوست داشته باشی is the subjunctive for تو.

  5. شاید احمد دیر برسد.

    Maybe Ahmad will be late.

    برسد agrees with احمد.

Common Mistakes

  • Leaving out the ب.

    شاید فردا برف بارد.
    شاید فردا برف ببارد.

    The verb after شاید is the subjunctive, and a simple verb such as باریدن takes بـ: ببارد.

  • Using a different person for the verb.

    شاید ما دیر برسم.
    شاید ما دیر برسیم.

    The verb agrees with the subject.

How It Connects

Tap a pattern to see what it builds on and what it leads to.

Maybe With شایدLevel 3

Learn This First

The verb after شاید takes the subjunctive.

Words in This Pattern

شاید