poida que + Subjunctive
Maybe: Poida Que
Poida que means maybe or it may be that, and the verb after it is always subjunctive: Poida que chova mañá (it may rain tomorrow).
How It Works
The pattern
Poida que + subjunctive. Poida is itself a subjunctive form of poder, and the whole phrase works like a single adverb meaning maybe. Pode que and pode ser que are common synonyms.
Which subjunctive?
- Now or later: present subjunctive. Poida que chova mañá; Pode que teñas razón (you may be right).
- The past: past subjunctive in -se. Poida que xa marchasen (maybe they have already left); Poida que viñese onte (maybe he came yesterday).
Watch the -ra form. In standard Galician, a form like viñera is the antepretérito and means had come. It is not a subjunctive, so it does not go after poida que.
Compare. Quizais and talvez can take either mood, and se cadra usually takes the indicative. Poida que is the one that always needs the subjunctive.
Pronouns. After que, the pronoun goes before the verb: Poida que non o saiba.
Examples (5)
- Poida que chova mañá.
It may rain tomorrow.
Word by Word: May-be that it-rain tomorrow.
Chova is the present subjunctive of chover.
- Poida que non o saiba.
Maybe he doesn't know.
Saiba is the present subjunctive of saber. The pronoun goes before the verb after que.
- Pode que teñas razón.
You may be right.
Pode que means the same as poida que.
- Poida que xa marchasen.
Maybe they have already left.
For the past, use the past subjunctive: marchasen.
- Pode ser que o tren chegue tarde.
The train may arrive late.
Chegue is the present subjunctive of chegar, written with gu before e.
Common Mistakes
Using the indicative after poida que.
Poida que chove mañá.Poida que chova mañá.Poida que always takes the subjunctive.
Using the -ra form as a past subjunctive.
Poida que viñera onte.Poida que viñese onte.In standard Galician, viñera means had come. The past subjunctive is viñese.
How It Connects
Learn This First
Poida que introduces a possibility with a subjunctive clause.
Related Patterns
- quizais / talvezPerhaps: Quizais and Talvez
Adverbs meaning perhaps, which can take either the subjunctive or the indicative.
Level 4 - se cadraMaybe: Se Cadra
A common spoken way to say maybe, usually with the indicative.
Level 3 - Present Subjunctive of Regular Verbs
The present subjunctive forms used after poida que.
Level 3 - The Imperfect Subjunctive
The past subjunctive forms used for past possibilities.
Level 4 - The Simple Pluperfect (Antepretérito)
Explains the -ra form, which is not a subjunctive in standard Galician.
Level 3 - deber (de) + InfinitiveObligation and Probability with Deber
Deber de can also express a guess about what is probably true.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice poida que + Subjunctive in Bubblegum
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