עשוי / עלול + Infinitive

Possibility and Unwanted Risk

Level 5

עשוי can mean may or might, while עלול commonly presents a risk or unwanted possibility. Both use a learned infinitive for the possible action.

How It Works

The Form Matches the Subject

The forms are עשוי, עשויה, עשויים, עשויות and עלול, עלולה, עלולים, עלולות. Use the matching gender and number: היא עשויה להגיע and הן עשויות להגיע. The infinitive להגיע does not change with the subject.

Possible Outcome or Risk

עשוי presents a possible or likely outcome. עלול presents a possible outcome as unwanted: המחשב עלול להתקלקל treats a breakdown as a risk. This distinction concerns the speaker’s assessment of the outcome.

Read the Whole Phrase

In הגשם עשוי להיפסק, the infinitive להיפסק names the possible event. In הם עלולים לאחר, לאחר names the event the speaker wishes to avoid. Learn the modal word together with its infinitive.

Examples (4)

  1. היא עשויה להגיע מוקדם.

    She may arrive early.

    עשויה agrees with the female subject.

  2. הגשם עשוי להיפסק.

    The rain may stop.

    The possible event is expressed with an infinitive.

  3. המחשב עלול להתקלקל.

    The computer may break down.

    עלול frames the possible breakdown as a risk.

  4. הם עלולים לאחר.

    They may be late.

    The risk expression agrees with the plural group.

Common Mistakes

  • Using masculine singular עשוי with a female subject.

    היא עשוי להגיע.
    היא עשויה להגיע.

    The modal word agrees with the subject; the infinitive stays unchanged.

How It Connects

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

עשוי / עלול + InfinitiveLevel 5Possibility and Unwanted Risk

Learn This First

Distinguish possibility expressed by עשוי from the especially unwanted possible outcome associated with עלול.