kannski / líklega

Maybe and Probably

Level 4

Hún kemur líklega á morgun. (She is probably coming tomorrow.) One small word shows how sure you are.

How It Works

How sure are you?

  • kannski (maybe): Kannski rignir á morgun. (Maybe it will rain tomorrow.)
  • líklega and sennilega (probably): Hún kemur líklega á morgun. The two mean the same.
  • örugglega (surely, definitely): Það er örugglega rétt. (That is surely right.)
  • eflaust (no doubt): Þú hefur eflaust heyrt þetta áður. (You have no doubt heard this before.)

Where they go. In a main clause the finite verb comes first or second (verb-second word order), and these adverbs stand right after it:

  • Hann er líklega heima. (He is probably at home.)
  • Við förum sennilega til Akureyrar í sumar. (We are probably going to Akureyri this summer.)

With ekki, the adverb comes before it: Hann kemur líklega ekki. (He probably isn't coming.) In a sentence with an auxiliary, the adverb follows the auxiliary: Hún hefur örugglega gleymt því. (She has surely forgotten it.)

At the start. Any of these words can come first for emphasis. The verb then comes right after it, and the subject follows: Kannski kemur hann á morgun. Líklega er hún farin. (She has probably left.) In relaxed speech you will also hear kannski followed straight by the subject, but verb-second order is always correct.

Short answers. These words also work alone: Kemurðu í kvöld? — Kannski. (Are you coming tonight? — Maybe.) Örugglega! means Definitely!

Examples (6)

  1. Hún kemur líklega á morgun.

    She is probably coming tomorrow.

    Word by Word: She comes probably on morning.

  2. Kannski kemur hann á morgun.

    Maybe he'll come tomorrow.

    Word by Word: Maybe comes he on morning.

    kannski is first, so the verb kemur comes next and the subject after it.

  3. Það er örugglega rétt.

    That is surely right.

    Word by Word: It is surely right.

  4. Hann kemur sennilega ekki í kvöld.

    He probably isn't coming tonight.

    Word by Word: He comes probably not in evening.

    The adverb comes before ekki.

  5. Þú hefur eflaust heyrt þetta áður.

    You have no doubt heard this before.

    Word by Word: You have doubtless heard this before.

  6. Kemurðu í partíið? — Kannski.

    Are you coming to the party? — Maybe.

    Word by Word: Come-you in the-party? — Maybe.

Common Mistakes

  • Putting the adverb between the subject and the verb, as in English.

    Hún líklega kemur á morgun.
    Hún kemur líklega á morgun.

    In an Icelandic main clause the verb comes second. The adverb goes after the verb: kemur líklega.

  • Putting the adverb after ekki.

    Hann kemur ekki líklega í kvöld.
    Hann kemur líklega ekki í kvöld.

    Words that show how sure you are come before ekki: líklega ekki, sennilega ekki, örugglega ekki.

How It Connects

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

kannski / líklegaLevel 4Maybe and Probably

Learn This First

kannski builds on adverbs and word order.

Learn Next

Patterns that build on this one.

Words in This Pattern

kannskilíklegasennilegaörugglegaeflaust