barangkali
Tentative Possibility
Barangkali expresses possibility, like mungkin. It can soften a suggestion or guess without encoding a fixed lower degree of certainty.
How It Works
Barangkali functions as a sentential adverb, meaning it can modify an entire statement. The standard spelling is one word: barangkali.
1. Placement in a Sentence
It is flexible but usually appears in two spots:
- Sentence-initial: Modifying the whole idea (e.g., Barangkali dia lupa.).
- Pre-predicate: Placed before the verb or adjective (e.g., Dia barangkali sedang sibuk.).
2. Register and Nuance
In daily casual conversation, Indonesians often use mungkin or the clipped particle kali at the end of a sentence. Barangkali is preferred in 'careful' or formal Indonesian. Barangkali and mungkin have overlapping possibility meanings; they do not express fixed different probability levels.
3. Comparison with Other Terms
Compare boleh jadi, another expression of possibility. Barangkali can soften a suggestion or mark uncertainty; evidence and context determine the intended judgment, not an absolute division into subjective and evidence-based words.
Examples (4)
- Barangkali ia tidak mendengar panggilan telepon saya.
Perhaps he/she did not hear my phone call.
Word by Word: Perhaps he/she not hear call telephone my.
Here, 'barangkali' is used at the start of the sentence to offer a polite possible explanation for why someone didn't answer.
- Tanyakanlah kepadanya, barangkali ia mengerti masalah ini.
Just ask him/her; perhaps he/she understands this matter.
Word by Word: Ask-please to-him/her, perhaps he/she understand problem this.
In this context, 'barangkali' introduces a tentative reason for taking an action (asking someone).
- Barangkali besok cuaca akan lebih baik.
Perhaps the weather will be better tomorrow.
Word by Word: Perhaps tomorrow weather will more good.
This shows a subjective guess about the future, used in a slightly more formal or literary tone.
- Dia barangkali sedang sibuk di kantor.
He/she is perhaps busy at the office.
Word by Word: He/she perhaps [progressive marker] busy at office.
This demonstrates the pre-predicate position, where 'barangkali' appears before the progressive marker 'sedang' and the adjective 'sibuk'.
Common Mistakes
Writing 'barangkali' as two separate words.
Barang kali dia sudah pergi.Barangkali dia sudah pergi.The standard spelling of this possibility word is barangkali, written as one word.
Using 'barangkali' in very casual slang contexts.
Barangkali gue telat, ya.Mungkin gue telat, ya. / Gue telat kali, ya.Mungkin and sentence-final kali are familiar conversational choices. Barangkali can sound more careful alongside gue, but the combination is not inherently ungrammatical; speakers may mix registers deliberately.
How It Connects
Learn This First
To understand barangkali, you should first be familiar with the basic way to express possibility using 'mungkin'. Barangkali functions similarly but is used in more formal or literary contexts. You also need a grasp of basic Indonesian sentence structure to know where to place this adverb.
Related Patterns
- boleh jadiIt May Be That
Boleh jadi also marks possibility; neither expression requires a fixed type of evidence.
Level 5 - agaknyaTentative Agaknya
'Agaknya' is another tentative adverb meaning 'it seems' or 'rather,' often used similarly to 'barangkali' in formal writing.
Level 5 - pastiStrong Certainty with Pasti
'Pasti' is the opposite of 'barangkali,' expressing strong certainty instead of tentative possibility.
Level 3
Words in This Pattern
Practice barangkali in Bubblegum
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