barangkali

Tentative Possibility

Level 3

Barangkali is a formal way to say 'perhaps' or 'maybe.' It is used when you want to express a possibility with a lower degree of certainty or a more cautious tone than the common word mungkin.

How It Works

Barangkali is classified as a kata adverba (adverb) in formal Malay grammar. While it shares a similar meaning with mungkin, there are key differences in usage:

  • Register: It is primarily used in formal writing, literature, and polite speeches. In casual conversation, it can sound slightly 'bookish.'
  • Certainty: It often implies a lower level of certainty than mungkin. It suggests the speaker is being careful not to be too assertive.
  • Position: It can be placed at the beginning of a sentence to modify the whole thought, or before the predicate (verb/adjective) to modify the action.
  • Standalone Use: Like 'perhaps' in English, it can be used as a one-word answer to a question.

Unlike some other uncertainty markers, barangkali is strictly a single word. Writing it as 'barang kali' is a common orthographic error.

Examples (4)

  1. Barangkali dia terlupa akan janji kita.

    Perhaps he forgot about our promise.

    Word by Word: Perhaps he forgot about promise our.

    Here, 'barangkali' starts the sentence to express a tentative guess about why someone hasn't arrived.

  2. Kalau hujan berterusan, barangkali majlis itu akan ditangguhkan.

    If the rain continues, perhaps the ceremony will be postponed.

    Word by Word: If rain continues, perhaps ceremony that will be postponed.

    In this conditional sentence, 'barangkali' is used to express a possible outcome with caution.

  3. "Barangkali," jawabnya ringkas.

    "Perhaps," he answered briefly.

    Word by Word: "Perhaps," answered-he briefly.

    This shows 'barangkali' used as a standalone response, common in literary contexts.

  4. Dia barangkali sedang sibuk di pejabat.

    He is perhaps busy at the office.

    Word by Word: He perhaps currently busy at office.

    In this example, the adverb is placed before the predicate 'sedang sibuk' to modify the state of being busy.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing 'barangkali' as two separate words.

    Barang kali dia akan datang.
    Barangkali dia akan datang.

    Although it originates from two words, modern Malay orthography requires it to be written as a single compound word.

  • Using it redundantly with other uncertainty markers.

    Mungkin barangkali dia sakit.
    Barangkali dia sakit.

    Combining 'mungkin' and 'barangkali' is redundant because they serve the same grammatical purpose.

How It Connects

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barangkaliLevel 3Tentative Possibility

Learn This First

To understand barangkali, learners should already be familiar with the basic concept of expressing possibility using the more common word 'mungkin'. Since barangkali is used as a sentence or predicate modifier, a grasp of basic sentence structure is also required.

Words in This Pattern

barangkali