es posible que + Subjunctive

The phrase es posible que translates to "it's possible that." It's an impersonal expression used to talk about possibilities and likelihoods.

The key rule for this structure is that in the ordinary possibility construction it selects the subjunctive mood in the clause that follows. This is because the statement is not presented as a fact or a certainty, but as something that might or might not happen.

The structure is:
Es posible que + [subject] + [verb in subjunctive]

For example:

• Es posible que venga. (It's possible that he will come.)

This contrasts with expressions of certainty, like es verdad que (it's true that) or es cierto que (it's certain that), which are followed by the indicative mood because they present information as an assertion.

Compare:

• Possibility (Subjunctive): Es posible que esté enfermo. (It's possible that he is sick.)
• Certainty (Indicative): Es verdad que está enfermo. (It's true that he is sick.)

To use this pattern correctly, you need to know how to form the present subjunctive for different verbs. See -AR subjunctive endings and -ER/-IR subjunctive endings for conjugation rules.

Time Matters
The present subjunctive fits many present or future possibilities. A completed earlier event can use Es posible que haya llegado (They may have arrived). A past viewpoint can use Era posible que llegara (It was possible that they would arrive). The construction does not require present subjunctive in every context.

With an Infinitive
Es posible entrar means “It is possible to enter,” referring to an action without a finite que clause. Do not add de: Es posible entrar, not Es posible de entrar.