How to Say 'Maybe' in Japanese: Softening Suggestions with かもしれない and でしょう
Learn to use Japanese かもしれない, でしょう, and かな to make suggestions and opinions less direct, so you can say 'Maybe we should leave' without sounding pushy.
By LiamCulture & nuance · Yapr Learn
In Japanese, stating an opinion or suggestion too directly can sound blunt or even rude. A useful way to soften what you say is to add words that mean 'maybe' or 'perhaps.' This lesson focuses on three common softeners: かもしれない (kamo shirenai), でしょう (deshō), and the sentence-ending particle かな (kana). You will learn where they go in a sentence and how they change the tone from a firm statement to a gentle suggestion. By the end, you will be able to say things like 'Maybe we should leave' in natural, polite Japanese.
By the end, you can…
- add かもしれない to a sentence to mean 'maybe' or 'might.'
- use でしょう to make a suggestion sound softer and more polite.
- use sentence-ending かな to express a tentative thought or suggestion.
- choose the right softener for casual, polite, or formal situations.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
そろそろ帰りましょうか。
Maybe we should leave soon.
sorosoro kaerimashō ka
Adding か to a ましょう suggestion turns it into a gentle question, softening the push to leave.
そろそろ帰るかもしれない。
We might leave soon.
sorosoro kaeru kamo shirenai
Casual form. かもしれない follows a plain-form verb and expresses uncertainty about a plan or situation.
明日は雨かもしれない。
It might rain tomorrow.
ashita wa ame kamo shirenai
Here かもしれない follows the noun 雨 directly; no か is needed. In casual speech, かもしれない often shortens to かも.
この店は高いでしょう。
This restaurant is probably expensive, isn't it?
kono mise wa takai deshō
でしょう after a plain form shows probability and invites agreement, making an opinion less direct.
映画を見に行かない？
Want to go see a movie? / How about going to see a movie?
eiga o mi ni ikanai?
A negative question is a common indirect way to suggest something in casual conversation.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The most direct way to say 'maybe' is to add かもしれない after a plain-form word. With a verb: 行くかもしれない (iku kamo shirenai) = 'I might go.' With a noun: 学生かもしれない (gakusei kamo shirenai) = 'Maybe he is a student.' For polite speech, use かもしれません (kamo shiremasen). To soften a suggestion, you can also use でしょう (deshō) after a plain form: 行くでしょう (iku deshō) = 'You'll probably go, right?' The sentence-ending particle かな (kana) is even softer and more personal: 行こうかな (ikō kana) = 'Maybe I'll go.'
When to use it
Use かもしれない when you are genuinely unsure and want to avoid sounding certain. Use でしょう when you are fairly sure but want to invite the listener's agreement, as in 高いでしょう (takai deshō) = 'It's expensive, isn't it?' Use かな when you are thinking out loud or making a gentle suggestion among friends, as in 帰ろうかな (kaerō kana) = 'Maybe I'll head home.' In business or formal settings, かもしれません and でしょう are safer than かな, which can sound too casual.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
もう遅いね。そろそろ帰らない？
It's late. Maybe we should head home?mō osoi ne. sorosoro kaeranai?そうだね。でも、もう少しだけ話してもいいかな。
Yeah. But maybe we could talk a little longer?sō da ne. demo, mō sukoshi dake hanashite mo ii kana明日も早いでしょう？
You have an early start tomorrow, right?ashita mo hayai deshō?そうかもね。じゃあ、帰ろうか。
Maybe so. Well then, shall we go?sō kamo ne. jā, kaerō kaA little context goes a long way
Japanese often prefers indirect suggestions to avoid imposing on others. Using かもしれない, でしょう, or かな shows you are leaving room for the other person's opinion. In formal situations, かもしれません and でしょう are appropriate, while かな is best kept for friends or close colleagues.
One thing to watch for
Using かもしれない to make a direct suggestion, as in 帰るかもしれない to mean 'Maybe we should leave.'
Try this instead: かもしれない expresses uncertainty about a fact, not a suggestion. To suggest leaving, say そろそろ帰りましょうか (sorosoro kaerimashō ka) or 帰らない？ (kaeranai?).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you say 'Maybe it will rain tomorrow' in polite Japanese?
Show a sample answer
明日は雨かもしれません。 (ashita wa ame kamo shiremasen.)
かもしれません is the polite form of かもしれない and follows the noun 雨 directly. The casual 明日は雨かもしれない is also correct in informal settings.
2Which softener would you add to 行く (iku) to mean 'I might go'?
Show a sample answer
行くかもしれない。 (iku kamo shirenai.)
かもしれない follows the plain form 行く. In polite speech, use 行くかもしれません. でしょう would mean 'probably go,' which is a different nuance.
3How can you soften the suggestion 帰りましょう (kaerimashō) to make it less direct?
Show a sample answer
帰りましょうか。 (kaerimashō ka.)
Adding か turns the suggestion into a gentle question. 帰ろうかな is also possible in casual speech, but it sounds more like thinking aloud.
To soften a suggestion or opinion in Japanese, add かもしれない for uncertainty, でしょう for polite probability, or かな for a tentative, friendly tone. Match the softener to the formality of the situation.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s Japanese into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr