"MAYBE” versus “MAY BE”?

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Maybe or may be?

We use maybe and may be to talk about possibility. They are often confused because we use them both when we think that something is possible but we are not certain.

Maybe as an adverb or as a noun

Maybe /ˈmeɪbi/ is an adverb and it means the same as perhaps. It can also be used as a noun.

Example (Adverbs): 

➤ Maybe we should get a new refrigerator.

➤ That’s maybe the worst show I’ve ever seen.

➤ Maybe you were right after all.

Example (Nouns):

➤ Ifs and buts and maybes will not do.

➤ There are too many questions, and too many maybes.

➤ “I’m a maybe.”

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May be 

In the phrase may be /meɪ bi:/ may is a modal verb and be is a main or auxiliary verb. Here may and be are two separate words, whereas maybe is one word.

The main MODAL VERBS" are: can, could, may, might, must, should, shall, will and would. Most of them are pretty similar in meaning. 

Examples:

➤ Can/Could/May I use your toilet?

➤ Can/Could/May I ask you a favor?

➤ Can/Could/May I talk to Mr. Peter, please?

➤ Can/Could/May I call you later?

➤ Can/Could/May I use your cellphone, please?

➤ My manager may be waiting for us at the station.

➤ This may be the last time I lend you some money. I'm tired of your ingratitude. 

➤ It may be possible for him to arrive early from work today.

➤ My sister may be at work at this time and she might not answer the phone. 

➤ There may be a room available for you in ten minutes.

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Maybe or perhaps?
Maybe and perhaps are adverbs that mean the same thing. We use them when we think something is possible, but we are not certain. We use maybe mostly in front or end position whereas perhaps is used in front, mid and end position. Perhaps can be used in more formal situations. 

➤ I can't find it anywhere. ~ Perhaps / Maybe you threw it away.

➤ How old is Eline? ~ I don't really know. In her forties, certainly. Fourty-two, maybe / perhaps.

➤ There were perhaps as many as fifty badly wounded soldiers in the hospital.

➤ Perhaps / Maybe I should explain to you how they came to be there.

➤ St Paul's Cathedral is perhaps one of London's most prominent landmarks.

➤ Why don't you join us for the New Year celebrations? ~ Yeah, perhaps / maybe I will.

➤ Maybe / Perhaps you are right! Maybe / Perhaps it would be best if you didn't invite Johnnie

Source english sentences:: BBC

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Maybe (talvez / possivelmente) or may be (pode estar/ pode ser)?

Usamos essas palavras para falar sobre possibilidade. Elas são muitas vezes confusas, pois ambas indicam que algo é possível, mas não temos certeza.

Maybe as an adverb and as a noun

Significa talvez ou possivelmente, é um ADVÉRBIO, porém pode ser utilizado como SUBSTANTIVO também.

Exemplos (Advérbios): 

➤ “Maybe we should get a new refrigerator.” (Talvez devêssemos  comprar uma geladeira nova.)

➤ “That’s maybe the worst show I’ve ever seen.” (Esse é talvez o pior show que eu já vi.)

➤ “Maybe you were right after all.” (Talvez você estivesse certo, afinal.)

Exemplos (substantivos):

➤ Ifs and buts and maybes will not do. (Se, mas e talvez não vai rolar.) - usado quando a pessoa cria muito empecilho pra fazer as coisas.

➤ There are too many questions, and too many maybes. (Há muitas perguntas e muita incógnita.)

➤ “I’m a maybe.” (Eu sou um incógnita.)

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May be 

É utilizado quando queremos dizer que algo é possível, mas não temos certeza. May be é um "MODAL VERB" e ele têm a capacidade de alterar ou complementar o sentido do verbo principal ou auxiliá-lo. 

Os principais "MODAL VERBS" utilizados no dia a dia são: can, could, may, might, must, should, shall, will e would. Muitos deles são bem parecidos. 

Exemplos:

➤ Can I use your toilet? (Posso usar seu banheiro?) (informal)

➤ Could I ask you a favor? (Posso/Poderia te pedir um favor?) (mais formal)

➤ May I talk to Mr. Peter, please? (Eu poderia falar com o Sr. Peter, por favor?) (muito formal)

➤ May I call you later? (Eu poderia te ligar mais tarde?)

➤ May I use your cellphone, please? (Eu poderia usar seu celular, por favor?

➤ My manager may be waiting for us at the station. (Meu chefe pode estar nos esperando na estação de trem.)

➤ This may be the last time I lend you some money. I'm tired of you ingratitude. (Esta pode ser a última vez que lhe empresto dinheiro. Estou cansado da sua ingratidão.)

➤ It may be possible for him to arrive early from work today. (Pode ser possível que ele chegue mais cedo do trabalho hoje.)

➤ My sister may be at work at this time and she might not answer the phone. (Minha irmã pode estar no trabalho agora e ela pode não atender o telefone.)

➤ There may be a room available for you in a ten minutes. (Pode haver um quarto disponível para você em dez minutos.)

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Maybe or perhaps?

Ambos são advérbios que significam a mesma coisa. Os usamos quando pensamos que algo é possível, mas não temos certeza. Geralmente usamos "maybe" no começo ou final das frases, enquanto "perhaps" pode ser utilizado no inicio, meio ou final da frase. Perhaps é geralmente usado em situações formais. 

➤ I can't find it anywhere. ~ Perhaps / Maybe you threw it away. (Não acho em lugar nenhum. ~ Talvez você tenha jogado fora. 

➤ How old is Eline? ~ I don't really know. In her forties, certainly. Fourty-two, maybe. (Quantos anos tem a Eline? ~ Eu não sei ao certo. Quarenta e pouco, com certeza. Quarenta e dois, talvez. 

➤ There were perhaps as many as fifty badly wounded soldiers in the hospital. (Talvez haviam até cinquenta soldados feridos gravemente no hospital.)

➤ Perhaps I should explain to you how they came to be there. (Talvez eu devesse explicar a você como eles chegaram lá.)  

➤ St Paul's Cathedral is perhaps one of London's most prominent landmarks. (A Catedral de São Paulo é talvez um dos monumentos mais importantes de Londres.)

➤ Why don't you join us for the New Year celebrations? ~ Yeah, perhaps / maybe I will. (Por que você não se junta a nós para as celebrações do Ano Novo? ~ Sim, acho que sim.)

➤ Maybe you are right! Perhaps it would be best if you didn't invite Johnnie. (Acho que você esteja certo! Talvez fosse melhor não convidar Johnnie.)

Source english sentences: BBC

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Maybe (tal vez / possiblemente) or may be (puede estar/ puede ser)?

Usamos estas palabras para hablar de posibilidad. A menudo son confusos ya que ambos indican que algo es posible pero no estamos seguros.

Maybe as an adverb and as a noun

Significa tal vez o posiblemente, es un ADVERBIO, pero también se puede usar como SUSTANTIVO.

Ejemplos (Advérbios): 

➤ “Maybe we should get a new refrigerator.” (Tal vez deberíamos comprar un refrigerador nuevo.)

➤ “That’s maybe the worst show I’ve ever seen.” (Ese es quizás el peor programa/show que he visto.)

➤ “Maybe you were right after all.” (Tal vez tenías razón.)

Ejemplos (Sustantivos):

➤ Ifs and buts and maybes will not do. (Sis, peros y tal vezes no servirá de nada.) -Se usa cuando las personas crean muchos obstáculos para hacer las cosas.

➤ There are too many questions, and too many maybes. (Hay demasiadas preguntas y demasiados quizás.)

➤ “I’m a maybe.” (Soy un comodín.)

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May be 

Se utiliza cuando queremos decir que algo es posible, pero no estamos seguros. May be es un  "MODAL VERB" y tiene la capacidad de cambiar o complementar el significado del verbo principal o ayudarlo.

Los principales "MODAL VERBS" que se utilizan en la vida cotidiana son: can, could, may, might, must, should, shall, will e would. Muchos de ellos son muy similares.

Exemplos:

➤ Can I use your toilet? (¿Puedo usar tu baño?) (informal)

➤ Could I ask you a favor? (Podría pedirle um favor?) (más formal)

➤ May I talk to Mr. Peter, please? (Puedo hablar con el Sr. Peter, por favor?) (muy formal)

➤ May I call you later? (Puedo llamarlo más tarde?)

➤ May I use your cellphone, please? (Puedo usar su celular, por favor?

➤ My manager may be waiting for us at the station. (Mi jefe podría estar  esperandonos en la estación de tren.)

➤ This may be the last time I lend you some money. I'm tired of you ingratitude. (Esta puede ser la última vez que te presto dinero. Estoy cansado de tu ingratitud.)

➤ It may be possible for him to arrive early from work today. (Puede ser que él llegue más temprano del trabajo hoy.)

➤ My sister may be at work at this time and she might not answer the phone. (Mi hermana puede estar trabajando ahora y tal vez no te conteste la llamada.)

➤ There may be a room available for you in ten minutes. (Creo que tendremos una habitación disponible en 10 minutos.)

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Maybe or perhaps?

Ambos son adverbios que significan lo mismo. Los usamos cuando pensamos que algo es posible, pero no estamos seguros. Usualmente usamos "maybe" al principio o al final de las oraciones, mientras que "perhaps" se puede usar al principio, en el medio o al final de la oración. "Perhaps" se usa generalmente en situaciones formales.

➤ I can't find it anywhere. ~ Perhaps / Maybe you threw it away. (No encuentro esto en ningun lugar. ~ Tal vez hayas tirado en la basura. 

➤ How old is Eline? ~ I don't really know. Fourty-two, maybe/perhaps. (¿Cuántos años tiene Eline? ~ No lo sé al cierto. Cuarenta y dos, tal vez.) 

➤ There were perhaps as many as fifty badly wounded soldiers in the hospital. (Tal vez habían hasta cincuenta soldados heridos en el hospital.)

➤ Perhaps/Maybe I should explain to you how they came to be there. (Tal vez debería explicarte como llegarón allí.)  

➤ St Paul's Cathedral is perhaps one of London's most prominent landmarks. (St Paul's Cathedral es tal vez uno de los monumentos más importante de Londres.  

➤ Why don't you join us for the New Year celebrations? ~ Yeah, perhaps / maybe I will. (Únete a nosotros para las celebraciones? ~ Si, creo que si.)

➤ Maybe/Perhaps you are right! Perhaps/Maybe it would be best if you didn't invite Johnnie. (Tienes razón! Tal vez fuese mejor no invitar a Johnnie.)

Source english sentences: BBC

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⮚ Reorder the sentences.

⮚ Organize as palavras para formar frases com sentido.

⮚ Reordene las oraciones.

1. cinema / may / I / the / go / tonight / to.
2. help / homework / May / with / you / I / the / ?
3. not / us / come / she / with / may.
4. tomorrow / to / Paris / we / drive / may.
5. please / sit / I / , / ? / May / here

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⮚ Choose the best option: may or might
⮚ Escolha a opção correta: may or might 

⮚ Completa con la mejor palabra: may or might

1. When I grow up, I ___________ become a teacher. I love teaching!

2. There is a small chance we ___________ go out tonight because we must study.

3. There is a good chance that we ___________ have to cook tonight. We are alone at home.

4. Tom and I ___________ cook dinner tonight but I’m not sure about it.

5. The car ___________ broke down. It’s very old and it hasn’t been serviced.

6. Who knows, I ___________ win the lottery one day.

7. It ___________  rain tonight, but I am not sure about it.

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⮚ Choose the best option: maybe, perhaps or may be
⮚ Escolha a opção correta: maybe, perhaps or may be

⮚ Completa con la mejor palabra: maybe, perhaps or may be

1. There ___________ times when you are tempted to sell your equity investments and move the proceeds into cash or a money market fund.

2. Because of a situation between my daughter and a friend of hers, I advised her that ___________ she had to "love her enemy".

3. Several Member States including France, Latvia and Slovakia have not transposed this notion, ___________ to overcome this problem.

4. If you’re a long-term investor – which includes those in their 60s and early 70s who ___________ in retirement for 20 or more years – don’t expect to outwit the current downward trends

5. “___________ the star becomes the example,” Taylor said.

6. If you can convince yourself not to sell at a loss, you still ___________ tempted to stop making your regular contributions to your retirement savings plan for awhile, thinking you’re just throwing good money after bad.

7. If I contribute to the GDP of the United States, ___________ the United States
will import more from Africa.

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⮚ Fill in the gaps with perhaps, Maybe, may be or might
⮚ Complete a história com maybe, may be or might, maybe

⮚ Completa las frases con maybe, may be o might, maybe

Roleplay I

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson* go camping and pitch their tent under the stars. In the middle of the night, Holmes wakes his companion up and says: 

💬 "Watson, look up at the stars and tell me what you deduce.

🗨 "Watson says: "I see millions of stars and ________ quite a few planets among them. It ________ true that a few of the planets are quite like Earth and there ________ be life on them." 

Holmes replies: 

💬 "Watson, you bloody fool! Somebody has stolen our tent!"

Source: BBC

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Roleplay II

Domingos: _______ we’ll have to work tomorrow. 

Ana: We _______ able to avoid it if we wrap the project up fairly quickly. 

Domingos: I must pick up my son from school at 6pm. _______ we won’t have time enough.

Ana: Yeah, it _______ cutting it close.

Domingos:  _______ we should try to talk to Peter and ask a deadline extension.

Ana: Oh yeah! It _______ the best thing to do!

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Answer Key: 

⮚ Reorder the sentences.

⮚ Organize as palavras para formar frases com sentido.

⮚ Reordene las oraciones.

1. cinema / may / I / the / go / tonight / to. (I may go to the cinema tonight.)
2. help / homework / May / with / you / I / the / ? (May I help you with the homework?)
3. not / us / come / she / with / may. (She may not come with us.)
4. tomorrow / to / Paris / we / drive / may. (We may drive to Paris tomorrow.)
5. please / sit / I / , / ? / May / here (May I sit here, please?)

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⮚ Choose the best option: may or might
⮚ Escolha a opção correta: may or might 

⮚ Completa con la mejor palabra: may or might

1. When I grow up, I may become a teacher. I love teaching!

2. There is a small chance we might go out tonight because we must study.

3. There is a good chance that we may have to cook tonight. We are alone at home.

4. Tom and I might cook dinner tonight but I’m not sure about it.

5. The car may broke down. It’s very old and it hasn’t been serviced.

6. Who knows, I might win the lottery one day.

7. It might rain tonight, but I am not sure about it.

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⮚ Choose the best option: maybe, may be or perhaps
⮚ Escolha a opção correta: maybe or may be

⮚ Completa con la mejor palabra: maybe or may be

1. There may be times when you are tempted to sell your equity investments and move the proceeds into cash or a money market fund.

2. Because of a situation between my daughter and a friend of hers, I advised her that perhaps she had to "love her enemy".

3. Several Member States including France, Latvia and Slovakia have not transposed this notion, perhaps to overcome this problem.

4. If you’re a long-term investor – which includes those in their 60s and early 70s who may be in retirement for 20 or more years – don’t expect to outwit the current downward trends.

5. “Maybe/Perhaps the star becomes the example,” Taylor said.

6. If you can convince yourself not to sell at a loss, you still may be tempted to stop making your regular contributions to your retirement savings plan for awhile, thinking you’re just throwing good money after bad.

7. If I contribute to the GDP of the United States, perhaps the United States
will import more from Africa.

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;

⮚ Complete the stories below with perhaps, may be, maybe or might

⮚ Complete as histórias com perhaps, may be, maybe or might

⮚ Completa las historias con perhaps, may be, maybe o might. 

Roleplay I

Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson go camping and pitch their tent under the stars. In the middle of the night, Holmes wakes his companion up and says: 

💬 "Watson, look up at the stars and tell me what you deduce.

🗨 "Watson says: "I see millions of stars and perhaps quite a few planets among them. It may be true that a few of the planets are quite like Earth and there might be life on them." 

Holmes replies: 

💬 "Watson, you bloody fool! Somebody has stolen our tent!"

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Roleplay II

Domingos: Maybe we’ll have to work tomorrow.

Ana: We may be able to avoid it if we wrap the project up fairly quickly. 

Domingos: I must pick up my son from school at 6pm. Maybe we won’t have time enough.

Ana: Yeah, it may be cutting it close.

Domingos:  Maybe we should try to talk to Peter and ask a deadline extension.

Ana: Oh yeah! It may be the best thing to do!

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