When diagnosing a breakdown, you will often use adverbs of doubt to share your guesses. The most common ones are:
- tal vez (maybe, perhaps)
- quizá or quizás (maybe, perhaps)
- probablemente (probably)
- posiblemente (possibly)
Unlike phrases that always require a specific mood, these adverbs can be followed by either the indicative or the subjunctive. The choice depends entirely on your level of certainty.
Indicative for strong suspicions
Use the regular indicative mood when you believe your statement is very likely to be true. This expresses a high degree of certainty, often based on visible evidence (like a visibly damaged part) or past experience.
| Maybe the radiator hose is damaged. | Tal vez la manguera del radiador está dañada. |
| The oil filter is probably very dirty. | Probablemente el filtro de aceite está muy sucio. |
| Perhaps the problem is the new clutch. | Quizás el problema es el embrague nuevo. |
Subjunctive for remote possibilities
Use the subjunctive mood when you feel more doubtful. This signals to the listener that your statement is just a guess, a hypothetical, or one remote possibility among many.
| Maybe the radiator leaks through that old part. | Tal vez el radiador gotee por esa pieza vieja. |
| Perhaps the clutch is more expensive than we expect. | Quizás el embrague sea más caro de lo que esperamos. |
| The engine possibly wears out that spare part fast. | Posiblemente el motor desgaste ese repuesto rápido. |
| Maybe the mechanic won't loosen the broken nut. | Tal vez el mecánico no afloje la tuerca rota. |
Your questions are stored by us to improve Elon.io