Expressing Probability with "a lo mejor"
When you want to say "maybe" or "perhaps" in Spanish, one of the most common expressions is a lo mejor. Even though you are talking about an uncertain event, a lo mejor is always followed by the indicative mood, never the subjunctive.
| Maybe there is a treasure in the sand. | A lo mejor hay un tesoro en la arena. |
| Maybe they have buried silver in this forest. | A lo mejor han enterrado plata en este bosque. |
Using "igual"
In everyday conversation, you can also use igual to mean "maybe" or "might." Just like a lo mejor, igual is always followed by the indicative.
| The detector is beeping, maybe we have found something valuable. | El detector pita, igual hemos encontrado algo valioso. |
| Maybe there is nothing and it is just scrap metal. | Igual no hay nada y es solo chatarra. |
Different Tenses
Because these expressions use the indicative, you can freely pair them with any indicative tense (such as the present, present perfect, or preterite) depending on when the probable event takes place.
| Show it to me, maybe it is an ancient relic! | ¡Enséñamelo, a lo mejor es una reliquia antigua! |
| Maybe the man buried the treasure last night. | Igual el hombre enterró el tesoro anoche. |
| Maybe the queen lost her relic here. | Igual la reina perdió su reliquia aquí. |
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