How to Use "可能(kě néng)" and "也许(yě xǔ)"

How to Use "可能(kě néng)" and "也许(yě xǔ)"
Jenie Cao

Teacher: Jenie Cao Experience: 5 years

Jenie specializes in teaching Chinese for daily use, for business, and to prepare for taking the HSK test. She is skilled at helping students understand Chinese grammar, how to practice, and how to remember what they study effectively. She has lived abroad and has taught professionals from major multinational corporations. Well qualified, she graduated from a college that focuses on foreign language teaching and continues to participate in professional development programs for teaching Chinese.

How to Use "可能(kě néng)" and "也许(yě xǔ)"
Teacher : Jenie Cao

When we put them before the verb in a sentence, it means “to speculate about” or “to estimate”something.

可能is more certain than 也许and we can add an adverb of degree (程度副词) before可能to speculate or estimate in a more certain way.

There are two different ways to make negative sentences, one of which is to add 不 or 没有 after 可能 and 也许.

The second type of usage in a negative sentence is to put 不 or 没有 before 可能.

Another point is that 可能can be used as a noun.

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