もしかしたら
もしかしたら
adverb
perhaps; maybe; possibly
1.
perhaps; maybe; possibly
expresses uncertainty about a possibility; used when speculating about something that might or might not happen
Common patterns
Usually placed early in the sentence and paired with かもしれない (might be) at the end of the sentence: もしかしたら〜かもしれない.
Forms
- もしかして: shorter, slightly more casual; also used when making a guess about someone ("Could it be that...?")
- もしかすると: slightly more formal/written
- ひょっとしたら: close synonym, common in conversation
- ひょっとすると: close synonym, a little more formal
Usage
もしかして is often used when realizing something: もしかして、怒ってる？ (Could it be that you're angry?)
Related Words
Compare:
おそらく (probably, perhaps)
Compare:
ひょっとして (by chance, perhaps, maybe)
Related:
ひょっとしたら (perhaps)
Compare:
たぶん (probably, maybe)
Compare:
きっと (surely, certainly)