もしかしたら

Expresses uncertainty about a possibility — "perhaps," "maybe." Placed at the beginning of a sentence or clause to signal speculation.

Common patterns

Almost always 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: similar meaning, slightly more literary
• ひょっとすると: similar meaning, slightly more formal

Usage

もしかして is often used when realizing something: もしかして、怒(おこ)ってる？ (Could it be that you're angry?)