Essential French Expression
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| Meaning | perhaps, maybe | |
| Literally | can be | |
| Register | normal | |
| Pronunciation |  |
[peu tehtr] |
| IPA | [pø tɛtrə] | |
Usage notes: The essential French expression peut-être is equivalent to "maybe" or "perhaps." It can be tagged on to the end of a sentence, used within a sentence as an adverb, or stand alone as a response.
Par exemple…
| C’est une amphore grecque, peut-être. | It’s a Greek amphora, maybe. | |
| Je ne suis peut-être pas le meilleur étudiant, mais je réussis aux examens. | I may not be the best student, but I pass the tests. | |
| – Tu vas au ciné ? – Peut-être. |
– Are you going to the movies? – Maybe. |
Texting abbreviations: p-ê, pitit
When followed by a clause, peut-être requires either the relative pronoun que or inversion.
Par exemple…
| Peut-être qu’elle a oublié la fête. Peut-être a-t-elle oublié la fête. |
Maybe she forgot about the party. | |
| Peut-être qu’il est en vacances. Peut-être est-il en vacances. |
Maybe he’s on vacation. |
Somewhat synonymous
- ça se peut
- ça se pourrait (bien)
- c’est possible (c’est bien possible / c’est tout à fait possible / c’est très possible)
- éventuellement
- possiblement
Expressions with peut-être
- peut-être bien – maybe so, that could well be
- peut-être bien mais … – maybe so, but …
- peut-être pas – maybe not
- peut-être que non – maybe not
- peut-être que oui – maybe so, maybe (I will, you do, he is, etc)
- peut-être que oui, peut-être que non – maybe, maybe not
- peut-être bien que oui, peut-être bien que non – maybe, maybe not
Grammar breakdown
Peut-être is formed with the third person singular present tense of pouvoir (can) plus the infinitive être (to be)
Related lessons
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