forse
/ˈfor.se/
The English phrase 'perhaps' is translated into Italian as forse.
forse is used to indicate that something is possible but not certain.
Which one should you use?
While forse expresses a neutral possibility, the colloquial term magari is often used to express a strong desire or a wish that something might happen, translating to 'maybe', 'I wish' or 'if only'. Additionally, if you want to express uncertainty with the informal idiomatic expression 'who knows', you can use chissà.
How does it change in a sentence?
forse is an adverb and does not change its form based on the gender or number of the subject or the tense of the verb.
How do you pronounce it?
The word is pronounced /ˈfor.se/. It has 2 syllables, and the stress is on the 1st syllable.
Did you know?
- In certain contexts, magari can be used ironically to mean 'not likely' or 'in your dreams', depending on the speaker's tone of voice.
- While forse is used for uncertainty, the word magari also means 'perhaps' in the sense of 'even if' when used to introduce a hypothetical condition.
- In Italian, placing forse at the very beginning of a sentence can sometimes sound more hesitant or tentative than placing it after the verb.
Examples in context
- Forse Tom lo farà.Perhaps Tom will do that.This sentence shows how to use forse to express a possible future action.Tatoeba #6092243 by Guybrush88, translation #6231507 by CK
- Forse è la risposta.Perhaps that's the answer.This sentence shows how to use forse to express a possible answer.Tatoeba #4531783 by Guybrush88, translation #4495630 by CK
- Forse perse il treno.Perhaps he missed the train.This sentence shows how to use forse to express a possible past event.Tatoeba #1105417 by Guybrush88, translation #1105414 by jast
- Forse possiamo incontrarci domani per discutere la questione.Perhaps we can meet tomorrow to discuss the matter.
- Magari potremmo valutare un'altra soluzione.Perhaps we could consider another solution.
- Domani forse esco con gli amici.Maybe I'll go out with friends tomorrow.
- Forse è meglio se ci incontriamo in un altro momento.Maybe it's better if we meet another time.
- Chissà se arriverà in tempo per la cena.Perhaps he/she will arrive on time for dinner.
- Chissà se andrò in vacanza quest'estate.Who knows if I'll go on vacation this summer.
- 233 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Alessandro and Martina are discussing their plans for the weekend.
- AlessandroAndiamo al mare sabato?Shall we go to the beach on Saturday?
- MartinaForse, ma dipende dal tempo.Perhaps, but it depends on the weather.
- AlessandroDicono che farà caldo.They say it will be hot.
- MartinaAllora forse ci andremo.Then perhaps we will go.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry forse, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
