아마도
amado[a̠ma̠do̞]
The Korean phrase for "perhaps" is 아마도 (amado).
아마도 can be placed at the beginning of a sentence or in the middle of a sentence to modify the verb, similar to how "perhaps" or "maybe" functions in English.
Which one should you use?
While 아마도 expresses a general probability or guess, 혹시 is used when asking a question to mean "by any chance" or to soften a request.
How does it change in a sentence?
In natural speech, 아마도 is frequently paired with the future tense or presumptive endings like -(으)ㄹ 것이다 to express a high degree of probability.
Did you know?
- When someone is being overly cautious or humble, they may use 아마도 even when they are almost certain of the fact to avoid appearing arrogant.
- The word 아마도 is composed of the adverb 아마 and the particle 도, which means 'also' or 'even'. This creates a sense that the speaker is saying 'perhaps, even [this]'.
- If you want to say 'perhaps' in a way that suggests a sudden, spontaneous thought, you might switch from 아마도 to 어쩌면. While both can translate to 'perhaps', 어쩌면 carries a slightly more poetic or accidental nuance.
Examples in context
- 어쩌면 그녀가 도와줄지도 몰라요.Perhaps she might help.
- 아마도 내일 비가 올지도 몰라요.Perhaps it will rain tomorrow.
- 갑자기 비가 올까 싶어요.Perhaps it will suddenly rain.
- 그는 아마도 늦을 거예요.geuneun amado neujeul geoyeyo.He will perhaps be late.
- 아마도 그게 정답일 거예요.amado geuge jeongdapil geoyeyo.Perhaps that is the correct answer.
Example conversation
Ji-eun and Do-hyeon are talking about a friend's arrival.
- 지은 Ji-eun민수 씨가 아직 안 왔어요.Minsu ssi-ga ajik an wasseoyo.Minsu hasn't arrived yet.
- 도현 Do-hyeon아마도 차가 막히는 것 같아요.amado chaga makhineun geot gatayo.Perhaps the traffic is heavy.
- 지은 Ji-eun도현 씨 말대로일까요?Do-hyeon ssi maldaero-ilkkayo?Is it as you say, Do-hyeon?
- 도현 Do-hyeon네, 그럴 것 같아요.ne, geureol geot gatayo.Yes, I think so.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry 아마도, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries 아마도, CC BY-SA 4.0.
