To say might in Spanish, put a doubt word before the verb: quizás or tal vez (usually subjunctive), puede que (always subjunctive), a lo mejor or igual (always indicative). Or use podría plus an infinitive: podría nevar (it might snow). For 'might have', use podría haber plus a past participle.
might = quizás / puede que + subjunctive · podría + infinitive- Express uncertainty (might / maybe)
- quizás, tal vez, puede que
- Might vs may
How do you say might in Spanish? Not with a verb. Spanish expresses "might" with a small set of "maybe" words — quizás, tal vez, a lo mejor, puede que, igual — each followed by a specific mood, or with podría + infinitive: Podría nevar (It might snow). Pick the expression, pick the mood, and you are done.
"Might" and "maybe" are one lesson in Spanish, because a native does not think "he might come" and "maybe he'll come" are two different ideas. The video above shows the expressions in action; this guide gives you the mood rule for each one, which is the part students actually get wrong.
The big pictureWhen to use "might" in Spanish: uncertainty, hesitation, soft possibility
Use one of these expressions whenever your English sentence has "might," "may," "maybe," "perhaps" or "possibly." They all express that you are not sure, and they differ mainly in how much doubt they carry and which mood they take:
- Uncertain guess — Quizás esté en el tren. (She might be on the train.) Subjunctive signals real doubt.
- Casual, fairly likely guess — A lo mejor vamos al cine. (We might go to the movies.) Indicative, relaxed tone.
- Tentative plan or offer — Podríamos cenar juntos el viernes. (We might have dinner together on Friday.) The conditional of poder.
The formsQuizás, tal vez, a lo mejor, puede que, igual — and the mood after each
| Expression | Mood | Feel | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| quizás / quizá | Subjunctive (doubt) or indicative (likely) | Neutral, everywhere | Quizás vaya mañana. — I might go tomorrow. |
| tal vez | Subjunctive or indicative, same rule | Neutral, slightly softer | Tal vez necesitemos más tiempo. — We might need more time. |
| a lo mejor | Indicative only | Casual, spoken | A lo mejor llama luego. — He might call later. |
| puede que | Subjunctive only | Neutral | Puede que no haya entradas. — There might not be tickets. |
| igual | Indicative only | Very casual (Spain) | Igual me quedo en casa. — I might just stay home. |
| podría + infinitive | Infinitive after it | Neutral, also "could" | Podría ser un error. — It might be a mistake. |
Word order matters: quizás, tal vez, a lo mejor and igual go before the verb when they trigger the mood choice. Quizás after the verb takes the indicative: Vaya quizás is wrong; Voy, quizás is fine.
Podría + infinitive: "might" and "could" in one word
Podría is the conditional of poder, and English translates it as both "could" and "might." Podría nevar is "it could snow" or "it might snow," depending on how confident the speaker sounds. The verb after it stays in the infinitive, and the subject conjugates poder: podrías, podría, podríamos, podrían. Because it is a single word with no mood decision, many of my students use it as their safe default for "might" — and that is a perfectly good strategy while the subjunctive settles in.
"Might have": podría haber + participle
For a guess about the past, use podría haber + past participle: Podrían haber perdido el vuelo. (They might have missed the flight.) With the adverbs, use the present perfect subjunctive: Quizás hayan perdido el vuelo. Both are natural; the first is easier.
In real lifeMight in Spanish: examples from travel, work and family
If you are not sure which mood to use after quizás or tal vez, choose the subjunctive. It is never wrong after those two, and it sounds more natural to most native ears than the indicative. The only places the subjunctive is actually wrong are after a lo mejor and igual.
From the classroomCommon mistakes English speakers make with "might"
- Translating "might" with the future. Nevará means "it will snow," a prediction, not "it might snow." Use Puede que nieve or Podría nevar.
- Using the indicative after puede que. Puede que viene is wrong every time; puede que is glued to the subjunctive: Puede que venga.
- Using the subjunctive after a lo mejor. The reverse error. A lo mejor tenga fiebre should be A lo mejor tiene fiebre.
- Conjugating the verb after podría. Podría nieva and Podrían vienen are common in the first month. After podría, the next verb is always the infinitive: podría nevar, podrían venir.
Don't mix them upMight vs may in Spanish
In English "might" is a slightly more doubtful "may." Spanish does not encode that difference in a verb; it encodes it in the mood. Quizás viene (indicative) leans toward "he'll probably come"; Quizás venga (subjunctive) leans toward "he might come, who knows." So the may/might gradient exists in Spanish — it just lives in the verb ending rather than in a separate modal.
The real difference is permission. "May" also means "you're allowed to" — ¿Puedo pasar? — and "might" never does. If your sentence is about permission, you want my guide to may in Spanish. If it is about a possibility, everything on this page applies to both words. And when the possibility is phrased with podría, remember it is the same conditional form I break down in the lesson on could in Spanish.
Might, may, could, should and must all follow this pattern: English has one word, Spanish has a form plus a mood. The full family is laid out in my overview of Spanish modal verbs.
PracticeQuick quiz: might in spanish
Six questions from the lesson. Answer in your head, then open to check.
