'MAY' Y 'MIGHT'

'May' y 'might' son auxiliares modales. Se utilizan generalmente para pedir permiso o
para indicar posibilidad.
En cuanto a la posibilidad, estos dos auxiliares modales tienen los mismos usos y
significados. Se diferencian en que 'may' tiene mayor grado de certeza.

I may go to the beach tomorrow (probabilidad alta).

I might go to the beach tomorrow (probabilidad baja).

Como verbo auxiliar comparte las caractersticas de los modales:

- Va seguido de un verbo en infinitivo sin "to", excepto be able to, need to, have to y
ought to.
- La tercera persona del singular no lleva -s en el presente simple.
- No necesita aadir el auxiliar do/does para la forma interrogativa y negativa.
- No tiene tiempos compuestos ni progresivos.
- No tiene infinitivo.
El verbo modal MAY se encuentra relacionado estrechamente con MIGHT dado que
ambos tienen el mismo uso y significado, aunque MAY indica un grado mayor de
certeza, por ejemplo:
She may forget the problems.
She
might
forget
problems.
You may pay the bills.
You might pay the bills.

the

Ella
puede
olvidar
los
problemas.
Ella
podra
olvidar
los
problemas.
T puedes pagar las cuentas.
T podras pagar las cuentas.

Tanto MAY como MIGHT se utilizan para solicitar algo de manera formal y educada,
siendo el ltimo un trmino de mayor cortesa, por ejemplo:
May I use your telephone please?

Puedo usar su telfono por favor?

Might I use your telephone please?

Podra usar su telfono por favor?

'MAY' AND 'MIGHT'

'May' and 'might' are modal assistants. They are generally used to ask for permission
or to indicate possibility.

As for the possibility, these two modal auxiliaries have the same uses and meanings.
They differ in that 'may' has a greater degree of certainty.
I may go to the beach tomorrow.
I might go to the beach tomorrow.
As auxiliary verb it shares the characteristics of the manners:
- It is followed by a verb in infinitive without "to", except be able to, need to, have to and
ought to.
- The third person singular does not carry -s in the present simple.
- You do not need to add the do / does helper for the interrogative and negative form.
- It has neither compound nor progressive times.
- It does not have infinitive.
The modal verb MAY is closely related to MIGHT since both have the same usage and
meaning, although MAY indicates a greater degree of certainty, for example:
She may forget the problems.
She
might
forget
problems.
You may pay the bills.
You might pay the bills.

the

Ella
puede
olvidar
los
problemas.
Ella
podra
olvidar
los
problemas.
T puedes pagar las cuentas.
T podras pagar las cuentas.

Both MAY and MIGHT are used to request something formally and politely, the latter
being a term of greater courtesy, for example:
May I use your telephone please?

Puedo usar su telfono por favor?

Might I use your telephone please?

Podra usar su telfono por favor?