73.12.1 Subjunctive or indicative
Quizá(s)/tal vez haya/ha sido Pablo quien lo quebró.
Perhaps it was Pablo who broke it.
Quizá(s)/tal vez estuviese/estaba molesto contigo.
Perhaps he was annoyed with you.
Posiblemente haya/ha sufrido un accidente.
Perhaps he/she has had an accident.
Probablemente no nos han visto/vieron.
They haven’t seen/didn’t see us probably.
Both the subjunctive and the indicative are correct in this context, but the tendency
amongst most speakers is to use quizá(s), tal vez and posiblemente with the
subjunctive, and probablemente with the indicative. The alternative form a lo mejor
requires the indicative.
A lo mejor han salido/salieron.
Perhaps they’ve gone/went out.
18.1.6 (p. 86); 48.1.6 (p. 285)
73.12.2 Subjunctive
Es posible/puede (ser) que hayan perdido el avión.
Perhaps they have missed the plane.
Era probable que no tuvieran suficiente dinero.
It was probable that they would not have enough money.
18.1.6 (p. 86); 48.1.3 (p. 283); 48.1.5 (p. 284); 48.1.6 (p. 285)
73.12.3 Future perfect
Probability or uncertainty with regard to an action in the past which bears a
relationship with the present may be expressed with the future perfect.
Carlos no está en su habitación. ¿Adónde habrá ido?
Carlos is not in his room. I wonder where he’s gone.
Habrá salido con Carmen.
Perhaps he’s gone out with Carmen.
17.6 (p. 77); 48.1.11 (p. 287)
73.12.4 Conditional and conditional perfect
Probability or uncertainty with regard to a state or action in the past which is unrelated
to the present may be expressed with the conditional. In the first two examples below,
the conditional tense conveys the idea of approximation.
Tendría veinte años cuando la conocí.
She must have been twenty when I met her.
TALKING ABOUT THE PAST 73.12