Generally, the Japanese do not assert something unless they are absolutely sure it is correct. In this article, we will look at some expressions that show how the Japanese do everything to avoid saying anything without being certain of something. Japanese words help a lot in this regard, but it is all a matter of culture.
Just like punctuality, the Japanese want to be responsible with their words and do not wish to promise something where an unforeseen event or uncertainty might interfere. They also do not want to give opinions with certainty that could harm the listener’s decision.
The Japanese language loves ambiguity. Declarative sentences are not confident, but rather arrogant. Avoid giving certainty or asserting something you are not 100% confident is correct. If you are confident, you can say a nice もちろん.
Words like “maybe, it seems, could be, probably, possibly, I don’t know or I think” are also very helpful when it comes to avoiding topics and conversations.
Table of Contents
Words that express uncertainty
A very common word to respond to questions without giving certainty is the word tabun (多分) which means “maybe and probably“, and is usually placed in the middle of sentences. The word is written with ideograms that also express a large quantity, which shows more certainty than uncertainty. This word can be used when you are not sure about something (maybe) or when you do not know if the circumstances will allow (probably).
Another popular word is kamoshirenai [かも知れない] or kamoshiremasen (formal). This function expresses that something “might” happen, but there is no certainty. The word can be shortened to kamo [かも] in sentences, but it is quite informal. It can be literally translated to “maybe, could, might be or possibly”.
Even when the Japanese express their own opinion about something, they often use the expression to omou […と思う] or omoimasu [思います] which means I think, or I believe. The Japanese try to avoid their opinions interfering with the lives of others as much as possible.
Other words that express maybe or probably are:
| 若しかしたら | moshikashitara | maybe, by chance |
| 若しかして | moshikashite | maybe, possibly, could it be, by chance, if I’m not mistaken |
| 事にすると | koto ni suru to | maybe, possibly |
| かもね | kamone | maybe, could be |
| 事によると | koto ni yoru to | maybe, possibly |
| ひょっとすると | hyottosuruto | maybe; possibly |
| 恐らく | osoraku | maybe, probably, I dare say |
| 若しや | moshiya | maybe, possibly, by some chance, by some possibility |
| 蓋し | kedashi | maybe, probably |
Words that express some certainty
There are words that are used to express a certain level of certainty, close to tabun (多分). Some phrases even require both words to express themselves better. Let’s talk about 2 endings that are darou and deshou.
Deshou (でしょう) can be literally translated as “it seems, probably, I think, I wonder, I suppose and I hope“. This expression can also be used as a question “don’t you agree?”, “don’t you think?”, isn’t it?“.
Darou (だろう) means the same thing as (でしょう), except it sounds more masculine and is mainly used by men. Both words can seem informal depending on how you say them, especially if you shorten them when pronouncing.
Unlike kamoshirenai, darou and deshou cannot be used when talking about one’s own actions like “I think I will go tomorrow”. Kamoshirenai is used to express a sense of probability or doubt; it presents more uncertainty than darou and deshou.
The word deshou is often used in weather forecasts. The Japanese do not say “it will rain tomorrow,” but rather “it will probably rain tomorrow.”
Example sentences
Let’s see some examples below:
| Japanese | Romaji | Portuguese |
| トムは多分眠っている。 | Tomu wa tabun nemutte iru | Tom is probably sleeping. |
| 多分彼女は来るでしょう。 | Tabun kanojo wa kurudeshou. | Maybe she will come. |
| 多分君が正しいのだろう。 | Tabun kimi ga tadashī nodarou. | Maybe you are right. |
| その食べ物はおいしいでしょう。 | Sono tabemono wa oishīdeshou. | This food seems delicious (I think) |
| 明日は晴れでしょう。 | Ashita wa haredeshou. | Tomorrow it will probably be sunny |
| 君もパーティに行くだろう？ | Kimi mo pāti ni ikudarou? | You are going to the party, right? (am I right?) |
| 何か悪いことが彼にふりかかるかも知れない。 | Nani ka warui koto ga kare ni furikakaru kamo shirenai. | Something bad might happen to him |
| 私は間違ったのかも知れない。 | Watashi wa machigatta no kamo shirenai. | I might have made a mistake. |
| 彼の言ったことは本当かも知れない。 | Kare no itta koto wa hontō kamo shirenai. | What he said might be true. |
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