In English we often place "maybe" or "perhaps" at the beginning of a sentence: "Maybe I'll come," "Perhaps it'll rain."
In Kyrgyz it doesn't work that way. The word мүмкүн (possibly / maybe) goes at the very end, while a special suffix is attached to the verb to show who exactly might be doing the action.
🧠 The Logic and Literal Translation
We turn the action into a noun using the suffix -ыш / -ш (something like "my coming," "his doing"). Then we add a possessive ending (whose?) and close with the word мүмкүн.
Literally, the phrase «Мен барышым мүмкүн» translates as: "My-going — is possible."
барышым мүмкүнбарrootышaction suffixымpossessive "my"мүмкүнpossibly→ I might go
🧮 The Formula
Verb root + suffix -ыш-иш-уш-үш-ш + possessive ending + мүмкүн
The suffix — chosen according to vowel harmony:
| Vowel group | Suffix | Example |
|---|---|---|
| а, я, ы | -ыш | бар → барыш |
| и, е, э | -иш | кел → келиш |
| о, ё, у, ю | -уш | бол → болуш |
| ө, ү | -үш | көр → көрүш |
| after vowels | -ш | жаа → жааш |
Conjugation by person
| Person | Ending | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Мен (I) | -ышым мүмкүн | барышым мүмкүн |
| Сен (you, sg.) | -ышың мүмкүн | барышың мүмкүн |
| Сиз (you, formal) | -ышыңыз мүмкүн | барышыңыз мүмкүн |
| Ал (he/she) | -ышы мүмкүн | барышы мүмкүн |
| Биз (we) | -ышыбыз мүмкүн | барышыбыз мүмкүн |
| Силер (you, pl.) | -ышыңар мүмкүн | барышыңар мүмкүн |
| Сиздер (you, formal pl.) | -ышыңыздар мүмкүн | барышыңыздар мүмкүн |
| Алар (they) | -ышы мүмкүн | барышы мүмкүн |
💡 Examples: Making Predictions and Expressing Doubt
| Root | Example | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| жаа- (to rain) | Бүгүн жамгыр жаашы мүмкүн. | It might rain today. |
| кел- (to come) | Ал эртең келиши мүмкүн. | He might come tomorrow. |
| бар- (to go) | Мен кечинде кинотеатрга барышым мүмкүн. | I might go to the cinema this evening. |
| бол- (to be) | Бул чындык болушу мүмкүн. | This might be true. |
Mini-dialogues
— Эртең келесиңби? — Are you coming tomorrow?
— Билбейм, келишим мүмкүн. — I don't know, maybe.
— Жамгыр жаайбы? — Will it rain?
— Жаашы мүмкүн, асман булуттуу. — Maybe, the sky is cloudy.
— Ал макул болобу? — Will he agree?
— Болушу мүмкүн, сүйлөшүп көрөлү. — Maybe, let's talk to him.
⚠️ How to Negate It? (Possibly NOT...)
If you want to say "Maybe I won't go," just add the negative suffix -ба (or -бе/-па/-пе) directly to the verb root!
| Affirmative | Negative | Translation |
|---|---|---|
| барышым мүмкүн | барбашым мүмкүн | Maybe I won't go. |
| келиши мүмкүн | келбеши мүмкүн | Maybe he won't come. |
See also:
- Introduction to Verbs — basic principles of working with verbs
- Vowel Harmony — choosing the right suffix variant
- Possessive Suffixes — the "whose desire" suffixes
- Modality "want" — expressing desire
- Modality "can" — expressing possibility
- Modality "must" — expressing obligation