may
modal verb OPAL WOPAL S
/meɪ/
/meɪ/
Verb Forms
Idioms | may not | /ˈmeɪ nɒt/ /ˈmeɪ nɑːt/ |
| mayn’t | /ˈmeɪənt/ /ˈmeɪənt/ |
| past simple might | /maɪt/ /maɪt/ |
| might not | /ˈmaɪt nɒt/ /ˈmaɪt nɑːt/ |
| mightn’t | /ˈmaɪtnt/ /ˈmaɪtnt/ |
- used to say that something is possible
（有可能但不肯定）也许，可能 - That may or may not be true.
这可能是真的，也可能不是。 - He may have (= perhaps he has) missed his train.
他可能没赶上火车。 - They may well win.
他们完全可能赢。 - There is a range of programs on the market which may be described as design aids.
市场上有各种程序，可以称为设计辅助工具。
- That may or may not be true.
- (formal) used to ask for or give permission
（征求同意或表示允许）可以 - May I come in?
我可以进来吗？ - You may come in if you wish.
你想进来就进来吧。
Which Word? can / maycan / may- Can and cannot (or can’t) are the most common words used for asking for, giving or refusing permission:
- Can I borrow your calculator?
我可以借用你的计算器吗？ - You can come with us if you want to.
如果你愿意可以跟我们一起来。 - You can’t park your car there.
你不能在那儿停车。
- Can I borrow your calculator?
- May (negative may not) is used as a polite and fairly formal way to ask for or give permission:
- May I borrow your newspaper?
把你的报纸借我看行吗？ - You may come if you wish.
你想来的话可以来。
- Visitors may use the swimming pool between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
访客从早 7:00 到晚 7:00 可在游泳池游泳。 - Students may not use the college car park.
学生不得在学院停车场停车。
- May I borrow your newspaper?
- May I come in?
- used when admitting that something is true before introducing another point, argument, etc.
（转折前所述情况属实）也许，可能 - They may be well-meaning, but they are wrong.
他们可能是善意的，但他们错了。
- They may be well-meaning, but they are wrong.
- (formal) used as a polite way of making a comment, asking a question, etc.
（礼貌地评价或提问等）可以 - You look lovely, if I may say so.
我觉得你看上去很可爱。 - May I ask why you took that decision?
我可否问一下你为什么要作出那样的决定？ - If I may just add one thing…
我想再补充一点…
- You look lovely, if I may say so.
- (formal) used to express wishes and hopes
（表示愿望）但愿 - May she rest in peace.
愿她安息。 - Business has been thriving in the past year. Long may it continue to do so.
在过去的一年里生意蒸蒸日上。但愿这种情况能持续下去。
- May she rest in peace.
- (formal) used to say what the purpose of something is
（表明目的）可以，能够 - There is a need for more resources so that all children may have a decent education.
需要更多的资源投入，让所有的孩子都受到良好的教育。
Grammar Point modal verbsmodal verbs- The modal verbs are can, could, may, might, must, ought to, shall, should, will and would. Dare, need, have to and used to also share some of the features of modal verbs.
- Modal verbs have only one form. They have no -ing or -ed forms and do not add -s to the 3rd person singular form:
- He can speak three languages.
他会说三种语言。 - She will try and visit tomorrow.
她明天将设法去参观。
- He can speak three languages.
- Modal verbs are followed by the infinitive of another verb without to. The exceptions are ought to, have to and used to:
- You must find a job.
你必须找到一份工作。 - You ought to stop smoking.
你应当戒烟。 - I used to smoke but I gave up two years ago.
我过去抽烟，但两年前就戒了。
- You must find a job.
- Questions are formed without do/does in the present, or did in the past:
- Can I invite Mary?
我可以邀请玛丽吗？ - Should I have invited Mary?
我本该邀请玛丽吗？
- Can I invite Mary?
- Negative sentences are formed with not or the short form -n’t and do not use do/does or did.
- There is a need for more resources so that all children may have a decent education.
Idioms
be that as it may
- (formal) despite that
尽管如此 - I know that he has tried hard; be that as it may, his work is just not good enough.
我知道他已经尽力了，尽管如此，他的工作仍不太理想。
- I know that he has tried hard; be that as it may, his work is just not good enough.
may/might (just) as well do something
- used to say that something seems the best thing to do in the situation that you are in, although you may not really want to do it
做…倒也无妨；只好做（某事） - If no one else wants it, we might as well give it to him.
如果没人要这个，我们不妨给他吧。
- If no one else wants it, we might as well give it to him.
- used to say that there is no real difference between two things that you might do
同样可以做（某事）；不妨 - If you are going to have sugar, you may as well have a bar of chocolate.
如果你要吃糖，也可以来一块巧克力。
- If you are going to have sugar, you may as well have a bar of chocolate.