Maybe vs. May be

Maybe vs. May Be: What's the Difference?

One of the most common confusions in English writing is the difference between 'maybe' and 'may be'. While they look similar, they serve very different purposes in a sentence.

 

'Maybe' is an Adverb

'Maybe' is a one-word adverb. Even though it contains the modal verb may and the verb be, it is not a verb and can never be used as one. You can often replace maybe with words like perhaps or possibly.

Examples:


✅ Maybe I was wrong. (= Perhaps I was wrong.)
❌ I maybe wrong.
✅ I may be wrong. (Here, “may be” is a verb phrase.)
✅ Maybe I am wrong.

 

'May Be' is a Verb Phrase

'May be' is a two-word verb phrase made up of:

may – a modal verb (like can, should, might, must),
be – the main verb, referring to a state of being.

It expresses possibility, much like similar phrases: can be, should be, might be, could be, etc.

Examples:

✅ This year may be lucky for me.
❌ May be this year is lucky for me.
✅ Maybe this year is lucky for me. (Here, maybe is used correctly as an adverb.)
✅ This year may be lucky for me.

 

Final Tip:

If you're unsure which to use, try replacing the word with perhaps. If the sentence still makes sense, use maybe. If not, use 'may be'.