Learn how to use MAY, MIGHT, MAY HAVE, and MIGHT HAVE with simple examples in Urdu and English. This guide will help you understand how to use these words to show possibilities, ask politely, and give permissions or wishes.
MAY is for now or the future, and MIGHT is for the past or a weaker possibility. Knowing when to use these helps you speak and write better.
Table of Contents
Use of MAY in Urdu
Possibility (Strong)
امکان ظاہر کرنے کے لیے
- It may rain today.
آج بارش ہو سکتی ہے
This indicates a strong possibility that it will rain today. - He may come any time.
وہ کسی بھی وقت آ سکتا ہے
This means there is a strong chance he could come at any time.
Request
التجا، درخواست
- May I have some water, please?
پانی ملے گا؟
This is a polite way to ask for water. - May I use your mobile phone?
کیا میں آپکا موبائل فون استعمال کر سکتا ہوں؟
This is used to politely ask for permission to use someone’s phone.
Take Permission
اجازت لینے کے لیے
- May I go now?
کیا میں اب جا سکتا ہوں؟
Used to ask for permission to leave. - May I see this book?
کیا میں یہ کتاب دیکھ سکتا ہوں؟
Used to request permission to look at a book.
Give Permission
اجازت دینے کے لیے
- They may go now.
اب وہ جا سکتے ہے
Used to give permission to someone to leave. - You may take tea.
تم چائے پی سکتے ہو
Giving someone permission to have tea.
Express Wishes
کسی کو دعا دینے کے لیے
- May you stand first in the exams!
تمہیں امتحان میں پہلا درجہ ملے
This is a way to wish someone success in their exams. - May you live long!
تمہیں لمبی عمر ملے
This is used to wish someone a long life.
Use of MAY HAVE (Guess in the Past)
ماضی میں کسی کام ہونے کا اندازہ لگانے کے لیے
- I haven’t received your letter. It may have got lost in the post.
This sentence is used to make a guess about something that might have happened in the past. - She may have left early due to the weather.
This is another example showing a guess about the past, suggesting that she might have left because of the weather.
Use of MIGHT in Urdu
MIGHT is the past form of MAY. It is also used to show a weaker possibility compared to MAY.
Past of MAY
کے ماضی کے طور پر May
- He might sit here.
وہ یہاں بیٹھ سکتا تھا
Used to indicate something that could have happened in the past. - She might come yesterday.
وہ کل آ سکتی تھی
Indicates a possibility that she could have come the previous day.
Possibility (Weak)
کمزور امکان ظاہر کرنے کے لیے
- It might rain today (30%).
آج بارش ہو سکتی ہے
This indicates a weak possibility of rain, suggesting it is less likely. - He might help you.
وہ تمہاری مدد کر سکتا ہے
This indicates a weak chance that he will help you. - She might call you later.
This suggests a low probability that she will call you later.
Use of MIGHT HAVE (Guess in the Past)
- It’s ten o’clock. They might have arrived by now.
This is used to express uncertainty about a past event, implying they could have arrived but it is not certain. - He might have forgotten his keys at home.
This indicates a guess about what might have happened in the past.
MAY HAVE vs. MIGHT HAVE
If you’re talking about a possibility in the past but know that it did not actually happen, always use might have:
✅ Correct: Ahmad assured us that he was well, but he might have been badly hurt.
This suggests a possibility, but it is known that the event did not occur.
❌ Incorrect: Ahmad assured us that he was well, but he may have been badly hurt.
Using may have here is incorrect because it implies uncertainty without the knowledge that it did not happen.
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