What is the difference between May and Might, Are the same? Grammar explication please.

Permalink Reply by David Luff on February 6, 2009 at 10:21am: Hi Steven, First, "explicación" is explanation in English. "May" is present tense "poder" (v). "Might" is past tense: May I go to the movies tonight? Might I have gone yesterday if I had asked? May and might are also used to express probability or possibility, entirely separate from permission. I may go but I may not == Quizás vaya pero tal vez no. Fuente: http://www.wordreference.com/es/translation.asp?tranword=may At least in my experience, "might" can also be used to request permission very politely in the present tense, analogous to "pudiera" or "quisiera". I hope this helps!

Best regards,
David Luff
http://fluentin6months.com; ▶ Reply to This (Please don't include e-mail or Skype address)

Permalink Reply by Roberto Ortega on February 6, 2009 at 10:23am: YES, BOTH ARE THE SAME EXAMPLE: HE MAY (MIGHT) COME TOMORROW. NEVERTHELESS WHEN YOU USE VERBS IN SIMPLE PAST TENSE IT IS BETTER USE (MIGHT) EXAMPLE: HE SAID THAT JOHN MIGHT COME; ▶ Reply to This (Please don't include e-mail or Skype address)

Permalink Reply by Susan Payer on February 6, 2009 at 12:24pm: In modern usage, in the US, at least, they are pretty much the same. But I believe David Luff has the correct accurate answer. However, since language is constantly evolving, things change, and very few people are able to use the two according to those rules any longer (again, I stress this is US. I'd be willing to bet that in Britain, people use them more correctly).

The same has happened with lay/lie and like/as, and will/shall. There are rules, but they just aren't followed well any longer.

I have been watching the same thing happen with subject vs object pronouns since I was in college. Just NOT being used correctly any more...I am fast becoming one of those little old biddies who drives teenagers crazy with obsolete rules! :); ▶ Reply to This (Please don't include e-mail or Skype address)

Permalink Reply by Cherry on February 6, 2009 at 2:13pm: Hi,
I think that this video about modal verbs in English will help you to understand may and might better.
http://nosayudamos.ning.com/video/2048686:Video:4905; ▶ Reply to This (Please don't include e-mail or Skype address)

Permalink Reply by lee on February 19, 2009 at 8:33pm: Hi,
Good topic on may & might.Here in the UK we tend to use might in the present moment as an intention of a possibility(action).For example "I might go the cinema later" or you can say "I may go the shop later"Both are acceptable,but in British English if you say "I may go the shop later",it sounds a bit posh.Might tends tobe used more in the simple past to here,"I might have done that".British English may use them a bit different to US English.; ▶ Reply to This (Please don't include e-mail or Skype address)