womöglich

Womöglich is a German adverb meaning perhaps, possibly, or likely. It is used to express that a statement or outcome is not certain, but is considered plausible by the speaker. It can appear at the beginning of a sentence or within it: “Womöglich kommt er heute.” “Es wird womöglich regnen.”

Usage and nuance: Womöglich conveys a degree of conjecture or assumption and is often perceived as somewhat more colloquial than möglichweise, möglicherweise, or vielleicht. In formal writing, mööglicherweise or möglicherweise is commonly preferred for a neutral tone, while vielleicht is common in everyday speech. Womöglich can emphasize the speaker’s personal guess rather than a measured probability.

Etymology and history: The word is formed from the elements wo (where) and möglich (possible) and has been part of standard German since at least the 18th century. It is listed in major dictionaries as an adverb with the meaning “perhaps” or “probably.”

Grammar and style notes: Womöglich is not a conjunction and does not introduce subordinate clauses; it modifies the entire proposition. Negation is possible, as in “Womöglich hat er sich verspätet,” and fronting the word for emphasis is common: “Womöglich wird er heute Abend kommen.” In relation to synonyms, davorenn equip: möglichweise and möglicherweise are more neutral or formal; vielleicht remains widely used in everyday language.

See also: möglicherweise, vielleicht, eventuell.