Usage note : may

Usage note : may
When may (or may have) is used with another verb in English to convey possibility, French will generally use the adverb peut-être (perhaps) with the equivalent verb :
it may rain
= il pleuvra peut-être
we may never know what happened
= nous ne saurons peut-être jamais ce qui s’est passé
he may have got lost
= il s’est peut-être perdu
Alternatively, and more formally, the construction il se peut que + subjunctive may be used : il se peut qu’il pleuve ; il se peut que nous ne sachions jamais. For particular usages, see 1 in the entry may1.
peut-être is also used in French to convey concession :
he may be slow but he’s not stupid
= il est peut-être lent mais il n’est pas bête
you may think I’m crazy but …
= tu penses peut-être que je suis fou mais…
When may is used to convey permission, the French equivalent is pouvoir :
you may close the door
= vous pouvez fermer la porte
Note that the polite question may I…? is translated by puis-je…? :
may I make a suggestion?
= puis-je faire une suggestion?
For particular usages, see 2 in the entry may1.
When may is used in rather formal English to convey purpose in the construction in order that + may, the French equivalent is pour que + subjunctive :
in order that he may know
= pour qu’il sache
When may is used with another verb to express a wish, the French uses que + subjunctive :
may they be happy!
= qu’ils soient heureux!
long may it last!
= que ça dure!
When may well + verb is used to convey likelihood, the French uses il est fort possible que + subjunctive :
he may well have gone elsewhere
= il est fort possible qu’il soit allé ailleurs
But note :
that may well be but…
= c’est possible mais…
In the phrase may as well, may is used interchangeably with might, which is more frequently used. For translations see the entry might1.

Big English-French dictionary. 2003.

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