Usage note : might

Although usage shows that may and might are interchangeable in many contexts, might indicates a more remote possibility than may. French generally translates this element of possibility using peut-être with the appropriate verb tense :

it might snow

= il va peut-être neiger

(It is also possible to translate this more formally using il se peut + subjunctive : il se peut qu’il neige). For particular examples see might1 1.

It is possible to translate might differently depending on the nature of the context and the speaker’s point of view :

he might not come

= il risque de ne pas venir

implies that this is not a desirable outcome for the speaker ;

he might not come

= il pourrait ne pas venir or il se peut qu’il ne vienne pas

however, is neutral in tone. Where there is the idea of a possibility in the past which has not in fact occurred (see might1 2), French uses the past conditional of the verb (which is often pouvoir) :

it might have been serious (but wasn’t in fact)

= ça aurait pu être grave

This is also the case where something which could have taken place did not, thus causing annoyance :

you might have said thanks!

= tu aurais pu dire merci!

(see might1 7).

might, as the past tense of may, will automatically occur in instances of reported speech :

he said you might be hurt

= il a dit que tu serais peut-être blessé

For more examples see the entry might1 and bear in mind the rules for the agreement of tenses.

Where there is a choice between may and might in making requests, might is more formal and even rather dated. French uses inversion (je peux = puis-je?) in this context and puis-je me permettre de…? (= might I…?) is extremely formal.

Might can be used to polite effect - to soften direct statements : you might imagine that…or to offer advice tactfully : it might be wise to…In both cases, French uses the conditional tense of the verb : on pourrait penser que… ; ce serait peut-être une bonne idée de… The use of well in phrases such as he might well be right etc. implies a greater degree of likelihood.

For translations of might well, may well, see B2 in the entry well1.

For translations of the phrase might as well (we might as well go home), see well1 B2.

Big English-French dictionary. 2003.