may
/meɪ/modal verb
उच्चारण मे
सकना (संभावना, अनुमति); ईश्वर करे
Basic word
- 1
used to say that something is possible; used to ask for or give permission; used to express wishes and hopes
सकना (संभावना, अनुमति); ईश्वर करे
- It may rain.
- May I come in?
- May you live long!
+ 3 more examples
- It may be cloudy by evening, so take an umbrella.
- You may go out when you finish your homework.
- May you always be happy and healthy!
- 1
[U, C]
(May) the fifth month of the year, between April and June
मई (महीना)
- in May
- on 1 May
- School reopens in May.
+ 2 more examples
- His birthday falls on 12 May.
- We have a holiday in the middle of May.
Synonyms fifth month
§Structures (grammar patterns) 4
may + base verb (possibility)
May shows that something is possible but not certain. It is followed by the base form of the verb, with no to.
'May' बताता है कि कोई बात संभव है पर निश्चित नहीं। इसके बाद verb का base form आता है, 'to' नहीं।
- It may rain this evening.
- She may have missed the train.
May I + base verb? (permission)
May I is a polite way of asking for permission. In formal rules, may also gives or refuses permission.
'May I' अनुमति माँगने का विनम्र तरीका है। औपचारिक नियमों में 'may' अनुमति देता या रोकता भी है।
- May I come in, sir?
- Candidates may use a calculator in the exam.
may / may well / may as well
May well means probably; may as well means there is no good reason not to do something.
'May well' का अर्थ संभवतः है; 'may as well' का अर्थ है कि कोई काम न करने का अच्छा कारण नहीं है।
- He may well be right.
- The bus has gone, so we may as well walk.
May (the month) / May + you + verb (wish)
With a capital M, May is the fifth month; at the start of a sentence, May you... expresses a wish in formal writing.
Capital M वाला 'May' पाँचवाँ महीना है; वाक्य के आरंभ में 'May you...' औपचारिक लेखन में शुभकामना व्यक्त करता है।
- The exam will be held in May.
- May you always be happy and successful.
+Collocations 4
may + adverb
wellpossiblyperhapsalsoeven
- You may even find the exam easier than expected.
verb + may
it may be thathe may havethey may beyou may not
- He may have forgotten the date.
May + noun (month)
in Mayearly Maylate Maythe first of MayMay Day
- In Delhi, May is the hottest month.
may be vs. maybe
may bemaybeit may bemaybe not
- She may be late; maybe she missed the bus.
“More examples 5
- You may leave the room once you have finished your paper.
अपना पेपर पूरा करने के बाद आप कमरे से जा सकते हैं।
- The results may be declared by the end of the week.
परिणाम सप्ताह के अंत तक घोषित हो सकते हैं।
- However hard you try, you may not always succeed.
आप कितनी भी कोशिश करें, हो सकता है आप हमेशा सफल न हों।
- May the best team win!
सर्वश्रेष्ठ टीम जीते!
- Radhika may have taken the wrong turn at the market.
हो सकता है राधिका बाज़ार में गलत मोड़ पर मुड़ गई हो।
!Common mistakes 1
✗ It may to rain tomorrow.
✓ It may rain tomorrow.
May is followed by the base verb without to.
'May' के बाद to के बिना base verb आता है।
≠Thesaurus: which synonym when
May and might both show possibility, but they differ in strength and tone.
May और might दोनों संभावना बताते हैं, पर बल और लहजे में भिन्न हैं।
Real possibility in the present or future; also polite permission.
वर्तमान या भविष्य की वास्तविक संभावना; साथ ही विनम्र अनुमति।
- It may rain tonight.
A weaker or more remote possibility; also the past form in reported speech.
कमज़ोर या दूर की संभावना; reported speech में भूतकाल रूप भी।
- It might rain, but I doubt it.
Ability or informal permission, more than possibility.
योग्यता या अनौपचारिक अनुमति, संभावना से अधिक।
- Can I borrow your pen?
?Which word?
Keep apart maybe (one word, adverb, perhaps: 'Maybe she is right') and may be (two words, verb: 'She may be right').
Maybe (एक शब्द, adverb, शायद: 'Maybe she is right') और may be (दो शब्द, verb: 'She may be right') को अलग रखिए।
§Grammar and usage
May + base form; may for formal permission ('May I go out?'), possibility ('She may be at home') and wishes (optative sentences: 'May God bless you!'); may have + past participle (past possibility: 'He may have missed the bus'); might is less certain than may; may as well (there is no reason not to: 'We may as well start').
यह बहुत पूछा जाता है: may + base form; औपचारिक अनुमति ('May I go out?'), संभावना ('She may be at home') और शुभकामनाओं (optative sentences: 'May God bless you!') के लिए may; may have + past participle (अतीत की संभावना: 'He may have missed the bus'); might, may से कम निश्चित है; may as well (न करने का कोई कारण नहीं: 'We may as well start')।
✓In the exam
General knowledge
1 May is Labour Day (International Workers' Day) and also Maharashtra and Gujarat Day.
1 मई श्रमिक दिवस (अंतर्राष्ट्रीय मज़दूर दिवस) और महाराष्ट्र एवं गुजरात दिवस भी है।