Etymology 1
From Middle English mowen, mayen, moȝen, maȝen, from Old English magan, from Proto-West Germanic *magan, from Proto-Germanic *maganą, from Proto-Indo-European *megʰ-.
Cognate with Dutch mag (“may”, first and third-person singular of mogen (“to be able to, be allowed to, may”)), Low German mögen, German mag (“like”, first and third-person singular of mögen (“to like, want, require”)), Swedish må, Icelandic mega, megum. See also might.
Verb
may (third-person singular simple present may, no present participle, simple past might, no past participle)
- (obsolete, intransitive) To be strong; to have power (over). [8th–17th c.]
- (obsolete, auxiliary) To be able; can. [8th–17th c.]
1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition II, section 3, member 6:But many times […] we give way to passions we may resist and will not.
- (intransitive, poetic) To be able to go. [from 9th c.]
- (modal auxiliary verb, defective) To have permission to, be allowed. Used in granting permission and in questions to make polite requests. [from 9th c.]
- Synonyms: can, could, might
you may smoke outside; may I sit there?
- (modal auxiliary verb, defective) Expressing a present possibility; possibly. [from 13th c.]
- Synonyms: could, might
he may be lying; Schrödinger's cat may or may not be in the box
2011 October 1, Phil Dawkes, “Sunderland 2-2 West Brom”, in BBC Sport:The result may not quite give the Wearsiders a sweet ending to what has been a sour week, following allegations of sexual assault and drug possession against defender Titus Bramble, but it does at least demonstrate that their spirit remains strong in the face of adversity.
2013 July 6, “The rise of smart beta”, in The Economist, volume 408, number 8843, page 68:Investors face a quandary. Cash offers a return of virtually zero in many developed countries; government-bond yields may have risen in recent weeks but they are still unattractive. Equities have suffered two big bear markets since 2000 and are wobbling again. It is hardly surprising that pension funds, insurers and endowments are searching for new sources of return.
- (subjunctive present, defective, chiefly poetic) Expressing a wish (with present subjunctive effect). [from 16th c.]
- Synonym: might
may you win; may the weather be sunny
1974, Bob Dylan (lyrics and music), “Forever Young”, in Planet Waves:May God bless and keep you always / May your wishes all come true / May you always do for others / And let others do for you / May you build a ladder to the stars / And climb on every rung / May you stay forever young
- Used in modesty, courtesy, or concession, or to soften a question or remark.
1744 [1720], Matthew Prior, “Phillis's age”, in Joe Miller's Jests, 7th edition:How old may Phillis be, you ask, / Whose Beauty thus all Hearts engages.
Usage notes
- May is now a defective verb. It has no infinitive, no past participle, and no future tense. Forms of to be allowed to are used to replace these missing tenses.
- The simple past (both indicative and subjunctive) of may is might.
- The present tense is negated as may not, which can be contracted to mayn't, although this is old-fashioned; the simple past is negated as might not, which can be contracted to mightn't.
- May has archaic second-person singular present forms mayest and mayst.
- Usage of this word in the sense of possibly is considered incorrect by some speakers and writers, as it blurs the meaning of the word in the sense have permission to. These speakers and writers prefer to use the word might instead.
- Conversely, since may not is particularly likely to promote confusion between the senses of "will possibly not" and "is forbidden to," some rules for the drafting of laws and regulations proscribe "may not" and require the use of "must not" or similar for clarity. Example:
- Wishes are often cast in the imperative rather than the subjunctive mood, not using the word may, as in Have a great day! rather than May you have a great day. The use of may for this purpose may lend a more formal, literary, or solemn feeling (perhaps jocularly so) to the wish. Moreover, wishes in the subjunctive need not use may if the meaning is clear without it, which is the case mainly for established expressions in the third-person singular such as God help you.
Translations
have permission to
- American Sign Language: S@Sternumhigh-PalmDown-S@Sternumhigh-PalmDown S@Chesthigh-PalmDown-S@Chesthigh-PalmDown
- Arabic: اِسْتَطَاعَ (ar) (istaṭāʕa), مُمْكِن (mumkin, literally “possible”)
- Bulgarian: мога (bg) (moga), имам възможност (imam vǎzmožnost)
- Catalan: poder (ca)
- Chinese:
- Cantonese: 可以 (ho2 ji5)
- Mandarin: 可以 (zh) (kěyǐ)
- Czech: smět (cs)
- Danish: må (da)
- Dutch: mogen (nl)
- Esperanto: rajti (eo)
- Finnish: voida (fi), saada (fi)
- French: pouvoir (fr)
- Galician: poder (gl), valer (gl)
- German: dürfen (de), können (de)
- Gothic: 𐌱𐌹𐌽𐌰𐌿𐌷𐌰𐌽 (binauhan)
- Greek: μπορώ (el) (boró), επιτρέπεται (el) (epitrépetai)
- Hungarian: szabad (hu), -hat (hu), -het (hu)
- Icelandic: mega (is)
- Indonesian: boleh (id), dapat (id), bisa (id)
- Italian: potere (it)
- Japanese: してもいい (shite mo ii)
- Korean: 할 수 있다 (hal su itda)
- Latin: possum (la), (use the subjunctive tense of the verb that follows) sim (la), mihi licet, licet
- Latvian: drīkstēt
- Malay: boleh
- Ngazidja Comorian: ukaya na ruhusa
- Norwegian: kan (no), få (no), må (no)
- Old English: magan, mōtan
- Persian: توانستن (fa) (tavânestan)
- Polish: móc (pl)
- Portuguese: poder (pt)
- Romanian: putea (ro)
- Russian: мочь (ru) (močʹ), мо́жно (ru) (móžno) (predicative)
- Slovak: smieť
- Sorbian:
- Upper Sorbian: (ip) směć (hsb)
- Spanish: poder (es)
- Swedish: få (sv), kunna (sv), kan (sv)
- Tagalog: maaari (tl), puwede (tl)
- Vietnamese: được phép
- Walloon: poleur (wa)
- Welsh: cael (cy)
|
possibly, but not certainly
- American Sign Language: S@Sternumhigh-PalmDown-S@Sternumhigh-PalmDown S@Chesthigh-PalmDown-S@Chesthigh-PalmDown
- Catalan: potser (ca) (followed by "que" and then the subjunctive)
- Chinese:
- Cantonese: 可能 (ho2 nang4)
- Mandarin: 可能 (zh) (kěnéng)
- Czech: (please verify) moci (cs) (moct)
- Danish: måske (da)
- Dutch: (please verify) misschien (nl)
- Finnish: voida (fi), saattaa (fi), taitaa (fi)
- French: peut-être (fr), se pouvoir (impersonal, third-person singular)
- Galician: pode ser
- German: können (de), mögen (de)
- Greek: ίσως (el) (ísos), μάλλον (el) (mállon)
- Ancient: (optative mood +) ἄν (án)
- Hebrew: עשוי ('asúi)
- Hungarian: lehet (hu), lehetséges (hu), előfordulhat
- Icelandic: geta (is) (in the past subjunctive)
- Indonesian: mungkin (id), barangkali (id), bisa jadi (id), bisa saja
- Italian: (please verify) forse (it), (please verify) può essere che + subjunctive
- Japanese: 多分 (ja) (たぶん, tabun), かも知れない (ja) (かもしれない, kamo shirenai)
- Latin: (use the subjunctive tense of the verb that follows) sim (la)
- Malay: mungkin (ms), boleh jadi
- Norwegian: kan være, also expressed with adv. kanskje (no)
- Persian: شایَد (fa) (šâyad)
- Polish: móc (pl), możliwe, że
- Portuguese: talvez (pt), poder (pt)
- Romanian: se poate
- Russian: (please verify) мо́жет быть (ru) (móžet bytʹ, literally “may be”), (please verify) мочь (ru) (močʹ)
- Spanish: quizás (es), tal vez (es), poder ser
- Swedish: kan (sv), kanske (sv), må (sv)
- Tagalog: maaari (tl), puwede (tl)
- Thai: อาจ (th) (àat)
- Vietnamese: có lẽ (vi)
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subjunctive
- Chinese:
- Cantonese: 願/愿 (jyun6)...
- Mandarin: 願/愿 (zh) (yuàn)...
- Czech: nechť (cs)
- Dutch: mogen (nl)
- French: que (fr) + [noun phrase] + subjunctive (verb)
- German: mögen (de), sollen (de), Konkinktiv I (verb)
- Hungarian: -j (hu) (assimilated after certain endings)
- Italian: use subjunctive of potere (it)
- Latin: (use the subjunctive tense of the verb that follows) sim (la)
- Malay: semoga, selamat (ms)
- Maori: kia
- Nahuatl: mā
- Norwegian:
- Bokmål: måtte (no)
- Polish: żeby (pl), oby (pl), niechaj (pl), niech (pl), bodaj (pl), bogdaj (Old Polish)
- Portuguese: que (pt)
- Romanian: să (ro)
- Russian: да (ru) (da) ... , да бу́дет (ru) (da búdet)
- Serbo-Croatian: dàbōgda (sh)
- Spanish: que (es), ojalá que
- Swedish: må (sv)
- Ukrainian: неха́й (nexáj), хай (xaj), най (naj)
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Translations to be checked
Etymology 2
From French mai, so called because it blossoms in the month of May.
Verb
may (third-person singular simple present mays, present participle maying, simple past and past participle mayed)
- (poetic, intransitive) To gather may, or flowers in general.
1485, Thomas Malory, Le Morte Darthur Book XIX, Chapter i leaf 386v:Soo it befelle in the moneth of May / quene Gueneuer called vnto her knyȝtes of the table round / and she gafe them warnynge that erly vpon the morowe she wold ryde on mayeng in to woodes & feldes besyde westmynstre.
"So it befell in the month of May, Queen Guenever called unto her knights of the Table Round; and she gave them warning that early upon the morrow she would ride a-Maying into woods and fields beside Westminster."
- (poetic, intransitive) To celebrate May Day.
Noun
may (definite accusative mayı, plural maylar)
- (North Azerbaijani) May
- Synonym: (South Azerbaijani) مه (mə)
Declension
More information Declension of, singular ...
Declension of may |
|
singular |
plural |
nominative |
may
|
maylar |
definite accusative |
mayı
|
mayları |
dative |
maya
|
maylara |
locative |
mayda
|
maylarda |
ablative |
maydan
|
maylardan |
definite genitive |
mayın
|
mayların |
Close
More information Possessive forms of, nominative ...
Possessive forms of may |
|
nominative |
singular |
plural |
mənim (“my”) |
mayım |
maylarım |
sənin (“your”) |
mayın |
mayların |
onun (“his/her/its”) |
mayı |
mayları |
bizim (“our”) |
mayımız |
maylarımız |
sizin (“your”) |
mayınız |
maylarınız |
onların (“their”) |
mayı or mayları |
mayları |
|
accusative |
singular |
plural |
mənim (“my”) |
mayımı |
maylarımı |
sənin (“your”) |
mayını |
maylarını |
onun (“his/her/its”) |
mayını |
maylarını |
bizim (“our”) |
mayımızı |
maylarımızı |
sizin (“your”) |
mayınızı |
maylarınızı |
onların (“their”) |
mayını or maylarını |
maylarını |
|
dative |
singular |
plural |
mənim (“my”) |
mayıma |
maylarıma |
sənin (“your”) |
mayına |
maylarına |
onun (“his/her/its”) |
mayına |
maylarına |
bizim (“our”) |
mayımıza |
maylarımıza |
sizin (“your”) |
mayınıza |
maylarınıza |
onların (“their”) |
mayına or maylarına |
maylarına |
|
locative |
singular |
plural |
mənim (“my”) |
mayımda |
maylarımda |
sənin (“your”) |
mayında |
maylarında |
onun (“his/her/its”) |
mayında |
maylarında |
bizim (“our”) |
mayımızda |
maylarımızda |
sizin (“your”) |
mayınızda |
maylarınızda |
onların (“their”) |
mayında or maylarında |
maylarında |
|
ablative |
singular |
plural |
mənim (“my”) |
mayımdan |
maylarımdan |
sənin (“your”) |
mayından |
maylarından |
onun (“his/her/its”) |
mayından |
maylarından |
bizim (“our”) |
mayımızdan |
maylarımızdan |
sizin (“your”) |
mayınızdan |
maylarınızdan |
onların (“their”) |
mayından or maylarından |
maylarından |
|
genitive |
singular |
plural |
mənim (“my”) |
mayımın |
maylarımın |
sənin (“your”) |
mayının |
maylarının |
onun (“his/her/its”) |
mayının |
maylarının |
bizim (“our”) |
mayımızın |
maylarımızın |
sizin (“your”) |
mayınızın |
maylarınızın |
onların (“their”) |
mayının or maylarının |
maylarının |
Close
See also
- (Gregorian calendar months) ay; yanvar, fevral, mart, aprel, may, iyun, iyul, avqust, sentyabr, oktyabr, noyabr, dekabr (Category: az:Months)
Etymology
From Proto-Central Philippine *may (existential marker).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈmaj/ [ˈmaɪ̯]
- Hyphenation: may
Verb
may (Badlit spelling ᜋᜌ᜔)
- particle used as an existential marker: there be; there is
- Synonyms: anaa, aduna, adia, ania, atua
- Antonym: wala
may bulawan sa ungib- there is gold in the cave
may dagkong mga pating sa dagat- the big sharks are in the sea
- particle used as a possessive marker: to have
may sakyanan si Maria- Maria has a personal vehicle
- (after sa) near a place
- sa may pultahan ― by the door
- (sometimes with mga) approximately, about some time ago; at around
- may (mga) duha ka buwan na ― it has been about two months
- may (mga) alas-kuwatro ― at around four o'clock
- (+ adjective prefixed with pagka-) be somewhat
- may pagkatabian si Antonio ― Antonio is somewhat talkative
Usage notes
- In contrast to aduna and anaa, which behave as verbs and could thus take postpositive enclitics, may is a particle and is used immediately before the word modified.
- may sakyanan siya ― she has a car
- may siya sakyanan ― is ungrammatical
Pronoun
may
- you (second person singular pronoun)
- amay ("to you")
- mmay ("yours")
Particle
may (Baybayin spelling ᜋᜌ᜔)
- particle used as an existential marker: to be; to have
- Synonyms: mayroon, meron
- Antonym: wala
May tubig sa bahay.- There is water in the house.
May pagkain ako rito, sa'yo na lang.- I have food here, have it.
Usage notes
- May is used immediately before the thing possessed or existing, whereas mayroon can be separated by enclitics (e.g. lang, kaya, and ako). Sentences like *may ako pagkain would be ungrammatical.
Preposition
may (Baybayin spelling ᜋᜌ᜔)
- used after sa: by; around; near
Kunin mo ang araro doon sa may puno ng mangga.- Get the shovel by the mango tree.
- (literally, “Get the shovel at the place with the mango tree.”)
Further reading
- “may”, in Pambansang Diksiyonaryo | Diksiyonaryo.ph, Manila, 2018
Noun
may (plural maylar)
- May
Declension
More information singular, plural ...
|
singular |
plural |
nominative |
may |
maylar |
genitive |
mayning |
maylarning |
dative |
mayga |
maylarga |
definite accusative |
mayni |
maylarni |
locative |
mayda |
maylarda |
ablative |
maydan |
maylardan |
Close
More information my, singular ...
my |
singular |
plural |
nominative |
mayim |
maylarim |
genitive |
mayimning |
maylarimning |
dative |
mayimga |
maylarimga |
definite accusative |
mayimni |
maylarimni |
locative |
mayimda |
maylarimda |
ablative |
mayimdan |
maylarimdan |
your |
singular |
plural |
nominative |
maying |
maylaring |
genitive |
mayingning |
maylaringning |
dative |
mayingga |
maylaringga |
definite accusative |
mayingni |
maylaringni |
locative |
mayingda |
maylaringda |
ablative |
mayingdan |
maylaringdan |
her/his/its |
singular |
plural |
nominative |
mayi |
maylari |
genitive |
mayining |
maylarining |
dative |
mayiga |
maylariga |
definite accusative |
mayini |
maylarini |
locative |
mayida |
maylarida |
ablative |
mayidan |
maylaridan |
our |
singular |
plural |
nominative |
mayimiz |
maylarimiz |
genitive |
mayimizning |
maylarimizning |
dative |
mayimizga |
maylarimizga |
definite accusative |
mayimizni |
maylarimizni |
locative |
mayimizda |
maylarimizda |
ablative |
mayimizdan |
maylarimizdan |
your |
singular |
plural |
nominative |
mayingiz |
maylaringiz |
genitive |
mayingizning |
maylaringizning |
dative |
mayingizga |
maylaringizga |
definite accusative |
mayingizni |
maylaringizni |
locative |
mayingizda |
maylaringizda |
ablative |
mayingizdan |
maylaringizdan |
their |
singular |
plural |
nominative |
mayi |
maylari |
genitive |
mayining |
maylarining |
dative |
mayiga |
maylariga |
definite accusative |
mayini |
maylarini |
locative |
mayida |
maylarida |
ablative |
mayidan |
maylaridan |
Close
- (Gregorian calendar months) oy; yanvar, fevral, mart, aprel, may, iyun, iyul, avgust, sentabr, oktabr, noyabr, dekabr (Category: uz:Months)
Noun
may
- May (month)
See also
- (Gregorian calendar months) djanvî, fevrî, måss, avri, may, djun, djulete, awousse, setimbe, octôbe, nôvimbe, decimbe (Category: wa:Months)