"Might" or "Could"?

Question

I looked up both words in the dictionaries and got the same answer - the conditional tense of Poder (Podría, Podríamos, Podrían etc.)

I wouldn't have thought they were the same, since one is an indication of intent and the other is an indication of ability. So how do you distinguish between "I might" and "I could" in Spanish?

Answer 1

Hi Gringo

You have touched on the problem with modals - because they do not exist in Spanish one has to find another way to express the same (similar) meaning in Spanish.

Modals are an extremely powerful element of the English language but to explain all the possible ways of "transcribing" them into Spanish is not possible here.

There are 11 modals each one of which can be used with any verb to "modify" the verb thus giving it a new "meaning".

I will add a link here to a previous thread that explains what is done.

Here it is

If anyone finds a mistake in this document let me know please and I will correct it.

Thanks. That looks really useful. - Notedstrangeperson, Sep 22, 2012

el placer es mío amiga - ian-hill, Sep 22, 2012

Fabulous! - --Mariana--, Sep 22, 2012

I agree with Mariana, Fabulous. - gringojrf, Sep 22, 2012

Answer 2

The problem is that they are both modals and as such do not have equivalents in Spanish.

"Could" is related to "Can" which is related to "poder" in Spanish.

But "I can" is not "puedo" in Spanish - "I am able (to) " is the correct translation.

I can do it now = I am able to do it now = puedo hecerlo ahora.

I could do it now = a possiblity in the present. (might)

I could do it yesterday = a capability in the past / I was able to do it yestyerday.

I could do it tomorrow = I will be able to do it tomorrow (future) OR I might do it tomorrow.

"Might" is related to "May" and is used to indicate possibilty. "May" can be used to indicate possibilty but is usually used to indicate permission.

I hope this helps to get you started on how modals are "transcribed" into Spanish.

They can not be translated because they do not exist in Spanish.

Thanks for your answer, but could you clarify something for me? In English "May" (like"I may" or "I might") implies intent on the part of the speaker. In Spanish does "May" mean to give permission to someone - as in "You may"? - Notedstrangeperson, Sep 21, 2012

The problem with your question is that "may" does not exist in Spanish so - "you may" = "tienes permiso" = you have permission. - ian-hill, Sep 22, 2012

Good luck to Arsenal this afternoon Ian, I will be cheering them on as a fan for the day. - kenwilliams, Sep 22, 2012

The lads "done" good ken :) - ian-hill, Sep 24, 2012

Answer 3

They can not be translated because they do not exist in Spanish.

Ian-Hill thanks for the above explanation of modals, but I also would like a clarification of this question. Even though "may" and "might" cannot be translated directly into Spanish the concepts exist so how are they translated?

I would think that the subjunctive of a verb could be used to express might or may in the present or future as in "I may/might be able to do it today/tomorrow/next week/etc. But this may not fit into the rules for using the subjunctive, so maybe it should be the conditional instead.

Help!!!

Answer 4

Quizás lo haga. Perhaps I will do it. (and perhaps not)