We use the words tal vez, quizás or quizá followed by indicative or subjunctive to express probability or doubt. (I/you may or might... etc or It is possible that...).
If the probability/doubt is related to a present or future situation, you will find El Presente de Indicativo or El Presente de Subjuntivo.
See and listen to the following examples:
No sé qué me pasa; quizás estoy un poco nervioso.I don't know what is wrong with me; I may be a bit nervous.
If the probability/doubt is related to a past situation, you will find past tenses both in the indicative and the subjunctive.
See and listen to the folowing examples:
Note about placement
The words tal vez, quizás and quizá may be placed at the end of the sentence as well, but, if that is the case, it will not accept the subjunctive mood, only the indicative.
Miguel no haya aprobado tal vez.
Miguel no ha aprobado tal vez.
Here are more examples:
Both with the indicative and the subjunctive the intensity of probability or doubt is the same, so they are interchangeable.
Note that, when, more than doubt, we're indicating a suggestion, you can also find quizás, quizá and tal vez used with deber or poder in the conditional , coinciding more literally with the English: "Maybe/perhaps I/you should/could..." , For example:
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