μήπως

Greek

Etymology

Inherited from Ancient Greek [Term?] phrase μή (mḗ) πως (pōs).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmi.pos/
• Hyphenation: μή‧πως

Conjunction

μήπως • (mípos)

1. if, by any chance, perhaps, maybe

   Μήπως θέλεις να βγούμε; ― Mípos théleis na vgoúme? ― By any chance would you like to go?

   Μήπως είδες το παιδί μου; ― Mípos eídes to paidí mou? ― Did you by any chance see my child?

2. as if, didn't? (forming rhetorical questions that indicate the opposite of the question is true)

   Μήπως δεν τον βοήθησα τόσες φορές; ― Mípos den ton voḯthisa tóses forés? ― As if I didn't help him so many times.

3. in case, for fear that, lest

   Φοβήθηκα μήπως του έγινε κάτι, αργεί πολύ.

   Fovíthika mípos tou égine káti, argeí polý.

   I'm worried in case something happened to him, he's very late.

See also

• ίσως (ísos)

Further reading

• μήπως, in Λεξικό της κοινής νεοελληνικής [Dictionary of Standard Modern Greek], Triantafyllidis Foundation, 1998 at the Centre for the Greek language