Grammar › N1 · 12 Inference and judgment

〜まいか: perhaps; should we not...?

N1 · 12 Inference and judgment

Offers a mild suggestion or hopeful guess, using the negative まい.

Verb dictionary form + まいか: 〜ではあるまいか (isn't it perhaps...). Formal and old-fashioned. Used in editorials and essays to raise a question gently. Not a negative statement, despite まい.

Examples

これは、環境問題かんきょうもんだいの始はじまりではあるまいか。

Could this not be the start of an environmental problem?

このままでは、地域ちいきの伝統でんとうが失うしなわれてしまうのではあるまいか。

At this rate, might the traditions of the region not be lost?

Study 〜まいか in the course →