Quem sabe en 30 segundos
- Literally 'Who knows?', used as 'maybe'.
- Common in both Brazil and Portugal.
- Often followed by the subjunctive mood.
- Can express hope, doubt, or a suggestion.
The Portuguese expression "Quem sabe" is a versatile and ubiquitous phrase that literally translates to "Who knows?" However, its functional utility in the Lusophone world extends far beyond a simple rhetorical question. At its core, it serves as a marker of uncertainty, possibility, and sometimes a glimmer of hope. When a speaker says "Quem sabe," they are effectively opening a door to potentiality, suggesting that while the current outcome is unknown, the future remains unwritten. This phrase captures the essence of the Portuguese 'talvez' (maybe) but adds a layer of conversational fluidity that feels more natural in spoken discourse. It is the linguistic equivalent of a shrug combined with a thoughtful look toward the horizon.
- Literal Meaning
- Who (Quem) knows (sabe). It functions as a rhetorical inquiry into the hidden knowledge of the universe.
- Pragmatic Function
- Used to express 'maybe' or 'perhaps' in a way that invites the listener to consider a possibility without committing to it.
- Emotional Tone
- Can range from dismissive indifference to hopeful anticipation depending on the context and intonation.
"Você acha que vai chover amanhã?" — "Quem sabe, o céu está muito estranho."
In many contexts, Quem sabe acts as a sentence adverbial. It doesn't just ask a question; it modifies the entire proposition. For instance, if someone asks if you will ever return to your hometown, responding with "Quem sabe" implies that while there are no current plans, the possibility is not entirely ruled out. It is this inherent flexibility that makes it a favorite among native speakers who wish to remain non-committal or polite. In Brazilian Portuguese, it is often uttered with a specific rising-falling intonation that emphasizes the 'sabe', whereas in European Portuguese, it might be clipped more sharply.
"Quem sabe a gente se encontre por aí."
Furthermore, the phrase is deeply rooted in the philosophical outlook of many Portuguese speakers. It reflects a certain acceptance of the unknown—a cultural trait often associated with the concept of 'fado' or destiny. To say "Quem sabe" is to acknowledge that humans do not have all the answers, and that there is a certain beauty in that lack of knowledge. It is frequently used in songs, particularly in Bossa Nova and Fado, to evoke a sense of longing or 'saudade' for things that might have been or might yet be.
"Ele vai ganhar o prêmio?" — "Quem sabe? Ele trabalhou muito."
- Syntactic Placement
- Can appear at the beginning of a sentence, the end, or as a standalone response.
- Synonym Comparison
- 'Talvez' is more formal; 'Se calhar' is very common in Portugal; 'Quem sabe' is universally understood and very expressive.
"Quem sabe um dia eu aprenda a tocar piano."
Ultimately, mastering "Quem sabe" allows a learner to sound more natural and less like a textbook. It bridges the gap between basic vocabulary and idiomatic fluency. Whether you are speculating about the future, answering a difficult question, or simply being poetic, this phrase is an essential tool in your Portuguese toolkit. It embodies the mystery of the future and the conversational grace of the Portuguese language.
Using "Quem sabe" correctly involves understanding its grammatical triggers and its role in sentence structure. While it literally means "Who knows," its most common use is as a synonym for "maybe" or "perhaps." Here is a breakdown of how to integrate it into your speech effectively.
1. As a Standalone Response
This is the simplest way to use the phrase. When someone asks a question to which the answer is uncertain, you can simply say "Quem sabe?" This functions exactly like "Who knows?" in English.
"Será que eles vão casar?" — "Quem sabe?"
2. Introducing a Possibility (With the Subjunctive)
When "Quem sabe" is used to introduce a clause, it often functions like "Talvez." In formal or standard Portuguese, this usually triggers the Present Subjunctive because it expresses doubt or uncertainty.
- Structure
- Quem sabe + [Subject] + [Verb in Subjunctive]
"Quem sabe nós possamos viajar no verão?" (Maybe we can travel in the summer?)
3. Expressing Hope or Suggestions
It can also be used to make a gentle suggestion or express a wish. In this context, it’s often followed by "se" (if) or used directly before a verb.
"Quem sabe você não tenta falar com ela?" (Maybe you should try talking to her?)
4. Regional Variations
In Portugal, you might hear "Quem sabe?" used rhetorically, but "Se calhar" is more common for "maybe." In Brazil, "Quem sabe" is extremely common in all social strata and is used frequently to soften a 'no' or to express genuine optimism.
"Você vem à festa?" — "Quem sabe, se eu terminar o trabalho cedo."
When using it, pay attention to your tone. A rising intonation at the end makes it a question, while a falling intonation makes it a statement of possibility. It is a powerful tool for maintaining conversational flow without being overly definitive.
You will encounter "Quem sabe" in almost every corner of Portuguese-speaking life. Its versatility ensures its presence in high-brow literature, popular music, and daily street slang.
1. In Popular Music (MPB and Fado)
Music is perhaps the best place to hear the emotional weight of this phrase. It is a staple in lyrics about love, fate, and the future. Famous songs like "Quem Sabe" by Carlos Gomes (a classical piece) or various Bossa Nova tracks use the phrase to evoke a sense of mystery.
"Quem sabe se ainda me lembras..." (Who knows if you still remember me...)
2. In Daily Conversation
In a casual setting, such as a café in Lisbon or a beach in Rio, you'll hear it used to deflect commitment. It’s the perfect answer when you don't want to say 'yes' or 'no'.
- Street Scene
- Friends discussing football results: "Acha que o Flamengo ganha?" — "Quem sabe? Tudo é possível."
3. In Telenovelas and Movies
Scriptwriters love "Quem sabe" for creating suspense or showing a character's internal conflict. It’s often used in dramatic pauses before a scene cut.
4. In Literature
Authors like Machado de Assis or Fernando Pessoa use the phrase to explore existential themes. It represents the limit of human knowledge.
"O amanhã é um mistério; quem sabe o que ele nos reserva?"
Whether you are watching the news, listening to a podcast, or chatting with a neighbor, "Quem sabe" will be there. It is a linguistic bridge that connects the known with the unknown, making it an essential phrase for any learner aiming for authentic communication.
While "Quem sabe" is relatively straightforward, learners often stumble on a few key points regarding grammar and social nuance. Avoiding these will help you sound more like a native speaker.
1. Forgetting the Subjunctive
The most common grammatical error is using the indicative mood when the phrase introduces a possibility. While native speakers might do this in very informal speech, learners should aim for the subjunctive to ensure clarity and correctness.
- Incorrect
- Quem sabe ele vai à festa.
- Correct
- Quem sabe ele vá à festa.
2. Overusing it for 'Maybe'
While "Quem sabe" means maybe, it shouldn't replace 'talvez' or 'se calhar' in every situation. "Quem sabe" often carries a more rhetorical or philosophical weight. If you are just stating a simple fact of uncertainty, 'talvez' is often safer.
3. Misinterpreting the Tone
In some contexts, "Quem sabe" can sound dismissive if said with a flat tone. If someone asks for help and you reply with a short "Quem sabe," it might sound like you don't care. To avoid this, add more context.
"Quem sabe eu possa te ajudar mais tarde?" (Better than just 'Quem sabe')
4. Confusion with 'Sabe quem...?'
Don't confuse the phrase with the question "Sabe quem...?" (Do you know who...?). The word order is crucial. "Quem sabe" is the expression; "Sabe quem" is a direct question about a person's identity.
- Comparison
- "Quem sabe?" (Who knows/Maybe) vs. "Sabe quem ligou?" (Do you know who called?)
By paying attention to these nuances, you can use "Quem sabe" with confidence and precision, avoiding the pitfalls that often trap intermediate learners.
Portuguese has several ways to express uncertainty. Understanding the differences between "Quem sabe" and its synonyms will help you choose the right word for every situation.
1. Talvez
This is the most direct translation of "maybe." It is neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. It almost always requires the subjunctive mood.
"Talvez eu vá ao cinema."
2. Se Calhar (Portugal)
Extremely common in European Portuguese, "Se calhar" is the go-to informal way to say "maybe." Interestingly, it is usually followed by the indicative mood, unlike 'talvez'.
- Usage
- "Se calhar vou lá amanhã." (Maybe I'll go there tomorrow.)
3. Possivelmente / Provavelmente
These are more formal and precise. "Possivelmente" indicates a lower probability, while "provavelmente" indicates a higher one. They are used in academic or professional settings.
4. Quiçá
This is a literary and somewhat archaic synonym for "perhaps." You will see it in older books or very formal speeches. It adds a touch of sophistication or irony.
"Quiçá um dia nos tornemos amigos."
5. Porventura
Another formal option, often used in questions to mean "by any chance."
- Example
- "Você porventura viu minhas chaves?"
Choosing between these depends on your location (Brazil vs. Portugal), the level of formality, and the specific nuance of doubt you wish to convey. "Quem sabe" remains the most versatile and emotionally resonant choice for daily life.
How Formal Is It?
Nivel de dificultad
Gramática que debes saber
Present Subjunctive formation
Interrogative pronouns
Verb 'saber' conjugation
Adverbial clauses of doubt
Word order in Portuguese
Ejemplos por nivel
Quem sabe?
Who knows?
Standalone rhetorical question.
Quem sabe amanhã.
Maybe tomorrow.
Used with a time adverb.
Quem sabe hoje?
Maybe today?
Used as a question of possibility.
Quem sabe sim.
Maybe yes.
Affirmative uncertainty.
Quem sabe não.
Maybe no.
Negative uncertainty.
Quem sabe você?
Maybe you?
Directing the possibility to someone.
Quem sabe agora?
Maybe now?
Temporal uncertainty.
Quem sabe lá?
Who knows over there?
Locational uncertainty.
Quem sabe a gente vai?
Maybe we'll go?
Informal use with indicative.
Quem sabe ele liga.
Maybe he'll call.
Expressing a possibility.
Quem sabe você gosta?
Maybe you'll like it?
Gentle suggestion.
Quem sabe um dia.
Maybe one day.
Expressing a long-term hope.
Quem sabe mais tarde.
Maybe later.
Postponing a decision.
Quem sabe nós dois?
Maybe the two of us?
Suggesting a shared action.
Quem sabe ela vem.
Maybe she's coming.
Uncertainty about someone's arrival.
Quem sabe é bom.
Maybe it's good.
Speculating on quality.
Quem sabe ele possa nos ajudar?
Maybe he can help us?
Uses Present Subjunctive (possa).
Quem sabe você não tenta de novo?
Maybe you should try again?
Polite suggestion with 'não'.
Quem sabe nós tenhamos sorte.
Maybe we'll be lucky.
Uses Present Subjunctive (tenhamos).
Quem sabe o tempo melhore?
Maybe the weather will improve?
Uses Present Subjunctive (melhore).
Quem sabe eles queiram vir?
Maybe they want to come?
Uses Present Subjunctive (queiram).
Quem sabe você aprenda rápido.
Maybe you'll learn fast.
Expressing optimism.
Quem sabe seja melhor assim.
Maybe it's better this way.
Uses Present Subjunctive (seja).
Quem sabe a gente se veja lá?
Maybe we'll see each other there?
Uses Present Subjunctive (veja).
Quem sabe se eu tivesse estudado mais...
Who knows if I had studied more...
Uses Imperfect Subjunctive for hypothetical past.
Quem sabe o que o futuro nos reserva?
Who knows what the future holds for us?
Rhetorical/Philosophical use.
Quem sabe não seria melhor desistir?
Maybe it wouldn't be better to give up?
Conditional mood for speculation.
Quem sabe eles já tenham chegado.
Maybe they have already arrived.
Compound Subjunctive (tenham chegado).
Quem sabe se isso realmente importa?
Who knows if this really matters?
Questioning importance.
Quem sabe você devesse considerar a oferta.
Maybe you should consider the offer.
Using 'devesse' for advice.
Quem sabe a resposta esteja bem na nossa frente.
Maybe the answer is right in front of us.
Metaphorical use.
Quem sabe o motivo de tanta confusão.
Who knows the reason for so much confusion.
Noun phrase following 'quem sabe'.
Quem sabe não resida aí a verdadeira felicidade?
Maybe true happiness resides right there?
Literary/Formal structure.
Quem sabe se as estrelas não são apenas furos no céu?
Who knows if the stars aren't just holes in the sky?
Poetic speculation.
Quem sabe a história venha a nos absolver.
Maybe history will come to absolve us.
Formal/Political context.
Quem sabe o silêncio diga mais que as palavras.
Maybe silence says more than words.
Philosophical paradox.
Quem sabe se, por um acaso do destino, nos cruzarmos novamente.
Who knows if, by a twist of fate, we cross paths again.
Complex conditional structure.
Quem sabe não estejamos todos apenas sonhando?
Maybe we are all just dreaming?
Existential inquiry.
Quem sabe a solução exija um sacrifício maior.
Maybe the solution requires a greater sacrifice.
High-level vocabulary (exija).
Quem sabe se a verdade não é relativa.
Who knows if the truth isn't relative.
Abstract concept.
Quem sabe se a finitude não é o que dá sentido à vida?
Who knows if finitude isn't what gives meaning to life?
Deep philosophical inquiry.
Quem sabe a providência divina não interceda a nosso favor.
Maybe divine providence will intercede on our behalf.
Archaic/Religious register.
Quem sabe se o nada não é, afinal, o todo.
Who knows if nothingness is not, after all, the whole.
Metaphysical speculation.
Quem sabe se a memória não é apenas uma forma de esquecimento.
Who knows if memory is not just a form of forgetting.
Literary paradox.
Quem sabe se a beleza não salvará o mundo, como disse o poeta.
Who knows if beauty will not save the world, as the poet said.
Intertextual reference.
Quem sabe se a nossa percepção não nos engana sistematicamente.
Who knows if our perception does not systematically deceive us.
Epistemological doubt.
Quem sabe se o tempo não é senão uma ilusão persistente.
Who knows if time is but a persistent illusion.
Scientific/Philosophical context.
Quem sabe se a linguagem não é a nossa única pátria.
Who knows if language is not our only homeland.
Metaphorical/Cultural reflection.
Colocaciones comunes
Frases Comunes
Se confunde a menudo con
Means 'Do you know who' (direct question).
Means 'Whoever knows' (future subjunctive).
Means 'Who knew' (past tense).
Modismos y expresiones
Fácil de confundir
Patrones de oraciones
Cómo usarlo
'Quem sabe não' often means 'Maybe you should'.
Brazil uses it more as 'maybe' than Portugal.
Essential for B1+ learners.
- Using the indicative mood in formal writing.
- Pronouncing the 'm' in 'quem' too clearly.
- Using it as a literal question when a simple 'maybe' is intended.
- Confusing it with 'Sabe quem...'.
- Overusing it in professional emails.
Consejos
Subjunctive Alert
Always try to use the subjunctive after 'Quem sabe' to sound more advanced.
The Brazilian Maybe
In Brazil, 'Quem sabe' is a great way to avoid saying 'no' directly.
Intonation Matters
A higher pitch on 'sabe' makes it sound more like a question.
Song Lyrics
Listen to Bossa Nova to hear this phrase used in romantic contexts.
Rhetorical Power
Use it to start a paragraph when exploring a new idea.
Synonym Swap
Try replacing 'talvez' with 'quem sabe' in your next conversation.
Nasal Vowels
Don't pronounce the 'm' in 'quem' like an English 'm'; keep it nasal.
Softening Blows
Use it to make your opinions sound less aggressive.
Literature
Look for it in the works of Machado de Assis.
Daily Use
Try to use 'Quem sabe' at least once a day when you aren't sure of something.
Memorízalo
Origen de la palabra
From Latin 'Quem' (who) + 'Sapere' (to taste, to be wise, to know).
Contexto cultural
A key phrase in many iconic songs.
Often used with a hopeful tone.
A polite way to decline or defer.
Can sound more literal or rhetorical.
Practica en la vida real
Contextos reales
Inicios de conversación
"Quem sabe o que vai acontecer amanhã?"
"Quem sabe se o Brasil ganha a próxima Copa?"
"Quem sabe a gente viaja no próximo feriado?"
"Quem sabe você me ensina a cozinhar?"
"Quem sabe o segredo do sucesso?"
Temas para diario
Quem sabe onde eu estarei daqui a cinco anos?
Quem sabe se as minhas escolhas foram as certas?
Quem sabe o que eu ainda vou aprender este ano?
Quem sabe como seria minha vida em outro país?
Quem sabe o que me faz realmente feliz?
Preguntas frecuentes
10 preguntasIn formal speech, yes. In informal speech, people sometimes use the indicative, but the subjunctive is more natural for expressing doubt.
Yes, but 'se calhar' is more common for 'maybe' in casual conversation.
Yes, but it implies 'I don't know, and it's possible' rather than just a lack of knowledge.
'Talvez' is a direct adverb, while 'Quem sabe' is more idiomatic and rhetorical.
Yes, it is a very polite way to express uncertainty.
Yes, 'Quem sabe se ele foi?' (Who knows if he went?).
Yes, 'Quem sabe não?' means 'Maybe not?' or can introduce a suggestion.
It's better to use 'possivelmente' or 'provavelmente' in very formal business contexts.
It sounds like 'keng' with a nasal 'ng' sound at the end.
Yes, it works well as a tag question.
Ponte a prueba 96 preguntas
/ 96 correct
Perfect score!
Summary
Use 'Quem sabe' to sound more natural and expressive when talking about possibilities or uncertainties. It's more conversational than 'talvez' and can convey a range of emotions from hope to skepticism.
- Literally 'Who knows?', used as 'maybe'.
- Common in both Brazil and Portugal.
- Often followed by the subjunctive mood.
- Can express hope, doubt, or a suggestion.
Subjunctive Alert
Always try to use the subjunctive after 'Quem sabe' to sound more advanced.
The Brazilian Maybe
In Brazil, 'Quem sabe' is a great way to avoid saying 'no' directly.
Intonation Matters
A higher pitch on 'sabe' makes it sound more like a question.
Song Lyrics
Listen to Bossa Nova to hear this phrase used in romantic contexts.
Ejemplo
Quem sabe, talvez nos encontremos de novo.
Contenido relacionado
Frases relacionadas
Más palabras de emotions
a sério?
A2seriously?, an expression of surprise, disbelief, or to check earnestness
abalado
A2Conmocionado o afectado. El país quedó conmocionado por la tragedia.
abalar
A2Conmover o sacudir profundamente. El terremoto abaló los cimientos del edificio.
abalo
A2Shock, emotional disturbance; a sudden, disturbing, or upsetting emotional experience.
abandonado
B1Left by the owner or inhabitants; deserted.
abatidamente
B1De manera abatida o desalentada. Se utiliza para describir acciones realizadas con falta de ánimo o tras un gran golpe emocional.
abatido
A2Se siente abatido por la pérdida de su amigo.
abatimento
A2Dejection; a sad and depressed state; low spirits.
abertamente
A2Abiertamente; sin ocultar nada, de forma pública.
abismado
B1Filled with astonishment or wonder.
