莫非 (could it be that …?) · 莫非 (serait-il possible que … ?)
An absence leads to a tentative guess
- A friend is very late. You wonder whether they forgot the meeting.
- 他还没来，莫非忘了时间？ — The speaker offers a possible explanation with surprise.
An absence leads to a tentative guess
- A friend is very late. You wonder whether they forgot the meeting.
- he / him他still / also还没来，can it be possible that莫非to forget忘(completed / change)了(concept of) time时间？ — The speaker offers a possible explanation with surprise.
Locate the pattern in real examples
- 莫非 (could it be that …?): 莫非你忘了我们的约定?; 他到现在还不来,莫非出了什么事?
- Read the whole clause before choosing a translation. The examples show the pattern in use; the context below determines what the speaker claims.
Locate the pattern in real examples
- can it be possible that莫非 (could it be that …?): can it be possible that莫非you你to forget忘(completed / change)了we / us我们(of / 's)的to agree on sth (after…约定?; he / him他to / arrive到now现在still / also还不来,can it be possible that莫非variant of 出 (classifier…出(completed / change)了what什么matter事?
- Read the whole clause before choosing a translation. The examples show the pattern in use; the context below determines what the speaker claims.
A friend is very late. You wonder whether they forgot the meeting. What does 他还没来，莫非忘了时间？ communicate?
The speaker offers a possible explanation with surprise. 莫非 is a guess, not confirmation. A following question or reply may test it. 既然忘了时间 would treat the forgetting as established instead.
Follow the speaker
could it be莫非you你forget忘了？
- In the opening situation: 他还没来，莫非忘了时间？
- The speaker offers a possible explanation with surprise.
Follow the speaker
could it be莫非you你forget忘了？
- In the opening situation: he / him他still / also还没来，can it be possible that莫非to forget忘(completed / change)了(concept of) time时间？
- The speaker offers a possible explanation with surprise.
Using the pattern named in this lesson: Could it be that you forgot? ____ 你忘了?
莫非 + clause? = could it be that …?: 莫非你忘了?
莫非 half-expects the guess to be true.
Yes — a worried “could it be …?”.
Check the limit of the explanation
- 莫非 is a guess, not confirmation.
- A following question or reply may test it. 既然忘了时间 would treat the forgetting as established instead.
Check the limit of the explanation
- can it be possible that莫非 is a guess, not confirmation.
- A following question or reply may test it. since既然to forget忘(completed / change)了(concept of) time时间 would treat the forgetting as established instead.
The speaker knows for certain that the friend forgot the time.
莫非 is a guess, not confirmation. A following question or reply may test it. 既然忘了时间 would treat the forgetting as established instead. The speaker offers a possible explanation with surprise.
Repair the form before interpreting it
- The form 莫了非忘了时间 needs repair here. Write 莫非忘了时间 instead; keep the word or frame in its demonstrated order.
- Form and meaning are separate checks. After the repair, explain the sentence in its situation rather than treating a familiar translation as a universal rule.
Repair the form before interpreting it
- The form do not莫(completed / change)了to not be非to forget忘(completed / change)了(concept of) time时间 needs repair here. Write can it be possible that莫非to forget忘(completed / change)了(concept of) time时间 instead; keep the word or frame in its demonstrated order.
- Form and meaning are separate checks. After the repair, explain the sentence in its situation rather than treating a familiar translation as a universal rule.
Rewrite the demonstrated repair exactly: 莫了非忘了时间
The demonstrated form is 莫非忘了时间. The speaker offers a possible explanation with surprise.
Keep the distinction
- The speaker offers a possible explanation with surprise. Check the relevant speaker, time or group in the surrounding context.
- 莫非 is a guess, not confirmation. A following question or reply may test it. 既然忘了时间 would treat the forgetting as established instead.
Read the full reference: HSK 6 grammar — Sentence patterns.
Keep the distinction
- The speaker offers a possible explanation with surprise. Check the relevant speaker, time or group in the surrounding context.
- can it be possible that莫非 is a guess, not confirmation. A following question or reply may test it. since既然to forget忘(completed / change)了(concept of) time时间 would treat the forgetting as established instead.
Read the full reference: HSK 6 grammar — Sentence patterns.
莫非 voices…
莫非 offers a surprised possibility, not certainty. The guess need not be negative: 莫非这就是好运?