# Có lẽ: perhaps in Vietnamese (A2)

> Có lẽ means "perhaps" or "probably". It's a gentle guess, and it usually opens the sentence: Có lẽ anh nói đúng. Perhaps you're right.

Source: https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/co-le-perhaps/ · Updated 2026-10-17

**perhaps**

Pattern: `Có lẽ + [sentence] · [person] + có lẽ + [verb]`

Level: A2 (our estimate) · Register: everyday

Typed without accents: co le

*Có lẽ* means "perhaps" or "probably". It's a gentle guess, and it usually opens the sentence: *Có lẽ anh nói đúng.* Perhaps you're right. It can also come after the person or thing, especially before *là*: *Đây có lẽ là quán phở ngon nhất Sài Gòn.* This is probably the best phở place in Saigon.

The *có* in *có lẽ* isn't the *có* of *có … không*. The sentence stays a statement, with nothing added at the end.

*Có lẽ* is a polite way to soften bad news or a refusal: *Có lẽ mai em không đi được.* I might not make it tomorrow. As a reply, *Có lẽ vậy* means "perhaps so" (in Hà Nội, *Có lẽ thế*).

It sits between its neighbours. *Chắc* is more confident and belongs to speech: *Chắc ảnh quên rồi*, he's probably forgotten. *Có lẽ* is softer, and just as much at home in writing. *Có thể* at the start means "maybe, it's possible", a weaker guess. And *hình như* (it seems) is for what you've heard or half remember.

## Examples

- Có lẽ anh nói đúng. — Perhaps you're right.
- Có lẽ mai em không đi được. — I might not be able to make it tomorrow.
- Đây có lẽ là quán phở ngon nhất Sài Gòn. — This is probably the best phở place in Saigon.
- Saigon: Có lẽ vậy. | Hà Nội: Có lẽ thế. — Perhaps so.

## Words in this pattern

- [có lẽ](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/words/co-le/#s_co_le): perhaps

## Compare

- [Probably, must be: chắc (là)](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/chac-probably/): probably
- [It seems: hình như, có vẻ](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/co-ve-seems/): seems
- [Who knows, maybe: biết đâu](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/biet-dau-maybe/): who knows, maybe

Previous in Can, must, should, want: [No need to: khỏi + verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/khoi-no-need/)
Next in Can, must, should, want: [Plan to: định + verb](https://vietnamesebuddy.com/grammar/dinh-plan/)

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