acaso
“acaso” means “perhaps” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:
perhaps, maybe
Also: by any chance, possibly
📝 In Action
¿Acaso has olvidado mi cumpleaños?
B1Have you forgotten my birthday by any chance?
Acaso lleguemos tarde si no nos apuramos.
B2Perhaps we will arrive late if we don't hurry.
No sé si lo hizo él. ¿Acaso crees que miente?
B1I don't know if he did it. Do you, perhaps, think he is lying?
chance
Also: accident
📝 In Action
Todo fue obra del acaso, no de la planeación.
C2Everything was the work of chance, not planning.
Si lo consigues, será por acaso.
C1If you get it, it will be by chance.
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: acaso
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'acaso' to express strong doubt or challenge a statement?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Old Spanish adverbial phrase 'a caso', which literally meant 'to chance.' This phrase combines the preposition 'a' (to) and the Latin word *casus*, meaning 'a falling, a chance, or an event.'
First recorded: Medieval Spanish
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'acaso' exactly the same as 'quizás' or 'tal vez'?
They are often interchangeable when expressing 'maybe' or 'perhaps'. However, 'acaso' is unique because it is also frequently used within questions to convey a feeling of surprise, skepticism, or challenge, which 'quizás' doesn't usually do.
Does 'acaso' always require the subjunctive verb form?
No. When 'acaso' is used in a question (the most common use), it almost always uses the standard indicative verb form (e.g., ¿Acaso *tienes* tiempo?). It only tends to trigger the special verb form (subjunctive) when it acts as a statement of pure doubt at the beginning of a phrase (e.g., Acaso *sea* posible...).