# עלול vs. אולי



## sawyeric1

I've seen both of these used for "might":

I *might *even fall asleep on the couch with the TV on
*אולי *אפילו אירדם על הספה עם הטלוויזיה דלוקה

vs. 

A. Sometimes I feel like throwing it out the window
לפעמים בא לי לזרוק אותו מהחלון

B. You don’t want to do that
אתה לא רוצה לעשות את זה

A. Why not?
?למה לא

B. You *might *hit someone in the head
אתה *עלול *לפגוע למישהו בראש

Is there any pattern for when to use one over the other, or are they interchangeable? Maybe a difference in register?

Thanks


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## shalom00

The general rule I learned was that עלול implies something negative that might occur.
אולי can be positive or negative or neutral.


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## slus

אולי is closer to may/maybe than to might.


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## ArsenForums

אולי = maybe, perhaps
עלול = might - for example: it might happen to us


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## sawyeric1

So every time you want to say "might" in a positive sense, like if you translated "You should try - you might win", you use אולי?


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## slus

Yes. 
עלול is always negative.


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## senor_smile

If you translate 

אולי = maybe
עלול = liable to

then they are quite distinct (at least that's how I learned them).


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## Ali Smith

slus: Can't אולי be negative too? For example,

וַתִּרְאַנִי הָאָתוֹן וַתֵּט לְפָנַי זֶה שָׁלֹשׁ רְגָלִים אוּלַי נָטְתָה מִפָּנַי כִּי עַתָּה גַּם אֹתְכָה הָרַגְתִּי וְאוֹתָהּ הֶחֱיֵיתִי.

In your opinion, what does it mean here?


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## amikama

As said above, אולי can be positive or negative or neutral.


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## Abaye

Understanding the biblical language is not always intuitive for the modern Hebrew speaker and even more for the non-native. I recommend always starting with מקראות גדולות and Strong's concordance before delving any deeper.


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## Ali Smith

Thanks! I had no idea it meant “unless” in וַתִּרְאַנִי הָאָתוֹן וַתֵּט לְפָנַי זֶה שָׁלֹשׁ רְגָלִים אוּלַי נָטְתָה מִפָּנַי כִּי עַתָּה גַּם אֹתְכָה הָרַגְתִּי וְאוֹתָהּ הֶחֱיֵיתִי.


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