HSK 3
情态副词:大概、恐怕
qíng tài fù cí : dà gài 、 kǒng pà
Adverbs expressing possibility and conjecture: 大概, 恐怕
Explanation
大概 (dàgài) and 恐怕 (kǒngpà) are modal adverbs (adverb: a word that modifies a verb/adjective) used to make a conjecture about something, like "probably", "most likely", "I'm afraid" in English.
subject + 大概/恐怕 + verb/adjective (often with 了/吧 at the end of the sentence).
大概 = a neutral, approximate conjecture (probably going to rain); 恐怕 = a conjecture carrying a WORRIED, undesirable tone (I'm afraid I've caught a cold, I'm afraid it's already late).
both mean "probably", but 恐怕 implies that what is guessed is something UNPLEASANT or worrying; 大概 is neutral, just an estimate. You don't use 恐怕 for good news (you don't say "恐怕考得很好").
placing it in the wrong position (it must stand before the verb/adjective, not at the end of the sentence); using 恐怕 for a positive matter sounds very strange.
Examples
He is sick, so he probably won't come to class today.
The sky is so overcast, it's probably going to rain.
My head hurts a little, I'm afraid I've caught a cold.
He's been abroad for probably more than three years now, right?
Practice
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The grammar point “情态副词:大概、恐怕” (Adverbs expressing possibility and conjecture: 大概, 恐怕) is one of the key structures at HSK 3. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
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