恐怕kǒng pàI'm afraid that...

1. 1.

   I'm afraid that...adverb

2. 2.

   perhaps; maybeadverb

• 恐afraid
• 怕perhaps

恐怕 is a polite way to give bad news or decline; it often goes with 会, 要, or 不能.

1. HSK 3

   明天恐怕会下雨。

   Míngtiān kǒngpà huì xiàyǔ.

   I'm afraid it will rain tomorrow.

2. HSK 3

   我恐怕不能去了。

   Wǒ kǒngpà bù néng qù le.

   I'm afraid I can't go now.

1. 
   Speaker A:

   今天晚上你能来吃饭吗？

   Jīntiān wǎnshang nǐ néng lái chī fàn ma?

   Can you come to dinner tonight?

2. 
   Speaker B:

   恐怕不行，我还有很多工作。

   Kǒngpà bù xíng, wǒ hái yǒu hěn duō gōngzuò.

   I'm afraid not. I still have a lot of work.

3. 
   Speaker A:

   那周末呢？

   Nà zhōumò ne?

   What about the weekend?

4. 
   Speaker B:

   周末可以，星期六怎么样？

   Zhōumò kěyǐ, xīngqīliù zěnmeyàng?

   The weekend works. How about Saturday?

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Related words

• 害怕hài pàto be afraid; to be scaredHSK 3
• 怕pàto be afraid; to fear; to dreadHSK 3
• 不得不bù dé bùhave no choice or option but toHSK 4
• 不必bú bìneed notHSK 4
• 也许yě xǔperhaps; maybeHSK 4
• 互相hù xiāngeach otherHSK 4

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