might could
Southern grammatical construction
Might could is a Southern American English construction meaning "might be able to" or "could possibly": I might could help you with that tomorrow.
This double modal—stacking two auxiliary verbs—sounds ungrammatical to speakers outside the region but is standard in parts of the South and Appalachia.
Similar constructions include might would, might should, and used to could.
- possibilityState of being achievable
- modalPertaining to form
- drawlUnhurried, elongated speech pattern
- potentialLatent capacity for development
- southernismsRegional expressions from below
tentative · should · uncertain · speculation · twang · auxiliary · verb phrase · grammar rules · be able to · Appalachian · regional speech · alternative · may · maybe · likely · reckon · fixin to · Southern dialect
might couldmust
Obligatory requirement
will · no way · for certain · without doubt · can
might, could, almighty, mightily, mightiest, mights, mightiness