When do you say "maybe" and when do you say "perhaps"?

They’re pretty much interchangeable. In formal writing I would discourage the use of maybe, though.

I was coming in here to say something similar. “Perhaps” is a bit more formal. “Maybe” is all right in casual conversation.

I say “perhaps” when I try to impress people with my massive vocabulary.

I prefer quizás.

I think of maybe and possibly are interchangeable, whereas perhaps is usually conditional and suggestive of an idea.

“Perhaps if you tried parting your hair on the left, your nose would not look so long.”

“Maybe the idea that your nose looks long is all in your head.”

I’m one of those jerks who says Prehaps. ><

I don’t think I ever say ‘perhaps’.

I say perhaps when I’m avoiding giving an answer (as in being coy) and the rest of the time, I say maybe.

Depends on who you’re talking to “perhaps” is typically used in formal conversations and “maybe” is used on a daily basis.

Wouldn’t be the same song if the chorus was, “Maybe, maybe, maybe.”
I like to make people think about what I am saying so I know they’re listening. I say Perhaps when they expect Maybe and the other way around.

In general I only use perhaps when I’m completely trying to blow someone of without sounding like I am “would you like to go to the mall on saturday?/perhaps” for some reason I think it comes across nicer… my logic doesn’t usually make sense though

What about “possibly”?

Perhaps, you could use perhaps. Maybe you could use maybe.

Maybe/perhaps I have had too many wines for Fluther tonight… but hey, it is a Saturday…

In Japan it is very bad manner to say ‘no’ outright, so we say ‘We’ll see’. So next time you ask a Japanese guy for a buck and he says ‘We’ll see’ it usually means start watching for hell to freeze over. On the other hand, he may be waiting to see if he has enough after lunch to spare the buck.

You won’t admit you love me,
and so
how am I ever
to know?
You always tell me
”Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps.”