Difference between revisions of "Expressing "almost" using "chadian mei""

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*我 <em>差点 没</em> 赶 上 火车。 <span class="trans">I almost didn't make the train. (but I did)</span>
 
*我 <em>差点 没</em> 赶 上 火车。 <span class="trans">I almost didn't make the train. (but I did)</span>
 +
*今天我差点儿没赶上飞机。<span class="expl">(The fact is opposite with "没赶上飞机")</span><span class="trans"> I almost missed the plane.</span>
 
*美国 队 很 有 实力,我们 <em>差点 没</em> 赢。 <span class="trans">The American team is very good, we almost didn't win. (but we won)</span>
 
*美国 队 很 有 实力,我们 <em>差点 没</em> 赢。 <span class="trans">The American team is very good, we almost didn't win. (but we won)</span>
 
*时间 太 紧,这个 项目<em>差点儿 没</em> 做 完。 <span class="trans">Time was almost up, we almost didn't finish this project. (but we did)</span>
 
*时间 太 紧,这个 项目<em>差点儿 没</em> 做 完。 <span class="trans">Time was almost up, we almost didn't finish this project. (but we did)</span>
 +
*这次对手太强了,我们队差点儿没赢。<span class="expl">(The fact is opposite with "没赢")</span><span class="trans">This time, the opponent is so strong that our team almost didn't win.</span>
 +
*排队的人太多了,差点儿没买到。<span class="expl">(The fact is opposite with "没买到")</span><span class="trans">The waiting line is too long. I almost didn't get it.</span>
 +
* 路上 堵车,我 <em>差点儿 </em> 没 按时 到 。<span class="expl">(The fact is opposite with "没按时到")</span><span class="trans">The traffic is bad; I was almost late.</span>
 +
* 我儿子<em>差点儿 </em>没考上大学。 <span class="expl">(My son passed the exam.)</span><span class="trans">My son almost failed the college entrance examination.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 01:33, 14 July 2014

Chinese-grammar-wiki-差点.jpg

Logically, 差点没 is not that different from 差点. In fact, you shouldn't think of it as a single word; think of the 没 as belonging to what follows 差点 and it makes more sense. Still, it can be a little confusing, and is worth a closer look.

Logical Structure

Subject + 差点 + 没 [Verb Phrase]

Note that the "Verb Phrase" part is a desired result. So this structure is literally saying, "almost didn't [Verb Phrase]."

Also note that because you're using 没, you don't use 了 after the verb phrase.

Examples

  • 差点 没 赶 上 火车。 I almost didn't make the train. (but I did)
  • 今天我差点儿没赶上飞机。(The fact is opposite with "没赶上飞机") I almost missed the plane.
  • 美国 队 很 有 实力,我们 差点 没 赢。 The American team is very good, we almost didn't win. (but we won)
  • 时间 太 紧,这个 项目差点儿 没 做 完。 Time was almost up, we almost didn't finish this project. (but we did)
  • 这次对手太强了,我们队差点儿没赢。(The fact is opposite with "没赢")This time, the opponent is so strong that our team almost didn't win.
  • 排队的人太多了,差点儿没买到。(The fact is opposite with "没买到")The waiting line is too long. I almost didn't get it.
  • 路上 堵车,我 差点儿 没 按时 到 。(The fact is opposite with "没按时到")The traffic is bad; I was almost late.
  • 我儿子差点儿 没考上大学。 (My son passed the exam.)My son almost failed the college entrance examination.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries

Websites

HSK5