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="expl">(I almost missed it, but I didn't.)</span><span class="trans">I almost didn't make the train.</span>
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*我 <em>差点 没</em> 赶 上 火车。 <span class="expl">I almost missed it, but I didn't.)</span><span class="trans">I almost didn't make the train.</span>
*今天我差点儿没赶上飞机。<span class="expl">(I almost missed it, but I didn't.)</span><span class="trans"> I almost missed the plane.</span>
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*今天我差点儿没赶上飞机。<span class="expl">I almost missed it, but I didn't.)</span><span class="trans"> I almost missed the plane.</span>
* 我儿子<em>差点儿 </em>没考上大学。 <span class="expl">(He just barely passed the exam.)</span><span class="trans">My son almost failed the college entrance examination.</span>
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* 我儿子<em>差点儿 </em>没考上大学。 <span class="expl">He just barely passed the exam.)</span><span class="trans">My son almost failed the college entrance examination.</span>
*美国 队 很 有 实力,我们 <em>差点 没</em> 赢。 <span class="expl">(We almost didn't win, but we did win.)</span><span class="trans">The American team is very good, we almost didn't win.</span>
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*美国 队 很 有 实力,我们 <em>差点 没</em> 赢。 <span class="expl">We almost didn't win, but we did win.)</span><span class="trans">The American team is very good, we almost didn't win.</span>
*时间 太 紧,这个 项目<em>差点儿 没</em> 做 完。 <span class="expl">(We almost didn't finish, but we did.)</span><span class="trans">Time was almost up, we almost didn't finish this project.</span>
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*时间 太 紧,这个 项目<em>差点儿 没</em> 做 完。 <span class="expl">We almost didn't finish, but we did.)</span><span class="trans">Time was almost up, we almost didn't finish this project.</span>
*这次对手太强了,我们队差点儿没赢。<span class="expl">(But we won.)</span><span class="trans">This time, the opponent is so strong that our team almost didn't win.</span>
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*这次对手太强了,我们队差点儿没赢。<span class="expl">But we won.)</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">(But I did get it.)</span><span class="trans">The waiting line is too long. I almost didn't get it.</span>
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*排队的人太多了,差点儿没买到。<span class="expl">But I did get it.)</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">(But I just barely made it on time.)</span><span class="trans">The traffic is bad; I was almost late.</span>
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* 路上 堵车,我 <em>差点儿 </em> 没 按时 到 。<span class="expl">But I just barely made it on time.)</span><span class="trans">The traffic is bad; I was almost late.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 07:48, 17 February 2016

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 missed it, but I didn't.)I almost didn't make the train.
  • 今天我差点儿没赶上飞机。I almost missed it, but I didn't.) I almost missed the plane.
  • 我儿子差点儿 没考上大学。 He just barely passed the exam.)My son almost failed the college entrance examination.
  • 美国 队 很 有 实力,我们 差点 没 赢。 We almost didn't win, but we did win.)The American team is very good, we almost didn't win.
  • 时间 太 紧,这个 项目差点儿 没 做 完。 We almost didn't finish, but we did.)Time was almost up, we almost didn't finish this project.
  • 这次对手太强了,我们队差点儿没赢。But we won.)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。But I did get it.)The waiting line is too long. I almost didn't get it.
  • 路上 堵车,我 差点儿 没 按时 到 。But I just barely made it on time.)The traffic is bad; I was almost late.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries

Websites

HSK5