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

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* 我 <em>差点儿 没</em> 想 起来。<span class="expl">I did remember it.  </span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>chàdiǎnr méi</em> xiǎng qǐlái. </span><span class="trans">I almost forgot it. </span>
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* 我 <em>差点儿 没</em> 想 起来。<span class="expl">I did remember it.  </span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>chàdiǎnr méi</em> xiǎng qǐlái.</span><span class="trans">I almost forgot it.</span>
* 我 <em>差点 没</em> 赶 上 火车。 <span class="expl">I almost missed it, but I didn't.</span><span class="pinyin">Wǒ <em>chàdiǎn méi</em> gǎnshàng huǒchē. </span><span class="trans">I didn't miss 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="pinyin">Wǒ <em>chàdiǎn méi</em> gǎnshàng huǒchē.</span><span class="trans">I didn't miss the train.</span>
* 他 <em>差点 没</em> 通过 考试。<span class="expl">He did pass it. </span><span class="pinyin">Tā <em>chàdiǎn méi</em> tōngguò kǎoshì. </span><span class="trans">He barely passed the examination. </span>
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* 他 <em>差点 没</em> 通过 考试。<span class="expl">He did pass it.</span><span class="pinyin">Tā <em>chàdiǎn méi</em> tōngguò kǎoshì.</span><span class="trans">He barely passed the examination.</span>
* 排队 的 人 太 多 了,<em>差点儿 没</em> 买到。<span class="expl">I did get it.</span><span class="pinyin">Páiduì de rén tài duō le, <em>chàdiǎnr méi</em> mǎidào. </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,<em>差点儿 没</em> 买到。<span class="expl">I did get it.</span><span class="pinyin">Páiduì de rén tài duō le, <em>chàdiǎnr méi</em> mǎidào.</span><span class="trans">The waiting line is too long. I almost didn't get it.</span>
  
 
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Revision as of 04:14, 24 May 2017

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

Subj. + 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

  • 差点儿 没 想 起来。I did remember it. chàdiǎnr méi xiǎng qǐlái.I almost forgot it.
  • 差点 没 赶 上 火车。 I almost missed it, but I didn't.chàdiǎn méi gǎnshàng huǒchē.I didn't miss the train.
  • 差点 没 通过 考试。He did pass it.chàdiǎn méi tōngguò kǎoshì.He barely passed the examination.
  • 排队 的 人 太 多 了,差点儿 没 买到。I did get it.Páiduì de rén tài duō le, chàdiǎnr méi mǎidào.The waiting line is too long. I almost didn't get it.

See also

Sources and further reading

Books

Dictionaries

Websites

HSK5