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="pinyin">Wǒ <em>chàdiǎn méi</em> gǎnshàng huǒchē.</span><span class="trans">I didn't miss the train.</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>
 
* 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>
 
* 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>
 +
* 我 <em>差点儿 没</em> 买到 火车票。
 +
* 他们 两个 <em>差点儿 没</em> 打 起来。
 +
* 我 <em>差点儿 没</em> 和 她 撞 在 一起。
 +
* 这个 地方 太 大 了,我 走 了 很 久,<em>差点儿 没</em> 累 死。
 +
* 我 <em>差点儿 没</em>被 发现。
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* 这里 <em>差点儿 没</em> 变成 一 个 垃圾场。
 
* 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>
 
* 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>
  

Revision as of 08:14, 4 June 2020

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.
  • 差点儿 没 买到 火车票。
  • 他们 两个 差点儿 没 打 起来。
  • 差点儿 没 和 她 撞 在 一起。
  • 这个 地方 太 大 了,我 走 了 很 久,差点儿 没 累 死。
  • 差点儿 没被 发现。
  • 这里 差点儿 没 变成 一 个 垃圾场。
  • 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