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差点 (almost / nearly)
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That was close
- You slipped on the ice outside your building but grabbed the railing just in time.
- I我nearly差点儿to fall down摔倒。 — "I nearly fell." It almost happened, but didn't.
almost差点(non-syllabic diminutive…儿) + Verb = nearly happened
- almost差点(non-syllabic diminutive…儿) + Verb = something almost happened but did not: nearly差点儿to arrive late迟到, nearly差点儿forget忘(completed / change)了.
- It goes before the verb, after the subject; (completed / change)了 often closes the sentence: I我nearly差点儿forget忘(completed / change)了.
I我nearly差点儿forget忘了。
Complete: “I nearly forgot your birthday!” 我____忘了你的生日！
Độ khó 1/5 · 100 xu + một phần thưởng nhỏ cho lần hoàn thành đầu tiên trong ngày
差点儿 + verb = it almost happened.
With not没: the tricky part
- For something unwanted, nearly差点儿 and nearly差点儿not没 mean the same: nearly差点儿to fall down摔倒 = nearly差点儿not没to fall down摔倒 — "nearly fell (but didn't)".
- For something wanted, not没 flips the meaning: I我nearly差点儿not没catch赶上the train火车。 — "I nearly missed the train (but caught it)."
I我nearly差点儿not没catch赶上the train火车。
Build: “I nearly missed the train.”
Độ khó 3/5 · 200 xu + một phần thưởng nhỏ cho lần hoàn thành đầu tiên trong ngày
差点儿没 + wanted result = nearly failed to.
Wanted or unwanted?
- Wanted result: nearly差点儿to pass a university…考上 = almost passed (but failed); nearly差点儿not没to pass a university…考上 = nearly failed (but passed).
- Unwanted result: nearly差点儿to crash (into another car)撞车 and nearly差点儿not没to crash (into another car)撞车 both = nearly crashed (but didn't).
What does 他差点儿没考上大学 mean?
Độ khó 1/5 · 100 xu + một phần thưởng nhỏ cho lần hoàn thành đầu tiên trong ngày
Getting in is wanted, so 差点儿没 = nearly failed (but succeeded).
我差点儿摔倒 and 我差点儿没摔倒 mean the same.
Độ khó 1/5 · 100 xu + một phần thưởng nhỏ cho lần hoàn thành đầu tiên trong ngày
Falling is unwanted, so both mean “I nearly fell (but didn't)”.
nearly差点儿 versus about the same差不多
- nearly差点儿 = "nearly happened": he他nearly差点儿cry哭(completed / change)了 — "He nearly cried."
- about the same差不多 = "about, almost (in amount)": about the same差不多十点(completed / change)了. They are not interchangeable.
he他nearly差点儿cry哭了。
Recap
- nearly差点儿 + Verb = nearly (but didn't).
- Unwanted events: with or without not没, same meaning. Wanted events: nearly差点儿not没 = nearly failed but succeeded.
Read the full reference: HSK 4 grammar — Adverbs.
You slipped on the ice outside your building but grabbed the railing just in time. Close the examples. Say a Mandarin response, then write it in Chinese. Explain briefly in English what the lesson’s pattern adds. Compare with the model, then change one detail and try again.
This is supported productive practice. Compare meaning and structure; your answer need not copy the model. A partner or teacher must hear the spoken response to comment on pronunciation.