How to say “almost” in Chinese with 差点 (chàdiǎn)

Subj. + (chàdiǎn) + Predicate

Expressing "almost" using "差点 (chàdiǎn)"

HSK 4Adverbs

Rule structure

差点 (chàdiǎn) means “almost” and shows that a result was very close. With an undesirable result, 差点 (chàdiǎn) usually means it almost happened but did not. 差点没 (chàdiǎn méi) is often used with a desirable result and can mean that the speaker almost failed to achieve it but did achieve it. The meaning depends on whether the result is desirable or undesirable.

Examples

我差点忘了今天有考试。

Wǒ chàdiǎn wàng le jīntiān yǒu kǎoshì.

I almost forgot there’s an exam today.

Practice

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Frequently asked questions

How do you express “Expressing "almost" using "差点 (chàdiǎn)"” in Chinese?

Use the structure: Subj. + 差点 (chàdiǎn) + Predicate. For example: 我差点忘了今天有考试。 — “I almost forgot there’s an exam today.”.

What is an example sentence with this grammar rule?

我差点忘了今天有考试。 — “I almost forgot there’s an exam today.”.

Which HSK level includes this grammar rule?

This grammar rule is part of HSK 4.

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