もう少しで | Grammar

Structure

もう少しで + [verb (dictionary form)] + ところだったもう少しで + [verb (dictionary form)] もう少しで + [noun] + だ

Description

もう少しで means "almost", "nearly" – literally "with a little more". With ところだった after a verb in the dictionary form, it says something nearly happened and then didn't.

。

I almost missed the train.

。

I nearly fell over.

。。

I almost forgot. That was close.

The verb before ところだった stays in the dictionary form even though the sentence is about the past. のりおくれた乗り遅れたところだった would mean "I had just missed it".

Almost there

With a non-past verb or a noun, もう少しで says the end is close and is expected to come.

。

I've almost finished my homework.

。

The summer holidays are nearly here.

もう少しで, 危うく or もうすぐ

also marks a near miss, but only an unwelcome one. もう少しで works for a good result that slipped away too, usually with .

。

I very nearly had an accident.

、。

We almost won the match – what a shame.

is about time only, "soon". It goes with 夏休みだ, but not with a near miss.

× もうすぐ転ぶところだった → もう少しで転ぶところだった

In conversation もうちょっとで means the same and sounds more casual.

Examples

。

I almost got hit by a car.

。

I nearly missed the appointment time.

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I almost dropped my wallet.

。

I almost burst into tears.

、。

We almost won the game – what a shame.

、。

My work is almost done, so please wait.

。

Graduation is almost here.

、。

I almost got a perfect score, but I got one question wrong.

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I almost missed my flight.

、。

It's almost finished, so please wait a little longer.

。。

I almost forgot. That was close.

。

The baby is almost here.