「〜ところだった」- Almost Happened

Explanation

「〜ところだった」 is a Japanese grammatical structure used to express that something almost happened but ultimately did not. It often carries a tone of "close call" or "narrow escape," emphasizing the near occurrence of an event.

Grammar Pattern

Grammar Point	Connection	Explanation
Verb Dictionary Form + ところだった	Verb Dictionary Form	Indicates that something almost happened but did not.
Verb Ta-Form + ところだった	Verb Ta-Form	Indicates that something was on the verge of happening but did not.

Basic Usage

Connection

• Verb Dictionary Form + ところだった
• Verb Ta-Form + ところだった

Meaning

• Expresses that something almost happened but did not.
• Often used to describe close calls or dangerous situations.

Examples

• もうもう少しで事故じこに遭あうところだった。
• Mou sukoshi de jiko ni au tokoro datta.
• I almost got into an accident.
  

• 彼かれは階段かいだんから落おちるところだった。
• Kare wa kaidan kara ochiru tokoro datta.
• He almost fell down the stairs.
  

• 電車でんしゃに乗のり遅おくれるところだった。
• Densha ni noriokureru tokoro datta.
• I almost missed the train.
  

• 彼女かのじょは秘密ひみつを話はなすところだった。
• Kanojo wa himitsu o hanasu tokoro datta.
• She almost revealed the secret.
  

Comparison and Differences

「〜ところだった」 and 「〜そうになった」 both express "almost happened," but they differ in tone and usage.

Grammar Point	Tone	Usage Context
〜ところだった	More formal, emphasizes the result not happening	Written or formal situations
〜そうになった	More casual, emphasizes the process	Everyday conversation

Examples:

• もうもう少しで忘わすれるところだった。
• Mou sukoshi de wasureru tokoro datta.
• I almost forgot.
  

• もうもう少しで忘わすれそうになった。
• Mou sukoshi de wasure sō ni natta.
• I almost forgot.
  

Deep Dive

「〜ところだった」 is primarily used to emphasize that something almost happened but did not. It is often used to describe dangerous or close-call situations, carrying a tone of "thankfully, it didn't happen." Compared to 「〜そうになった」, 「〜ところだった」 is more formal and suitable for written or formal contexts.

Summary

「〜ところだった」 is a Japanese grammatical structure used to express that something almost happened but did not. Mastering this pattern will help you better describe close calls or dangerous situations in both everyday conversations and formal settings.