Almost
Used to emphasize a narrow escape or a close call. It literally means 'by a little'.
Means 'on the verge of' or 'about to'. It is always followed by a verb in its infinitive form (e.g., salir, comer, empezar).
It's almost two in the afternoon.
I almost finished the book.
I almost fell!
The restaurant is about to close.
-Are you ready? -Almost, one minute.
'Casi' is the universal and most common word for 'almost' across all Spanish-speaking countries. It's always a safe and correct choice.
In informal, everyday conversation, you'll frequently hear 'ya mero' or 'ya merito'. It means 'almost' or 'any minute now'. For example: '¿Ya termina la película?' 'Sí, ya mero'.
'Casi' is standard. It's very common to add 'ya' before it ('ya casi') to emphasize that something is happening very soon or that you're 'almost there'.
'Casi' is the primary term used. 'Por poco' is also common, particularly to describe a close call.
'Casi' and 'por poco' are used exactly as in Latin America. There are no common regional alternatives.
Using the past tense for a past 'almost' event. — When describing something that almost happened in the past, Spanish speakers often use the simple present tense. For example, say 'Casi me caigo' (I almost fell), which feels more immediate, rather than 'Casi me caí'.
Confusing 'casi' with 'apenas'. — 'Apenas' means 'hardly,' 'barely,' or 'just.' It does not mean 'almost.' For example, 'Apenas tengo tiempo' means 'I barely have time,' while 'Casi no tengo tiempo' means 'I have almost no time'.
Saying 'casi no' when you mean 'almost all'. — 'Casi no' means 'almost no' or 'hardly'. For example, 'Casi no hay gente' (There are hardly any people). If you want to say 'almost all', you should say 'casi todos' (for people/items) or 'casi todo' (for a singular thing). Example: 'Casi todos mis amigos vienen' (Almost all my friends are coming).
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