beinahe
Translation
almost, nearly
Examples
Ich hätte beinahe den Bus verpasst.
I almost missed the bus.
Er ist beinahe zwei Meter groß.
He is nearly two metres tall.
Es ist beinahe Mitternacht.
It is almost midnight.
Grammar Patterns
beinahe + Verb almost did sth. I almost missed the train.
Similar Words
Synonyms: fast, annähernd, knapp
Etymology
Composed of bei (by, near) and nahe (near). The combination literally means 'by near', which evolved into 'almost'.
Memory Tips
Think of it as being 'by' and 'near' (bei + nahe) to something happening, but not quite there yet. It's a very close call.