JLPT N3EverydayA near miss

ところだったnearly; almost (did)

Something was on the point of happening, and in the end it didn't. Mostly it is a narrow escape: "I nearly fell", "I almost forgot".

危あやうく階かい段だんから落おちるところだった。

I nearly fell down the stairs.

店てん員いんが声こえをかけてくれなければ、傘かさを置おき忘わすれるところだった。

If the salesclerk hadn't called out to me, I would have left my umbrella behind.

How to form it

Verb in the dictionary form + ところだった

忘わすれる → 忘わすれるところだった. Polite ところでした; with friends often とこだった.

Before it: Mostly something you are glad didn't happen: 落おちる, 忘わすれる, 遅ち刻こくする, ぶつかる, 乗のり遅おくれる.
Goes with: 危あやうく (by a hair), もう少すこしで (very nearly), or an "if" in front: たら, なければ.
Tone: Relief: that was close. With のに after it, regret: so near.
Where you'll meet it: Everyday talk, most of all right after the scare.

In use

あ、忘わすれるところだった。はい、これ、おみやげ。

Oh, I nearly forgot. Here, I brought you something.

危あぶなかった。もう少すこしで寝ね坊ぼうするとこだった。

That was close. I very nearly overslept.

ブレーキが少すこし遅おくれていたら、前まえの車くるまにぶつかるところだった。

If I had braked a moment later, I would have hit the car in front.

After an "if", English says "would have".

私わたしはあと少すこしで優ゆう勝しょうするところだったのに、最さい後ごの直ちょく線せんで追おい抜ぬかれた。

I very nearly won, but I was overtaken on the final straight.

Something good that slipped away.

It didn't happen

電でん車しゃに乗のり遅おくれた。

I missed the train.

It happened.

電でん車しゃに乗のり遅おくれるところだった。

I nearly missed the train.

It didn't. You caught it, only just.

English puts "nearly" before a past verb. Japanese keeps the verb in the dictionary form: 乗のり遅おくれたところだった would be "had just missed it".

Close neighbours

ところだN4

The same るところだった with nothing going wrong: "was just about to", and then it did. With ちょうど or とき in front, it is usually this.

私わたしが駅えきに着ついたとき、電でん車しゃが出でるところでした。

When I arrived at the station, the train was just about to leave.

そうになるN4

Also "nearly": そうだ, "about to", with なった. It got as far as the signs, which you saw or felt, and no further: you stumbled, your eyes filled. It doesn't follow an "if".

階かい段だんで転ころびそうになった。

I nearly fell on the stairs.

ば～のに・たら～のにN3

The other "would have": something good that didn't happen, said with regret.

もう少すこし早はやく出でていたら、間まに合あったのに。

If I had left a little earlier, I would have made it.

Check yourself

1What happened?

もう少すこしで試し験けんに落おちるところだった。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

危あやうくスマホを（　　）ところだった。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

With a ない-form before it, it is "nearly didn't".

メールを読よみ返かえさなければ、日ひ付づけの間ま違ちがいに気きづかないところだった。

If I hadn't reread the email, I wouldn't have noticed the wrong date.

More sentences

私わたしたちは決けっ勝しょうに進すすむところだったのに、最さい後ごの問もん題だいで逆ぎゃく転てんされた。

We nearly went through to the final, but the other team overtook us on the last question.

電でん車しゃが遅おくれて、もう少すこしで遅ち刻こくするところだった。

The train was delayed, and I was nearly late.

Compared with similar forms

About to, in the middle of, just did