Mimi Kara Oboeru N3 Grammar – ところだった (tokoro datta)
Translated from the Vietnamese original. View the original.
Mimi Kara Oboeru N3 Grammar – ところだった (tokoro datta)
Here is Japanese N3 grammar study material taken from the Mimi Kara Oboeru N3 textbook.
60. ～ところだった
a. Structure:
Vる + ところだった
b. Meaning 1: it looked as if ~ would happen, but luckily it did not
駅のホームで押されて、あやうく線路に落ちるところだった。
Eki no hōmu de osa rete, ayauku senro ni ochiru tokoro datta.
I was pushed on the platform and nearly fell onto the tracks.
出かけるとき急いでいたので、もう少しでさいふを忘れるところだった。
Dekakeru toki isoide itanode, mōsukoshide-sa ifu o wasureru tokoro datta.
I was in a hurry, and as I was going out I nearly forgot my wallet.
彼女が注意してくれなかったら、だまされるところだった。
Kanojo ga chūi shite kurenakattara, damasa reru tokoro datta.
If she had not warned me, I would nearly have been cheated.
c.. Meaning 2: ~ was so close, but sadly it did not succeed.
（試験のとき）あと少しで書き終わるところだったのに、ベルが鳴ってしまった。
(Shiken no toki) atosukoshi de kaki owaru tokorodatta no ni, beru ga natte shimatta.
(In an exam) I had almost finished writing when the bell rang.
高橋選手はもう少しで正選手になれるところだったのだが、事故でけがをして、引退してしまった。
Takahashi senshu wa mōsukoshi de sei senshu ni nareru tokorodatta nodaga, jiko de kega o shite, intai shite shimatta.
Takahashi was on the verge of becoming a regular player, but he was in a traffic accident and retired.