xuýt nữa

Xuýt nữa thì tôi làm vỡ chiếc cốc.

Definition

1. Adverbial phrase:
   • Almost / Nearly / On the verge of: Expresses that something very nearly happened but did not actually occur. It indicates a close call or a narrow avoidance of an event, often with a sense of relief or regret.

Usage Examples

• Adverbial phrase:
  • Xuýt nữa tôi bị lỡ xe buýt. (I almost missed the bus.)
  • Xuýt nữa thì tôi quên chìa khóa. (I nearly forgot the keys.)
  • Cậu ấy xuýt nữa ngã xuống cầu thang. (He almost fell down the stairs.)

Advanced Usage

• The phrase is often used in past tense narratives to describe a narrowly averted situation. It can be reinforced with words like "thì" (then) for emphasis.
  • Xuýt nữa thì tôi nói ra bí mật. (I was on the verge of spilling the secret.)

Variants and Related Words

• Suýt nữa: A common alternate spelling with identical meaning and usage.

  • Suýt nữa tôi khóc. (I almost cried.)

• Suýt / Xuýt: The shorter adverbial form meaning "almost/nearly," often used before a verb without "nữa."

  • Tôi suýt ngã. (I almost fell.)

Synonyms

• Almost: Not quite; very nearly.
• Nearly: Very close to; almost.
• On the brink of: At the point of something (usually negative) happening.

Related Idioms

• Xuýt nữa thì...: A common construction translating to "It was so close that..." or "I/He/She almost..."
  • Xuýt nữa thì tay chúng ta bị bắt. (We were almost caught red-handed.)