Alive Korean: Listening Korean for Beginners PDF

L2.81 V-(으)ㄹ 뻔하다 grammar = I almost, nearly…~indicate something almost happened but did not

Usage :
- Indicate one’s relief that a past event almost happened but did not = almost, nearly

- Often use together with adverb 하마터면 (almost, nearly) to emphasize the near occurrence of an event that could have happened. (See example 2,3,5)

- Often use together with -았/었으면 and -았/었더라면 to indicate a hypothetical past situation. (See example 6,7,8)

Tense :

Verbs ending in vowel or ㄹ +  ㄹ 뻔하다:
울다 -- 울 뻔하다 = almost cried
잠을 자다 -- 잠을 잘 뻔하다 = almost slept
놓치다 -- 놓칠 뻔하다  = nearly missed
태우다 -- 태울 뻔하다 = almost burn
치이다 -- 치일 뻔하다 = almost got hit (by something)
쓰러지다 -- 쓰러질 뻔하다 = almost collapsed / almost lost consciousness
넘어지다 -- 넘어질 뻔하다 = almost fell down
떨어지다 -- 떨어질 뻔하다 = almost failed/fell
잊어버리다 -- 잊어버릴 뻔하다 = nearly forgot
실패하다 -- 실패할 뻘하다 = almost failed

Verbs ending in consonant + 을 뻔하다:
늦다 -- 늦을 뻔하다 = almost late
죽다 -- 죽을 뻔하다 = almost died
넘다 -- 넘을 뻔하다 = almost passed
볼 수 없다 -- 볼 수 없을 뻔하다 = almost couldn't see ...

Examples:

1. 오늘 길이 너무 미끄럽지 않아요?
- 네, 맞아요.  저도 길이 너무 미끄러워서 회사에 오다가 넘어질 뻔했어요.

Isn’t the road really slippery today?
- Yes, you're right. It's so slippery that I almost fell on the way to the company.

2. 하마터면 기차를 놓칠 뻔했어요.
- 다음부터는 더 일찍 출발해야겠어요.

We almost missed the train.
- Then we should leave earlier next time.

3. 영화가 너무 슬퍼서 하마터면 여자 친구 앞에서 울 뻔했어요.

The movie is so sad I almost cried in front of my girlfriend.

4. 친구와 통화하다가 음식을 다 태울 뻔했어요.

I was talking with my friend on the phone and almost burned all my food.

5. 제가 이번 시험이 하마터면 떨어질 뻔했어요.

I almost failed this exam.

6.  기차표를 미리 예매하지 않았으면 이번 휴가가 고향에 못 갈 뻔했어요.

If I hadn’t bought a train ticket early, I wouldn't have been able to go to my hometown this holiday.

7. 네가 전화하지 않았더라면 약속을 잊어버릴 뻔했어요.

If you hadn't called me, I would have forgotten the appointment.

8. 서두르지 않았으면 공연을 볼 수 없을 뻔했어요.

If we hadn’t been hurried, we wouldn't have been able to see the show.

9. 배가 너무 고파서 죽을 뻔했어요.

I was very hungry (that I almost die).

10. 너무 추워서 죽을 뻔했어요.

It was so cold, I almost die.

11. 어제 길을 건너고 있어 자동차에 치일 뻔했어요.

Yesterday I nearly got hit by a car when I was crossing the road.