Grammar Info

N2 Lesson 4: 13/18

ところだった ②Was just about to do something, Was in the middle of...

Structure

Verb［る］ + ところだった

Details

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About ところだった ②

When combined with the dictionary form of verbs, ところだった will indicate that something was about to happen, and will regularly be translated as 'was just about to do (A)', or 'was in the middle of (A)'. In many cases, ところだった will indicate either a positive or negative result that came about from 'not doing (A)'.

As this grammar pattern is a combination of ところ 'place', and the past tense of だ, だった; it will put emphasis of 'having been in the place or situation of (A)', before something happened that caused the expected result to change.

In cases where a positive result was narrowly missed out on, のに will often appear directly after ところだった. This can be interpreted as 'despite almost doing (A), (B)'.

Examples

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    絵(え)の具(ぐ)をつけてしまうところだった。

    I was just about to apply the paint.

    危(あや)うく期限(きげん)が切(き)れてしまうところだった。

    I was just about to narrowly miss the deadline.

    今(いま)から関西弁(かんさいべん)を教(おそ)わるところだったのに。

    I was just about to be taught the Kansai dialect.

    出掛(でか)けるところだったが、雨(あめ)が降(ふ)ってきたのでやめました。

    I was just about to go out, but because it started raining, I stopped.

    捕(つか)まえた犯人(はんにん)を危(あや)うく逃(のが)すところだった。

    The captured criminal was just about to barely escape.

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