Grammar Info
N4 Lesson 5: 3/20

殆(ほとん)ど
Almost all, Most, Hardly any, Few (adverbial noun)

generally written in kana, though 殆ど form can also be seen

Structure
ほとんど + Phrase
ほとんど + (Negative) Phrase
Details
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Information
The adverb ほとんど is used in many situations in Japanese, and often translates as ‘most’, ‘hardly any’, ‘almost all’, and similar expressions. The nuance will always depend on the rest of the sentence. The most accurate translation for the word ほとんど itself is simply ‘almost’, where the thing that it is describing is always considered to be a full group, rather than a single thing.
As with many other adverbs that highlight an ‘amount’ in Japanese, ほとんど can modify a whole phrase, or can be used before , to further specify a single noun.
  • 宿題(しゅくだい)ほとんど終(お)わっている
    Most of my homework is done.
  • 弁当(べんとう)ほとんど食(た)べてないけど、おやつ全部(ぜんぶ)食(た)べた。
    I didn’t eat most of my lunch, but I ate all the snacks.
  • ほとんどの人(ひと)私(わたし)の名前(なまえ)読(よ)めません。
    Most people can’t read my name.
  • ほとんどの大学生(だいがくせい)は親(おや)と住(す)んでいます
    Most college students live with their parents.
In negative sentences, ほとんど translates as ‘hardly any’. This is mainly due to the ‘full group’ that ほとんど is describing being highlighted as almost ‘not’ existing.
  • 今年(ことし)屋台(やたい)ほとんどない
    There are hardly any food stalls this year.
  • 週末(しゅうまつ)に出(で)かけことはほとんどないです
    I hardly go out during the weekends.
Slow Male
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みんなほとんど帰(かえ)りました
Almost everyone has gone home.
Play  
今日(きょう)宿題(しゅくだい)ほとんどない
There is hardly any homework today.
Play  
この湖(みずうみ)ほとんど浅(あさ)と思(おも)う
This lake is mostly shallow, I think.
Play  
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Tobira
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