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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About ほとんど

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 の, to further specify a single noun.

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.

Related

Examples

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    みんなは、ほとんど帰(かえ)りました。

    Almost everyone has gone home.

    ハンドバッグがほとんど売(う)り切(き)れでした。

    The handbags were almost all sold out.

    今日(きょう)は宿題(しゅくだい)がほとんどない。

    There is hardly any homework today. (almost/mostly none)

    この湖(みずうみ)はほとんど浅(あさ)いと思(おも)う。

    This lake is mostly shallow, I think.

    えっ！この魚(さかな)ほとんど匂(にお)いがない。

    Huh?! This fish hardly has any smell. (almost/mostly none)

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