Almost in Spanish || How to Use CASI

Q: What does casi mean in Spanish?

Casi means "almost" and is used to describe something that nearly happened or is nearly true.

Q: Where does casi go in a sentence?

Casi usually comes before the verb or adjective it modifies. Example: Casi llego tarde. (“I almost arrived late.”)

Q: Can casi be used with numbers or quantities?

Yes! Casi is often used with numbers to mean “almost that amount.” Example: Casi veinte personas vinieron. (“Almost twenty people came.”)

Q: What difference: casi nunca or nunca casi ?

Yes. Casi nunca means “almost never,” and is the correct word order. Nunca casi is not standard Spanish.

Q: Can casi be used with reflexive verbs?

Yes, but it should go before the reflexive verb . Example: Casi me caigo. (“I almost fell.”)

Q: Do you provide Spanish classes?

Yes, we do! You can learn Spanish online on our teaching platform, Flexi Classes . Study in group classes, individual classes or both, the curriculum includes all levels, and classes are available 24/7. Start with a 7 days free trial today!

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HOW TO SAY ALMOST IN SPANISH

Almost in Spanish is most commonly expressed through the adverb casi, which means “not completely, but lacking very little for it”.

As occurs in English, the adverb casi is widely used and highly versatile, describing approximations, slight differences, near misses, and situations that are close to a particular outcome.

HOW TO USE “CASI”

In Spanish, casi is the equivalent of “almost” and is defined by the dictionary of the Real Academia Española as:

Poco menos de – slightly less than
Aproximadamente – approximately
Con corta diferencia – with a minor difference
Por poco – by little / almost

So, while all those meanings can be used synonymously to “almost”, each has its particular nuance.

The adverb casi almost always precedes the verbs, adjectives, or phrases it modifies to express that something is incomplete but near completion.

However, occasionally, the adverb casi can be placed after the word or phrase it modifies.

PATTERNS

casi + verb (to express that an action nearly occurred)
casi + adjective (to indicate that something is close to having a certain quality)
casi + noun (to describe a situation where something is close to or nearly being a certain thing or state)

Casi no venimos a la fiesta.	We almost did not come to the party.
Casi terminamos el proyecto.	We have almost finished the project.
La biblioteca está casi vacía.	The library is almost empty.
Mi madre habla el inglés casi perfectamente.	My mother speaks English almost perfectly.
Él mide casi dos metros.	He is almost two meters tall.
Casi parece mi amiga Ana.	She looks almost like my friend Ana.

“CASI” TO EXPRESS APPROXIMATION

Among the most common uses of the word casi is to indicate approximation, suggesting that something is close to a certain outcome – time, number, state, etc. – but not exactly there.

When used in this context – mostly in casual speech –, it adds a certain element of precision.

PATTERNS

casi + number or time (to indicate approximate time or quantity)
casi + place or condition (to describe being close or near to a location or state)

Es casi medianoche.	It’s almost midnight.
Casi hay cincuenta personas en la fiesta.	There are almost fifty people at the party.
Llevamos esperando casi media hora.	We have been waiting for almost half an hour.
Casi estamos en tu casa.	We are almost at your house.
Casi me puse enferma la semana pasada.	I almost got sick last week.
El pastel está casi acabado.	The cake is almost finished.

“CASI” TO EXPRESS COURTESY

In Spanish, the word casi can also be used to mellow down an affirmation or an emphatic recommendation, encouragement, or appeal, making it less direct or assertive.

In this context, the use of casi is done out of courtesy or to express a degree of uncertainty.

Aside from a more dubious and uncertain “almost”, casi also translates to terms such as “maybe” or “perhaps”.

NOTE || In more casual speech, the word casi is at times followed by the conjunction que, especially when casi is used as a softening word. However, although this use is accepted, it is considered superfluous and inappropriate in more formal speech or writing.

PATTERNS

casi + imperative verb (to soften commands or requests)
casi que + clause (considered informal and implies an additional element of uncertainty/hesitation)

Casi mejor si sales temprano y evitas tráfico.	It’s almost better if you leave early and avoid traffic.
Si quieres ver a mis padres, casi mejor quédate a cenar.	If you want to see my parents, perhaps it’s better to stay for dinner.
Casi mejor no digamos nada.	It’s almost better if we did not say anything.
Casi que mejor nos vemos en otro momento.	Maybe it’s best if we see each other another time.
Si sigue lloviendo, casi que no salgo de casa.	If it continues to rain, maybe I will not leave the house.
Tal y como están las cosas, casi mejor nos vamos	Considering how things are, it’s almost better if we leave.

“CASI” TO INDICATE NARROW ESCAPE

In Spanish, casi is commonly used as well to describe situations wherein something was narrowly avoided or nearly missed.

This use often suggests a sense of relief or surprise that the nearly missed outcome was avoided.

PATTERNS

Casi + verb

¡Uy, casi chocamos con ese coche!	Ah! We nearly bumped into that car!
Casi caigo por las escaleras.	I almost fell down the stairs.
Casi perdemos el autobus esta tarde.	We almost missed the bus this afternoon.
Con las prisas, casi me olvido el móvil.	With the rush, I almost forgot my cell phone.
Casi vemos a tu vecino.	We almost saw your neighbor.
El suelo estaba mojado y casi nos resbalamos.	The floor was wet and we almost slipped.

VARIANT OF THE ADVERB “CASI”

Although casi is the general norm when expressing the word “almost” in Spanish, there is a rarely used variant, the adverb cuasi, that also functions like “almost” in English.

However, it is recommended that, instead of as an independent adverb, cuasi be used as a prefix, meaning, joined to another word.

In this context, cuasi is a more formal and seldom used alternative to casi.

PATTERNS

Cuasi-base word

Este país es un estado cuasifederal.	This country is a quasi-federal state.
Mi hermano es un cuasiexperto en fútbol.	My brother is a quasi-expert in soccer.
El tema era complicado y cuasifilosófico.	The issue was complicated and quasi-philosophical.
Para entender este libro, hay que ser cuasihistoriador.	To understand this documentary, you have to have to be a quasi-historian.
Lo que vimos en las noticias es un cuasidelito.	What we saw in the news is a quasi-crime.
La pintura era una cuasiobra de arte.	The painting was a quasi-work of art.

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FAQs

What does casi mean in Spanish?

Casi means “almost” and is used to describe something that nearly happened or is nearly true.

Where does casi go in a sentence?

Casi usually comes before the verb or adjective it modifies.

Example: Casi llego tarde. (“I almost arrived late.”)

Can casi be used with numbers or quantities?

Yes! Casi is often used with numbers to mean “almost that amount.”

Example: Casi veinte personas vinieron. (“Almost twenty people came.”)

What difference: casi nunca or nunca casi?

Yes. Casi nunca means “almost never,” and is the correct word order. Nunca casi is not standard Spanish.

Can casi be used with reflexive verbs?

Yes, but it should go before the reflexive verb.

Example: Casi me caigo. (“I almost fell.”)

Do you provide Spanish classes?

Yes, we do!

You can learn Spanish online on our teaching platform, Flexi Classes.

Study in group classes, individual classes or both, the curriculum includes all levels, and classes are available 24/7.

Start with a 7 days free trial today!

Spanish Grammar Bank

HOW TO SAY ALMOST IN SPANISH

HOW TO USE “CASI”

PATTERNS

“CASI” TO EXPRESS APPROXIMATION

PATTERNS

“CASI” TO EXPRESS COURTESY

PATTERNS

“CASI” TO INDICATE NARROW ESCAPE

PATTERNS

VARIANT OF THE ADVERB “CASI”

PATTERNS

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