§ Understanding 'Quasi'
The Italian word 'quasi' is an adverb that means 'almost'. It's a very common word you'll hear in everyday conversations, from casual chats with friends to more formal discussions at work or in the news. It's an A2 level word, so it's something you'll want to master early on to sound more natural when speaking Italian.
Think of 'quasi' as conveying a sense of being very close to something, but not quite there. It can refer to time, quantity, quality, or even a feeling. Let's look at some examples of how 'quasi' is used in different contexts.
§ 'Quasi' in Work Settings
In a professional environment, 'quasi' can be used to describe progress, deadlines, or expectations. It's a useful word when you want to communicate that something is nearly complete or has almost happened.
- DEFINITION
- almost
Abbiamo quasi finito il progetto.
Here, 'quasi' tells you that the project is very close to completion. You're almost done.
È quasi l'ora della riunione.
This indicates that the meeting is about to start. It's nearly time.
§ 'Quasi' in School and Academic Contexts
Students and teachers alike use 'quasi' to discuss grades, understanding, or the completion of assignments. It's a handy word for describing approximations.
Ho quasi capito la lezione.
This means you're close to understanding the lesson completely. You've almost got it.
Ho letto quasi tutto il libro.
You've read nearly the entire book, but not quite the last few pages.
§ 'Quasi' in the News and Media
Journalists often use 'quasi' to convey a sense of proximity to an event, a number, or a state. It can make headlines and reports more impactful by suggesting a near-miss or a significant approximation.
Il prezzo del petrolio è quasi raddoppiato.
Here, 'quasi' indicates that the price has come very close to doubling, but might be just short.
La polizia ha quasi catturato il fuggitivo.
This sentence implies the police were very close to apprehending the escapee, but didn't quite succeed.
§ Common Phrases with 'Quasi'
Beyond specific contexts, 'quasi' also appears in several common Italian expressions:
Quasi quasi: This phrase means 'I'm almost tempted to' or 'I might just'. It expresses a strong inclination to do something.
Quasi quasi vado al cinema stasera.
Quasi mai: This translates to 'hardly ever' or 'almost never'. It indicates a very low frequency.
Lui esce quasi mai di casa.
Quasi subito: This means 'almost immediately' or 'very soon'.
Ti chiamo quasi subito.
As you can see, 'quasi' is a versatile and essential Italian adverb. By paying attention to how it's used in different real-world situations, you'll quickly integrate it into your own Italian conversations.
Ejemplos por nivel
Ho quasi finito il mio libro, mi mancano solo poche pagine.
I have almost finished my book, I only have a few pages left.
È quasi mezzanotte, dovremmo andare a letto.
It's almost midnight, we should go to bed.
Ha quasi perso il treno, ma è riuscito a prenderlo all'ultimo minuto.
He almost missed the train, but he managed to catch it at the last minute.
Quel film era quasi perfetto, ma il finale mi ha un po' deluso.
That movie was almost perfect, but the ending disappointed me a bit.
Ho quasi dimenticato il tuo compleanno, per fortuna me ne sono ricordato in tempo!
I almost forgot your birthday, luckily I remembered in time!
Dopo tre ore di camminata, eravamo quasi arrivati in cima alla montagna.
After three hours of walking, we had almost reached the top of the mountain.
La cena era quasi pronta quando sono arrivati gli ospiti.
Dinner was almost ready when the guests arrived.
Parla inglese quasi fluentemente, ma ogni tanto fa ancora qualche errore.
He speaks English almost fluently, but he still makes a few mistakes sometimes.
Memorízalo
Mnemotecnia
Think of 'quasi' sounding a bit like 'comfy cozy'. When something is 'comfy cozy', it's almost perfect. So, 'quasi' means 'almost'.
Asociación visual
Imagine a cat stretching out on a couch, *almost* fully comfortable but still adjusting a bit. The 'quasi' cat is *almost* there.
Word Web
Desafío
Try to use 'quasi' in three sentences today to describe something that is nearly complete or about to happen. For example, 'Oggi è quasi il fine settimana!' (Today is almost the weekend!)
Ponte a prueba 36 preguntas
Choose the best translation for 'almost'.
'Quasi' means 'almost' in Italian.
Which sentence means 'I am almost ready'?
'Quasi' means 'almost' and 'pronto' means 'ready'.
How do you say 'almost finished' in Italian?
'Quasi' means 'almost' and 'finito' means 'finished'.
'Quasi' means 'never'.
'Quasi' means 'almost', not 'never'. 'Mai' means 'never'.
The sentence 'È quasi mezzogiorno' means 'It's almost noon'.
'Quasi' means 'almost' and 'mezzogiorno' means 'noon'.
You can use 'quasi' to say 'almost always'.
Yes, 'quasi sempre' means 'almost always'.
The speaker is talking about finishing coffee.
The speaker is mentioning the time to leave.
The speaker is describing someone's punctuality.
Read this aloud:
Ho quasi vent'anni.
Focus: qua-si, ven-t'an-ni
Dijiste:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Sono quasi a casa.
Focus: qua-si, a ca-sa
Dijiste:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
È quasi pronto il pranzo.
Focus: qua-si, pron-to, il pran-zo
Dijiste:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Write a sentence using 'quasi' to say you are 'almost ready'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Sono quasi pronto/a.
Write a sentence using 'quasi' to describe something that is 'almost perfect'.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Questo è quasi perfetto.
Write a sentence using 'quasi' to say you 'almost forgot' something.
Well written! Good try! Check the sample answer below.
Sample answer
Ho quasi dimenticato il mio appuntamento.
What is the speaker almost finished doing?
Read this passage:
Oggi è una bella giornata. Il sole splende e fa caldo. Ho quasi finito il libro che sto leggendo. Poi uscirò per una passeggiata. Spero che non piova più tardi.
What is the speaker almost finished doing?
The passage says 'Ho quasi finito il libro che sto leggendo.' (I have almost finished the book I am reading.)
The passage says 'Ho quasi finito il libro che sto leggendo.' (I have almost finished the book I am reading.)
What time is it in the passage?
Read this passage:
La festa di compleanno inizia alle otto. Sono le sette e cinquantacinque. Sono quasi pronto per uscire. Devo solo trovare le chiavi.
What time is it in the passage?
The passage states 'Sono le sette e cinquantacinque' (It's seven fifty-five), which is almost eight o'clock, and 'Sono quasi pronto per uscire' (I am almost ready to go out).
The passage states 'Sono le sette e cinquantacinque' (It's seven fifty-five), which is almost eight o'clock, and 'Sono quasi pronto per uscire' (I am almost ready to go out).
What is the speaker feeling when they are almost home?
Read this passage:
Ho camminato per due ore e ora sono quasi a casa. Ho un po' di fame. Voglio mangiare qualcosa di buono appena arrivo.
What is the speaker feeling when they are almost home?
The passage says 'Ho un po' di fame' (I am a bit hungry) when the speaker is almost home.
The passage says 'Ho un po' di fame' (I am a bit hungry) when the speaker is almost home.
Listen for 'almost lost the train'.
Listen for 'almost impossible to believe it'.
Listen for 'almost an hour left until the end'.
Read this aloud:
Era quasi convinto.
Focus: qua-si
Dijiste:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Ho quasi dimenticato il tuo compleanno.
Focus: di-men-ti-ca-to
Dijiste:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Siamo quasi arrivati a destinazione.
Focus: ar-ri-va-ti
Dijiste:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Listen for how 'quasi' is used in relation to missing a train.
Pay attention to the degree of difficulty expressed.
Consider the level of certainty conveyed.
Read this aloud:
Ho quasi dimenticato il tuo compleanno!
Focus: quas-ee
Dijiste:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
È quasi l'ora di cena, dovremmo andare.
Focus: qual-see
Dijiste:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
Abbiamo quasi risolto il problema, manca poco.
Focus: kwa-zee
Dijiste:
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Il progetto è ___ completato; mancano solo gli ultimi ritocchi.
In this context, 'quasi' (almost) indicates that the project is very near completion, with only minor details remaining. The other options don't fit the meaning.
Dopo anni di dedizione, ha ___ raggiunto il suo obiettivo di diventare un medico stimato.
'Quasi' (almost) is used here to convey that the individual is on the verge of achieving their long-standing goal, implying a significant effort and proximity to success.
La complessità della situazione ci ha portato a ___ disperare, ma abbiamo perseverato.
Here, 'quasi' (almost) emphasizes the intense difficulty of the situation, pushing them to the brink of despair but not quite succumbing. It highlights the struggle and eventual resilience.
La tecnologia moderna ha reso ___ obsoleto il bisogno di mappe cartacee per la navigazione.
Using 'quasi' (almost) suggests that while digital navigation is predominant, there might still be niche cases or preferences for physical maps, indicating a near-complete but not absolute obsolescence.
Il rumore assordante della folla rese ___ impossibile udire le istruzioni del presentatore.
'Quasi' (almost) perfectly captures the scenario where the noise was so overwhelming that hearing became extremely difficult, nearing impossibility, but perhaps not entirely so.
Dopo una maratona di dodici ore, mi sentivo ___ svenuto dalla stanchezza.
'Quasi' (almost) conveys the extreme exhaustion experienced after a twelve-hour marathon, indicating a state very close to fainting but not quite there, emphasizing the severe fatigue.
/ 36 correct
Perfect score!
Contenido relacionado
Esta palabra en otros idiomas
Más palabras de daily_life
a
A1to, at
abbandonare
B1To leave behind or give up something
abbastanza
B1Sufficiently or quite a bit.
abbigliamento
B1Clothing or attire.
abitare
A1to live, to reside
abitazione
A1A place where one lives; a home.
abito
A2clothing or a suit
abituale
B2Usual, customary, or habitual.
abitudine
B1A settled or regular tendency or practice.
accanto
A2next to or beside
