German word

nahezu

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈnaːəˈt͡suː/

Meaning

  • adverbalmost

Example

Das ist nahezu unmöglich.

That is almost impossible.

Illustration for nahezu (almost)

More examples

Ich trainiere nahezu täglich, um mein Deutsch zu verbessern.

I practice almost every day to improve my German.

Core concept

A finish line reached with only a tiny gap left.

Common phrases

  • nahezu täglich

    almost every day

  • nahezu ununterbrochen

    almost continuously

Similar words

fast: Shows that an amount or degree is nearly the same, often in conversation.
beinahe: Indicates that something was almost achieved or was about to happen.

Definition in German

nahezu bedeutet fast; etwas ist so gut wie vollständig, es fehlt nur ein sehr kleiner Teil.

Word origin

Nahezu is formed from the German elements nahe, meaning near, and zu, meaning to, and developed into an adverb meaning nearly.

Usage tips

  • Nahezu is common in formal or written German, while fast is usually the more conversational choice for almost or nearly.

Opposites

Related words

  • naheliegendplausibleadjective

Word lists with this word