casi lo mismo
/kasi lo mismo/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for "almost the same thing" is casi lo mismo.
casi lo mismo is used to describe two things that are very similar but not identical. It is often used when referring to an abstract concept or an unspecified "thing."
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of casi (almost), lo (the/that) and mismo (same).
Which one should you use?
Use casi lo mismo when you are referring to an abstract concept or an unspecified thing. In contrast, if you are referring to a specific noun, you must use casi la misma or casi el mismo to ensure the form agrees with the gender of that noun.
Did you know?
- The word casi has a rare doublet cuasi. While casi is the standard form used today, cuasi survives in specific legal or technical contexts.
- Spanish speakers use the structure of casi lo mismo to avoid repeating a long description. If someone describes a complex situation, the listener can simply say casi lo mismo to agree without repeating the details.
- In Spanish, the word lo in casi lo mismo acts as a neuter article. This allows the phrase to refer to an idea or situation without needing to assign it a masculine or feminine gender.
Examples in context
- Yo dije casi lo mismo que tú.I said almost the same thing as you did.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use casi lo mismo when comparing what someone said to another person.Tatoeba #13685809 by Seael, translation #6343772 by CK
- Mis dos hermanos compraron casi lo mismo.My two brothers bought almost the same thing.
- 4 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Elena and Alejandro are discussing two similar movie plots.
- ElenaEsta película es muy parecida a la otra.This movie is very similar to the other one.
- AlejandroSí, es casi lo mismo, solo cambia el final.Yes, it is almost the same thing, only the ending changes.
- Elena¿No te aburre ver siempre lo mismo?Doesn't it bore you to always see the same thing?
- AlejandroNo, a mí me encantan estas historias.No, I love these stories.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries casi, lo, mismo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
