忘れそうだった
wasuresō datta
In Japanese, "I almost forgot" is expressed as 忘れそうだった (wasuresō datta).
This phrase is used when you suddenly remember something that you had nearly forgotten to do or say. In natural speech, this phrase is frequently preceded by the interjection あ (A!) to signal the suddenness of the realization, as in あ、忘れそうだった! (Oh, I almost forgot!).
How does it change in a sentence?
To emphasize the process of nearly falling into the state of forgetting, you can use the verb naru (to become) instead of the copula, resulting in the phrase 忘れそうになる.
How do you pronounce it?
wasuresō datta
Did you know?
- While 忘れそうだった is the literal translation, Japanese speakers often use the phrase あ、そうだ ('Oh, that's right') to signal they have just remembered something. This shifts the focus from the act of forgetting to the act of sudden remembering.
- The grammar used in 忘れそうだった expresses a 'near-miss' state. In Japanese, adding ~sō to a verb doesn't just mean 'looks like' but can indicate that an event was on the verge of happening but was stopped by a sudden realization.
- The short sound あ (A!) used before this phrase is a discourse marker that tells the listener the speaker's mental state has shifted in real time.
Examples in context
- すっかり忘れてしまいそうでしたが、大切な書類は提出済みです。I almost completely forgot, but I have already submitted the important documents.
- ほとんど忘れるところでしたが、大事な予定を思い出しました。I nearly forgot, but I remembered the important appointment.
- もう忘れそうになったけど、映画のチケットは持ってきたよ。I almost forgot, but I brought the movie tickets.
- 忘れるところだったけど、明日の試験の準備は終わりました。I was about to forget, but I finished preparing for tomorrow's exam.
- あ、忘れそうだった！A, wasuresou datta!Ah, I almost forgot!
- 鍵を家に忘れるところだった。忘れそうだったよ。Kagi o ie ni wasureru tokoro datta. Wasuresou datta yo.I almost left my keys at home. I almost forgot them.
- 約束を忘れそうだったから、助かった。Yakusoku o wasuresou datta kara, tasukatta.I almost forgot our appointment, so you saved me.
Example conversation
Ren and Misaki are leaving the house.
- 蓮 Renあ、ゴミ出し忘れそうだった！A, gomidashi wasuresou datta!Oh, I almost forgot to take out the trash!
- 美咲 Misaki急いでやってきて。Isoide yatte kite.Go do it quickly.
- 蓮 Renすぐに戻るよ。Sugu ni modoru yo.I'll be right back.
- 美咲 Misaki待ってるね。Matteru ne.I'll wait for you.
