quasi
/ˈkwa.zi/
In Italian, 'just about' is expressed as quasi.
The word quasi is an adverb used to mean 'almost' or 'nearly'. It is used to express approximation, such as when you want to say 'just about every' by using the combination quasi ogni.
Meaning: approximately (adv)
Which one should you use?
While quasi means 'almost' or 'nearly', you can also use praticamente to mean 'practically' or 'virtually' when emphasizing how close something is to being completed or how accurate an approximation is. Alternatively, più o meno translates to 'more or less' and is used to convey the same general sense of 'just about'.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation of quasi is /ˈkwa.zi/. The stress is on the first of the two syllables.
Did you know?
- In some regional dialects, people might replace quasi with quasi quasi to express a hesitant intention, similar to saying 'I think I might just'.
- While quasi is used for 'almost', the phrase più o meno is often accompanied by a vague hand gesture, like a slight tilt of the palm, to emphasize the uncertainty.
- The word quasi is a direct descendant of the Latin word quasi, meaning 'as if'.
Examples in context
- Ho quasi finito di leggere il libro.I just about finished reading the book.
- È praticamente impossibile risolvere il problema in così poco tempo.It's just about impossible to solve the problem in such a short time.
- Sono arrivato a malapena in tempo alla riunione.I just about made it on time to the meeting.
- Sto tornando a casa più o meno tra un'ora.I'll be coming home just about in an hour.
- Quasi quasi mi metto a studiare italiano quest'estate.I might just about start studying Italian this summer.
- Ho quasi capitoI just about understood
- Ho quasi 68 anniI'm just about 68 years old
- La sua altezza è pressappoco un metro e ottanta.His height is just about one meter eighty.
- Ci vorranno quasi due ore per arrivare.It will take almost two hours to arrive.
- Il ristorante è quasi pieno stasera.The restaurant is almost full tonight.
Example conversation
Sofia and Francesco are waiting for a train.
- SofiaA che ora parte il treno?What time does the train leave?
- FrancescoIl treno è quasi qui.The train is just about here.
- SofiaOttimo, sono pronta.Great, I am ready.
- FrancescoAndiamo al binario allora.Let's go to the platform then.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry quasi, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries quasi, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
