Says something nearly happened, but it didn't.
하마터면 지갑을 잃어버릴 뻔했어요.
hamateomyeon jigabeul ireobeoril ppeonhaesseoyo.
I very nearly lost my wallet.
계단에서 미끄러질 뻔했어요.
gyedaneseo mikkeureojil ppeonhaesseoyo.
I almost slipped on the stairs.
Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language
- After a vowel or ㄹ: ㄹ 뻔했어요, as in 갈 뻔했어요 gal ppeonhaesseoyo. After other consonants: 을 뻔했어요, as in 먹을 뻔했어요 meogeul ppeonhaesseoyo.
- It says something came close to happening, but it didn't. That's why you'll nearly always see it in the past tense.
Build it
When to use it
A close call
Something bad nearly happened, and it didn't.
Almost a good thing
It can be something you wanted, too.
Exaggerating
For effect, like "I nearly died" in English.
Watch out
The past tense goes on 뻔하다 only, not on the verb before it.
In context
6 examples- 1
하마터면 지갑을 잃어버릴 뻔했어요.
Hamateomyeon jigabeul ireobeoril ppeonhaesseoyo.
I very nearly lost my wallet.
- 2
계단에서 미끄러질 뻔했어요.
Gyedaneseo mikkeureojil ppeonhaesseoyo.
I almost slipped on the stairs.
- 3
친구 생일을 잊을 뻔했어요.
Chingu saengireul ijeul ppeonhaesseoyo.
I almost forgot my friend's birthday.
- 4
늦잠을 자서 비행기를 놓칠 뻔했어요.
Neutjameul jaseo bihaenggireul notchil ppeonhaesseoyo.
I overslept and nearly missed my flight.
- 5
너무 웃겨서 커피를 쏟을 뻔했어요.
Neomu utgyeoseo keopireul ssodeul ppeonhaesseoyo.
It was so funny that I almost spilled my coffee.
- 6
깜짝 놀라서 소리를 지를 뻔했어요.
Kkamjjak nollaseo sorireul jireul ppeonhaesseoyo.
I got such a shock that I almost screamed.
Practice
6 questions먹다 + (으)ㄹ 뻔했어요
Almost, but it didn't happen
The whole point of (으)ㄹ 뻔했어요 is that the thing never happened. 넘어졌어요 neomeojyeosseoyo means you fell over. 넘어질 뻔했어요 neomeojil ppeonhaesseoyo means you nearly did, and you stayed on your feet.
하마터면: the word that goes with it
You'll often hear 하마터면 hamateomyeon, "very nearly", at the start of the sentence. It usually adds a feeling of relief, because something bad was close: 하마터면 큰일 날 뻔했어요 hamateomyeon keunil nal ppeonhaesseoyo, "That was nearly a disaster."
For something you wanted, use 거의 geoui, "almost", instead: 거의 이길 뻔했어요 geoui igil ppeonhaesseoyo, "We almost won."
Don't mix it up with 뻔하다, "obvious"
There's a separate word spelled the same way, 뻔하다 ppeonhada, and it means "obvious": 뻔한 거짓말 ppeonhan geojinmal, "an obvious lie". You'll also see it after (으)ㄹ 게 (eu)l ge: 늦을 게 뻔해요 neujeul ge ppeonhaeyo, "You'll obviously be late." Only (으)ㄹ directly before 뻔 ppeon means "almost".
Look it up in the dictionary
The entry for 으ㄹ 뻔하다 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.
