adverb
almost
B1
An adverb meaning 'almost'. Often written also as 'beinahe'; it's a degree word used to indicate something nearly happened or was nearly true (e.g., almost finished, almost ten). Invariable and placed before verbs, numbers or adjectives. Slightly colloquial but common in spoken and written German.
Examples
Das Projekt scheiterte beinah, weil das Budget knapp war.
The project nearly failed because the budget was tight.
Ich habe beinah den Zug verpasst.
I almost missed the train.
Details
Mnemonics
Picture a clock hand almost reaching the hour mark
sounds like 'be in a hurry' — you're almost there
Notes
Variant spelling of 'beinahe' (both are used). 'Beinah' is slightly less common in some registers but perfectly understood.