“〜tokoro datta・〜yasaki (ni)”: Almost / Just When About To [JLPT N2]
Content by NTJ Kuma · Nihongo to Japan editorial team · Updated July 27, 2026
「ぶつかるところだった」「出た矢先に」 — the near-miss you dodged vs the interruption that struck just then.
「危うく、階段から落ちるところだった」 — I very nearly had an accident
「足を滑らせて、危うく階段から落ちるところだった」 (I slipped and very nearly fell down the stairs) — 「〜ところだった」 means “came very close to ～ (but it didn't happen),” depicting a situation that nearly occurred but fortunately didn't. There's also 「〜ていた矢先（に） = right at the moment of ～」 for “just as I was about to／in the middle of doing something, (something else) happened.” This guide covers these two “about-to／nearly” patterns, their attachment, and separates them from the instantaneous 「とたん」 (N2).
Core: nearly ～ (didn't happen)／right at the moment of ～
This set expresses a precarious moment:
- verb dictionary form ＋ ところだった = nearly ～ (fortunately didn't): もう少しで、財布を忘れるところだった (I nearly forgot my wallet).
- verb ていた form ＋ 矢先（やさき）に = right at the moment of ～ (just as/while doing, something else happened): 出かけようとしていた矢先に、大雨が降ってきた (right as I was about to leave, heavy rain came).
Feel: “nearly … (didn't happen)／right at the moment of …” — 「ところだった」 carries a “phew, luckily it didn't” relief (or “nearly …, alas”), often with 「危うく・もう少しで」; 「矢先に」 is “right at the moment of about to do something, (of all times) …,” with the surprise of unlucky timing.
Attachment rules
| Form | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| verb dictionary form ＋ ところだった | nearly ～ (didn't happen) | 遅刻するところだった （I almost ended up late） |
| (often ＋) 危うく／もう少しで | phew, nearly ～ | 危うく〜ところだった （I very nearly …） |
| verb ていた ＋ 矢先に | right at the moment of ～ | 帰ろうとしていた矢先に |
| noun の ＋ 矢先に | right at the moment of ～ | 出発の矢先に |
Examples in context
- もう少しで、大事な会議を忘れるところだった。(I nearly forgot an important meeting.)
- 危うく、車にはねられるところだった。(I was very nearly hit by a car.)
- 寝ようとしていた矢先に、電話が鳴った。(Right as I was about to sleep, the phone rang.)
- 新事業を始めた矢先に、コロナが広がった。(Right after starting a new business, COVID spread.)
- あやうく秘密を言ってしまうところだった。(I nearly let the secret slip.)
⚠️ Common mistakes to avoid
① 「ところだった」 = nearly ～ (it actually did NOT happen). The key point. 「〜ところだった」 depicts a situation that nearly occurred but fortunately didn't — the second event did not actually happen. 落ちるところだった = nearly fell (but didn't); 遅刻するところだった = nearly was late (but wasn't). Don't misread 「ところだった」 as “(in the past) did …” — it's “nearly did … (but didn't),” with a “phew” feel. Often with 「危うく (phew)・もう少しで (nearly)」.
② 「矢先（やさき）に」 = right at the moment of ～, preceded by 『ていた／ようとしていた』. 「矢先に」 means “right at the moment of about to do / having just started something, (of all times) something else happened,” preceded by a verb ていた form or 〜ようとしていた (about to …): 出かけようとしていた矢先に、来客があった (right as I was about to leave, a visitor came); 事業が軌道に乗った矢先に、問題が起きた (right after the business got on track, a problem arose). It carries the surprise of “coincidental, of-all-moments timing.” Don't attach a plain dictionary form; mostly use the “(in the middle of/about to) ていた” form.
③ 「ところだった」 (nearly) ≠ 「とたん」 (no sooner … than, instantaneous). Both relate to “timing” but differ. ところだった = nearly ～ (didn't happen, with relief) (ぶつかるところだった = nearly collided [didn't]); とたん = no sooner (finishing) … than (suddenly) … (it actually happened, instantaneous) (ドアを開けたとたん、猫が飛び出した = no sooner did I open the door than a cat shot out [actually happened]; see 〈とたん〉). ところだった is “nearly (didn't happen),” とたん is “no sooner … than (happened)” — one didn't, one did — don't mix them.
🔄 Nuance & comparison: ところだった／矢先に／とたん／かねなかった
| Form | Feel | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 〜ところだった | nearly ～ (didn't happen, phew) | 落ちるところだった （I almost fell） |
| 〜ていた矢先に | right at the moment of ～ (of all times, something happened) | 帰ろうとしていた矢先に |
| 〜とたん | no sooner (finishing) ～ than (suddenly happened) | 開けたとたん |
| 〜かねなかった | (nearly) came close to ～ (negative, written) | 大事故になりかねなかった （it could easily have become a major accident） |
💡 Quick takeaway
This set is two patterns depicting a precarious moment: ① verb dictionary form ＋ ところだった = nearly ～ (but fortunately didn't happen) (危うく落ちるところだった = phew, nearly fell), often with 「危うく・もう少しで」, carrying a “phew/alas” relief; ② verb ていた／ようとしていた ＋ 矢先に = right at the moment of ～ (just as doing something, of all times something else happened) (出かけようとしていた矢先に電話が). Three points: ① 「ところだった」's second clause ‘did NOT actually happen' (just nearly) — don't misread it as “did …”; ② 「矢先に」 is preceded by 『ていた／ようとしていた』, with coincidental-timing surprise; ③ separate it from 「とたん (no sooner … than, actually happened)」 — ところだった didn't happen, とたん did. To vividly depict “nearly …” or “right at the moment of about to …, of all times …,” these two are the most vivid.
❓ Questions you might have
Q: Does 「〜ところだった」 mean ‘did' or ‘didn't'?
It means ‘nearly did, but actually did NOT (didn't happen).' The most important and most-misread point. 「〜ところだった」 depicts a situation that nearly occurred but fortunately didn't — that second event did not actually happen. Examples: もう少しで、電車に乗り遅れるところだった (I nearly missed the train — but actually caught it); 危うく、大事な書類を捨てるところだった (phew, I nearly threw out an important document — but didn't); あやうく騙されるところだった (I nearly got scammed — but didn't). As you see, 「ところだった」 says “(had it been a bit worse/a moment later) it would have happened, but fortunately didn't,” with a “phew, relief” feel (sometimes a regret of “nearly …, alas it didn't come off,” as in 「あと一点で合格するところだった = I was one point from passing」). So it often goes with adverbs like 「危うく (phew)・もう少しで (nearly)・あやうく (came close)」. Test: see 「〜ところだった」 and read it as “nearly … (didn't happen),” not “(actually) did …”. To express “(actually, in the past) did …,” use a plain past tense (乗り遅れた = missed it [really]), not 「ところだった」.
Q: What form goes before 「矢先（やさき）に」? How does it differ from 「とたん」?
Before 「矢先に」 usually goes a ‘verb ていた form' or ‘〜ようとしていた (about to …),' meaning “right at the moment of doing/about to do something”: 帰ろうとしていた矢先に、上司に呼ばれた (right as I was about to leave, my boss called me over); 旅行の計画を立てていた矢先に、事故に遭った (right while planning a trip, I had an accident); 店が繁盛し始めた矢先に、火事が起きた (right as the shop began to thrive, a fire broke out). Its point is “at the coincidental moment of ‘about to／just started,' (of all times) something (usually unlucky) happened,” with the surprise or regret of bad timing. Difference from 「とたん」: 「〜とたん」 attaches to a verb た-form, meaning “no sooner (finishing) … than (right after) …,” the two being “A completes → B right after” (ドアを開けたとたん、猫が飛び出した = no sooner did I open the door than a cat shot out); while 「矢先に」 is “at the moment of doing/about to do A, B cut in” — A hasn't completed (in progress/about to start), and B interrupts. Difference: 「とたん」 = B at the instant A completes (A is done); 「矢先に」 = B at the moment of doing/about to do A (A unfinished, coincidentally interrupted). So 「出かけたとたん雨が降った」 = it rained the moment I went out (going out was completed); 「出かけようとしていた矢先に雨が降った」 = it rained right as I was about to go out (not yet out). (とたん: see 〈とたん〉.)
🖊️ Practice Questions (5)
Q1. 「あぶない！もう少しでぶつかる___。」(nearly crashed)
(A) ところだった (B) ところに (C) ばかりだ (D) はずだ
Q2. 「家を出た___、忘れ物に気づいた。」(just left home and realized I forgot something)
(A) 矢先に (B) ばかりに (C) どころか (D) ながら
Q3. What does 「忘れるところだった」 mean?
(A) Nearly forgot (but didn't in the end)
(B) Already forgot
(C) Forgot on purpose
(D) Must forget
Q4. What is the nuance of 「ところだった」?
(A) Nearly ~ (it didn't happen in the end, often with relief)
(B) Already happened
(C) Will definitely happen
(D) A command
Q5. Which connection is correct?
(A) 寝ようとした矢先に電話が来た。 (B) 寝るとした矢先。
(C) 忘れたところだった (dictionary form is correct)。 (D) 出かける矢先に (た-form is correct)。
Answer Explanations
1. (A) ところだった ── Nearly crashed.
2. (A) 矢先に ── Just left home and realized (た-form＋矢先に).
3. (A) ── Nearly forgot (but didn't).
4. (A) ── Nearly ~ (often with relief).
5. (A) ── 「た-form＋矢先に」 is correct.