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How to Say ‘That was so close!’ in German

Das war so knapp!

dahs vah zo knahp

[dahs vah zo knahp]

💬 Usage Tip: Unlike English "knee" or "know", the k in kn is pronounced: (k-NAPP). The same goes for Knie "knee".

Phrase Breakdown

Das war

dahs vah

That was

Past tense of 'sein' (to be). 'war' sounds like 'vahr'.

Example

Das war toll!

That was great!

Words in this phrase

Das

[dahs]

that; it

Refers back to a previous statement or situation, often translated as 'that' or 'it.'

Example

Das hat einen positiven Eindruck hinterlassen.

That left a positive impression.

war

[vah]

was

Past tense of 'is', used to describe something that happened or existed in the past.

Example

Er war ein großer Krieger.

He was a great warrior.

so knapp!

zo knahp

so close!

'knapp' means close or narrow. Pronounce the 'k' clearly: k-napp.

Example

Wir haben knapp verloren.

We lost narrowly.

Words in this phrase

[zo]

Used to refer to something just mentioned; like that.

Example

Ich fühle mich so müde.

I feel so tired.

knapp

[knahp]

close, narrow

Describes something that almost happened or was just barely.

Example

Das Spiel war knapp.

The game was close.

Guides for German learners

Duolingo vs Pimsleur: Tapping on a Screen or Talking Out Loud?Duolingo vs Pimsleur: five minutes of tapping versus thirty minutes of speaking. What each is good at, what each costs, and which to pick for your goal.

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