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How to Say ‘Yes, just barely missed!’ in German

Ja, ganz knapp daneben!

yah gahnts knahp dah-NAY-ben

[yah gahnts knahp dah-NAY-ben]

💬 Usage Tip: A quick confirmation plus reaction. Very natural in spoken German after a near goal.

🇩🇪 In Germany: Sounds exactly like something friends would shout during a tense knockout match.

Phrase Breakdown

Ja

[yah]

yes

Used to agree with the other speaker’s reaction.

Example

Ja, ganz knapp daneben!

Yes, just barely wide!

ganz knapp

gahnts knahp

very narrowly

This stresses how close it was.

Example

Das war ganz knapp.

That was very close.

Words in this phrase

ganz

[gahnts]

very

Adds emphasis, meaning very or really in this expression.

Example

Ja, ganz knapp daneben!

Yes, just barely wide!

knapp

[knahp]

close

Means it was only a tiny distance from success.

Example

Ja, ganz knapp daneben!

Yes, just barely wide!

daneben!

dah-NAY-ben

wide / missed it!

This says the shot missed the target.

Example

Der Schuss ging daneben!

The shot missed!

Words in this phrase

daneben

[dah-NAY-ben]

wide / off target

Means the ball missed the goal instead of going in.

Example

Ja, ganz knapp daneben!

Yes, just barely wide!

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