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差不多 and 几乎 are both adverbs, indicating being very close or similar and can serve as an adverbial modifier.
But 差不多 can be used right before a monosyllabic adjective, while before or after the adjective following 几乎, there must be other words.
e.g.
我们差不多高。(Wǒmen chàbùduō gāo.) We are almost the same height.
我们几乎一样高。(Wǒmen jīhū yíyàng gāo.) We are almost the same height.
他比我高了差不多/几乎十公分。(Tā bǐ wǒ gāo le chàbùduō/jīhū shí gōngfēn.) He is almost ten centimetres taller than me.
1. 几乎 indicates close to a certain amount or degree. The speaker thinks the amount is large or the degree is high.
几乎 + Verb + Quantity
e.g.
我几乎看了12个小时书。(Wǒ jīhū kànle 12 gè xiǎoshí shū.) I read the book for almost 12 hours.
这部电影我们几乎看了十遍。(Zhè bù diànyǐng wǒmen jīhū kànle shí biàn.) We watched this movie almost ten times.
大家几乎等了他一个小时。(Dàjiā jīhū děngle tā yīgè xiǎoshí.) Everyone waited for him for almost an hour.
2.
几乎 + 全/都/完全/所有
e.g.
他说的话我几乎完全听不懂。(Tā shuō dehuà wǒ jīhū wánquán tīng bù dǒng.) I could hardly understand what he said.
这次考试几乎所有的问题我都会。(Zhè cì kǎoshì jīhū suǒyǒu de wèntí wǒ dūhuì.) I know almost all the questions in this exam.
他几乎每天都喝咖啡。(Tā jīhū měitiān dū hē kāfēi.) He drinks coffee almost every day.
3.
几乎 + 天天/年年/每一……
e.g.
最近几乎每一次考试她都是第一名。(Zuìjìn jīhū měi yīcì kǎoshì tā dōu shì dì yī míng.) She has been first in almost every exam recently.
我们几乎天天去公园散步。(Wǒmen jīhū tiāntiān qù gōngyuán sànbù.) We go for a walk in the park almost every day.
邻居几乎年年都要出国旅游。(Línjū jīhū nián nián dōu yào chūguó lǚyóu.) Neighbours travel abroad almost every year.
4. 几乎 places special emphasis on being close to a degree.
e.g.
听到这个消息，我高兴得几乎跳了起来。(Tīng dào zhège xiāoxi, wǒ gāoxìng de jīhū tiàole qǐlái.) Hearing the news, I almost jumped for joy.
这节课太无聊，我几乎要睡着了。(Zhè jié kè tài wúliáo, wǒ jīhū yào shuìzháole.) This class is so boring, I almost fall asleep.
今天起床太晚，上班几乎要迟到了。(Jīntiān qǐchuáng tài wǎn, shàngbān jīhū yào chídàole.) I got up too late today and I was almost late for work.
>> almost
5. 几乎 can indicate something undesirable almost happened, yet finally didn’t.
e.g.
这件事我几乎忘了告诉你。(Zhè jiàn shì wǒ jīhū wàng le gàosù nǐ.) I almost forgot to tell you about it.
早上我起晚了，几乎都要迟到了。(Zǎoshang wǒ qǐ wǎnle, jīhū dōu yào chídàole.) I got up late in the morning, almost late.
1. 差不多 also indicates close to a quantity or degree. But it is only used to make an objective statement about a fact.
e.g.
大家几乎等了他一个小时。(Dàjiā jīhū děngle tā yīgè xiǎoshí.) Everyone waited for him for almost an hour.
>> The speaker thinks “one hour” is a lot.
大家差不多等了他一个小时。(Dàjiā chàbùduō děngle tā yīgè xiǎoshí.) Everyone waited for him for almost an hour.
>> The speaker is making a statement about the fact without making any comment.
这部电影我们几乎看了十遍。(Zhè bù diànyǐng wǒmen jīhū kànle shí biàn.) We watched this movie almost ten times.
>> The speaker thinks “ten times” is a lot.
这部电影我们差不多看了十遍。(Zhè bù diànyǐng wǒmen chàbùduō kànle shí biàn.) We watched this movie almost ten times.
>> The speaker is making a statement about the fact without making any comment.
2. When indicating a small amount, a low degree or a short time, only 差不多 can be used.
e.g.
昨天我们差不多只睡了三个小时。(Zuótiān wǒmen chàbùduō zhǐ shuìle sān gè xiǎoshí.) We only slept for almost three hours yesterday.
这个学校差不多只有两个人考上大学。(Zhège xuéxiào chàbùduō zhǐyǒu liǎng gè rén kǎo shàng dàxué.) Almost only two people in this school are admitted to the university.
我们差不多才喝了一瓶啤酒。(Wǒmen chàbùduō cái hēle yī píng píjiǔ.) We almost drank a bottle of beer.
3. It’s used to make an objective statement.
差不多 + Verb / Adjective
e.g.
这首歌我差不多听完了。(Zhè shǒu gē wǒ chàbùduō tīng wánle.) I almost finished listening to this song.
饭差不多做好了。(Fàn chàbùduō zuò hǎole.) The meal is almost ready.
书差不多看完了。(Shū chàbùduō kàn wánle.) The book is almost finished.
4. 差不多 can precede a numeral-classifier compound, indicating being close to this quantity.
e.g.
李老师差不多六十岁了。(Lǐ lǎoshī chàbùduō liùshí suì le.) Mr. Li is almost 60 years old.
这袋米差不多三十公斤。(Zhè dài mǐ chàbùduō sānshí gōngjīn.) This bag of rice is almost 30 kilograms.
5. 差不多 can also be used as an adjective to serve as the predicate, indicating being similar and without much difference.
e.g.
姐妹俩性格差不多。(Jiěmèi liǎ xìnggé chàbùduō.) The sisters’ personalities are almost the same.
我和他的想法都差不多。(Wǒ hé tā de xiǎngfǎ dōu chàbùduō.) I have the same idea as him.
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