quase
Portuguese
Alternative forms
- quási (pre-reform spelling)
- quasi (pre-standardization spelling)
- quazi, quaze (obsolete)
- quaje (eye dialect)
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Latin quasi (“as if”). Cognate of Spanish casi, Spanish cuasi, French quasi and Italian quasi.
Pronunciation
- (Brazil) IPA(key): /ˈkwa.zi/
- (Southern Brazil) IPA(key): /ˈkwa.ze/
- (Portugal) IPA(key): /ˈkwa.zɨ/
- (Minho) IPA(key): /kazɨ/
- Rhymes: -azi, -azɨ
- Hyphenation: qua‧se
Adverb
quase (not comparable)
- almost (very close to)
- 1930 January 2, “Os novos medicos evangelicos realizaram um culto de Acção de Graças [The new evangelical doctors performed a Thanksgiving ceremony]”, in Correio da Manhã, volume XXIX, number 10741, Rio de Janeiro, page 7:
- Com a presença de avultadissimo numero de membros de quasi todas as egrejas evangelicas desta capital e de Nictheroy, o programma do culto teve inicio pouco depois das 4 horas […]
- With the presence of a very large number of members from almost all the evangelical churches of this capital and Niterói, the worship program began shortly after 4 o’clock.
Noun
quase m (plural quases)
- (informal) almost (a situation that almost happens)