ところだった ①

ところだった ① expresses that, just before a situation occurred (or should have occurred), something almost happened or was about to happen. It conveys a close call or near-miss. It often contrasts with what actually happened, emphasizing how near the action was to occurring. The basic idea is “I was about to do X, but...” or “I almost did X.” It can refer to a moment in the past or a moment just before a current moment in narratives, especially to set up a near-miss image. The form after a verb is typically the verb’s dictionary form followed by ところだった. For ongoing actions or imminent moments, the ている form can also appear before ところだった to indicate “was about to be doing.” In many cases, context makes it clear that the speaker reflects on a close call or near event.