Spanish Expression · Intermediate
estar a punto de
to be about to (do something)
Pronunciation: es-TAr ah POON-to deh
Meaning
To be on the verge of doing something; to be very close to an event or action.
Example
Estábamos a punto de salir cuando empezó a llover.
We were about to leave when it started to rain.
Common mistakes & tips
- Practice estar a punto de out loud — read the pronunciation guide above and repeat.
- Use it in your own sentence today; reuse beats rereading.
- Pay attention to context: this is a intermediate-level Spanish expression.