How to say "virtually" in Japanese

• ほとんどJLPT N4approx.Common
  adverbCovers 'virtually' in the sense of 'almost; practically': a quantity or degree falling just short of the whole, as in virtually all or virtually impossible. This is the word you want for that meaning.
  夕食ゆうしょくの準備じゅんびはほとんどできています。↗

  The dinner is almost ready.
• まずJLPT N4approx.Common
  adverbCovers 'virtually' as 'almost certainly': a judgment that something is all but sure, close to 'probably' or 'most likely'. The word also means 'first of all', so it fits 'virtually' only in this certainty sense.
  あのチームは、あるとしても、まず優勝ゆうしょうの望のぞみはない。↗

  That team has little, if any, chance of winning.

Choose 「ほとんど」 when 'virtually' means 'almost, practically' — a quantity or degree just short of complete — and 「まず」 when it means 'almost certainly', expressing a judgment that something is all but sure.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

• ほとんどalmost
• まずprobably
• まずはprobably