Preposition:
* Near, at, to, by, with: This is the most common meaning of "bij".
* bij de deur: at the door
* bij de winkel: by the store
* bij het huis: near the house
* bij mijn vriend: with my friend
Adverb:
* Almost, nearly:
* bijna klaar: almost ready
* bijna thuis: nearly home
Other:
* Bee: This is a separate word, pronounced differently, "bee" (pronounced "bay").
Examples:
* Ik zit bij mijn ouders. (I am sitting with my parents.)
* De winkel is bij de kerk. (The shop is near the church.)
* Het is bijna tijd om te gaan. (It's almost time to go.)
It's important to consider the context in which "bij" is used to understand its specific meaning.