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How to Say "lately" in Spanish

English → Spanish

últimamente

adverbB1general
Use 'últimamente' when talking about general trends, habits, or recurring situations over the recent past.

Examples

¿Has visto alguna buena película últimamente?

Have you seen any good movies lately?

recientemente

reh-see-en-teh-MEN-tehreˌθjenˈtemente

adverbB1general
Use 'recientemente' when referring to a specific event or action that happened in the very recent past.
A brightly colored illustration showing a white mug filled with dark coffee, with a strong plume of steam rising above it, indicating the coffee was just prepared moments ago.

Examples

He visitado a mis abuelos recientemente.

I have recently visited my grandparents.

Recientemente, hemos notado un aumento en las ventas.

Recently, we have noticed an increase in sales.

El informe fue publicado tan recientemente que aún no ha sido revisado.

The report was published so recently that it hasn't been reviewed yet.

The '-mente' Suffix

This word is formed by taking the adjective 'reciente' and adding '-mente.' This ending works exactly like the '-ly' ending in English, turning an adjective into a word that describes how or when an action is done.

Confusing 'Recientemente' and 'Recién'

Mistake: “Using 'recién' to modify the whole sentence (e.g., 'Recién fui al cine').”

Correction: Use 'recientemente' when describing something that happened a short time ago. 'Recién' is usually placed directly before a past action word (like 'recién llegado' - newly arrived) and refers to something that happened just moments ago.

Recientemente vs. Últimamente

The most common mistake is using 'recientemente' for ongoing trends or habits. Remember, 'recientemente' is for a specific, completed action in the near past, while 'últimamente' implies a pattern or change over time.

Related Translations

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