最近
saikin[sa̠ikʲĩɴ]
The English word 'recently' can be translated into Japanese as 最近 (saikin) or 先頃.
Meaning: in the recent past (adv)
Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 最近 | saikin | [sa̠ikʲĩɴ] (narrow) |
| 先頃 | sakigoro | [sa̠kʲiɡo̞ɾo̞] (narrow) |
最近 is used to mean 'recently' or to refer to 'the recent period' or 'the present day'. It can function as an adverb or as a noun. For an informal way to describe a continuous or repetitive action that has been happening lately, you can use 最近ずっと.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 最近 is composed of the characters 最 (most) and 近 (near), literally meaning 'the most recent [time]'.
Which one should you use?
最近 refers to a general recent period. In contrast, 先頃 is a more formal term used to refer to a specific point in the recent past, such as 'the other day' or 'a short while ago'.
How do you pronounce it?
saikin
Did you know?
- In casual conversation, 最近どう? is a common shorthand for 'How have you been recently?', where the verb and object are entirely omitted.
- The word 最近 (saikin) is also used in Japanese to mean 'the latest' or 'the most recent' when describing things like news or trends. It functions similarly to how an English speaker might say 'the latest fashion'.
- Using 先頃 in a business email is a way to signal a higher level of professionalism and social distance than using 最近.
Examples in context
- 最近何してるの？What've you been doing recently?This sentence is useful for asking what someone has been doing recently using 最近.Tatoeba #4871912 by tommy_san, translation #2642250 by CK
- 最近、映画見た？Have you seen any movies recently?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has seen movies recently using 最近.Tatoeba #10089952 by small_snow, translation #3454624 by patgfisher
- 最近、忙しいの？Have you been busy recently?This sentence is useful for asking if someone has been busy recently using 最近.Tatoeba #10617601 by small_snow, translation #7054458 by AlanF_US
- 最近、天気が良くなりました。Recently, the weather has improved.
- 最近、読書にはまっています。特に、近頃はアメリカの小説に興味があります。Recently, I have been into reading. Especially, I am interested in American novels these days.
- この頃、交通渋滞がひどくなっています。Lately, traffic congestion has worsened.
- 最近ずっと忙しくて、ゆっくり休めません。I've been busy all the time recently, so I can't rest properly.
- このごろ、テレビゲームにハマってます。Lately, I've been hooked on video games.
- 最近、パーティーに行ったことがありますか？Have you recently been to a party?
- 200 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two friends are catching up at a cafe.
- 美咲 Misaki大翔君、最近元気？Hiroto-kun, saikin genki?Hiroto, have you been well recently?
- 大翔 Hirotoうん、最近は少し疲れているかな。Un, saikin wa sukoshi tsukarete iru kana.Yeah, I've been a little tired recently, I guess.
- 美咲 Misaki仕事が大変なの？Shigoto ga taihen nano?Is work difficult?
- 大翔 Hiroto少し忙しいんだ。Sukoshi isogashii n da.It's a bit busy.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “recently” translations and entries 最近, 先頃, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
