Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 先日 | senjitsu | [sẽ̞ɲ̟d͡ʑit͡sɨ] (narrow) |
| 最近 | saikin | [sa̠ikʲĩɴ] (narrow) |
| 先頃 | sakigoro | [sa̠kʲiɡo̞ɾo̞] (narrow) |
先日 refers to a specific point in the recent past, such as a single event that happened a few days ago. 最近 is used to describe a continuous period of time, meaning "recently" or "lately".
Which one should you use?
Use 先日 when you want to point to a specific, recent moment in time. In contrast, use 最近 when you are talking about a general recent period or a trend that has been happening lately.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
先日 is the standard polite way to refer to a specific recent event in both conversation and writing, making it suitable for professional or business settings. 先頃 is a highly formal and literary version used primarily in formal speeches or written reports. While not explicitly listed in the forms to compare, the casual alternative この前 is used among friends or in everyday conversation.
How do you pronounce it?
senjitsu
Did you know?
- The casual alternative この前 literally translates to 'this front', imagining the recent past as a physical space in front of the speaker.
- Using the formal term 先頃 in a casual setting can make a speaker sound like a character from a historical drama.
- In professional Japanese emails, 先日 is not just a time marker but is often a required social lubricant when paired with thanks for a specific favor.
Examples in context
- 先日彼に会った。I met him the other day.This sentence shows how to use 先日 to mention meeting someone.Tatoeba #141448 by bunbuku, translation #273122 by Swift
- 先日はごめんなさい。I'm sorry about the other day.This sentence uses 先日 to apologize for a past event.Tatoeba #1874348 by bunbuku, translation #1874342 by CK
- 先日はお邪魔しました。Forgive me for interrupting you the other day.This sentence uses 先日 to apologize for an interruption.Tatoeba #8898998 by small_snow, translation #273082 by CM
- 先日、会議に出席しました。The other day, I attended a meeting.
- この間、お目にかかって以来ですね。It has been a while since we last saw each other, hasn't it?
- この前、映画を見に行ったよ。The other day, I went to see a movie.
- この間、友達と遊んだんだ。The other day, I hung out with my friend.
- 55 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Misaki and Yota are talking at a cafe.
- 美咲 Misaki先日のお礼を言いたかったんです。Senjitsu no orei o iitakatta n desu.I wanted to thank you for the other day.
- 陽太 Yotaいいえ、気にしないでください。Iie, kinishinaide kudasai.No, please don't worry about it.
- 美咲 Misaki本当に助かりました。Hontou ni tasukarimashita.You really helped me out.
- 陽太 Yotaいつでも言ってくださいね。Itsudemo itte kudasai ne.Feel free to ask me anytime.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “the other day” translations and entries 先日, 最近, 先頃, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
