Definition

1. Adverb of Time:
   • Just now / A moment ago: Refers to a point in time that occurred a short while before the present moment. It indicates recent past, typically within the same general timeframe (e.g., earlier today, a few minutes or hours ago).

Usage Examples

• Adverb of Time:
  • Hồi nãy trời mưa rất to. (It was raining very heavily just now.)
  • Bạn tôi vừa gọi điện hồi nãy. (My friend called a moment ago.)
  • Hồi nãy tôi đã để chìa khóa ở đây. (I left the keys here just a moment ago.)

Advanced Usage

• Used to contrast a past state with the present state.

  • Hồi nãy anh ấy còn ở đây, giờ đi đâu rồi? (He was here just now, where did he go?)

• Can be used in questions to ask about a recent event.

  • Hồi nãy cô ấy nói gì vậy? (What did she say just now?)

Variants and Related Words

• Hồi này (n): This period/era (refers to a current, ongoing stretch of time, not the recent past).

  • Hồi này công việc rất bận. (Work has been very busy lately/these days.)

• Nãy (adv): A more colloquial and shortened form meaning "just now."

  • Nãy giờ: all this time (since a moment ago).

    • Tôi đợi bạn nãy giờ. (I've been waiting for you all this time.)

Synonyms

• Recently: at a time not long ago.
• A while ago: at some time in the recent past.
• Earlier: before the present time.

Related Phrases

• Hồi nãy giờ: Since a moment ago until now.

  • Hồi nãy giờ tôi vẫn đang tìm nó. (I have been looking for it since a while ago until now.)

• Từ hồi nãy: From just now / Since a moment ago.

  • Cô ấy im lặng từ hồi nãy. (She has been silent since just now.)

1. Just now