ít lâu nay
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adverbial phrase:
- Lately / recently: Refers to a recent, but not precisely defined, period of time leading up to the present moment. It implies a short or moderate duration that is recent.
Usage Examples
- Adverbial phrase:
- Ít lâu nay, thời tiết rất lạnh. (Lately, the weather has been very cold.)
- Cô ấy ít lâu nay có vẻ mệt mỏi. (She has seemed tired recently.)
- Ít lâu nay tôi không gặp anh ta. (I haven't met him lately.)
Advanced Usage
- The phrase is often used at the beginning of a sentence to set a temporal context for the statement that follows. It can describe a new, ongoing situation or a change observed over the recent past.
Variants and Related Words
Dạo này (adv): lately, these days. A more common and colloquial synonym.
- Dạo này anh có khỏe không? (How have you been lately?)
Gần đây (adv): recently, near here. Can refer to recent time or physical proximity.
- Sự việc xảy ra gần đây. (The incident happened recently.)
Synonyms
- Lately: in the recent period.
- Recently: at a time not long ago.
- Of late: a slightly more formal synonym for lately.
Notes on Usage
- Ít lâu nay is a fixed adverbial phrase. It is not typically broken down word-for-word in usage (where means "few/little," means "a long time," and means "now/this"). Together, they idiomatically mean "lately."
- It generally refers to a span of time (e.g., days, weeks, or a few months) immediately before the present.
- lately