Recently, lately, in the last few hours, days, weeks etc. all talk about a time going back from the present but without stating exactly back to when – maybe it’s not important or even known exactly how long it goes back. The important thing is the time started in the PAST and continues up to the PRESENT – remember Dave’s tip PAST PRESENT aka Present Perfect in correct grammar speak.
Typical situations: “Have you seen Dave recently?”
(It depends on the situation. At work between colleagues, it usually means minutes/hours, in private between family or friends, it could mean hours, days or even weeks)
“Yes, I have. He was at the photocopier a few minutes ago.”
(N.B. short answer with the auxiliary verb ‘have’ and then go into the PAST – AGO)
“No, I haven’t (seen him recently). The last time I saw him was sometime last week.”
What about another:
“I’ve been a bit under the weather lately, so I went to the doc yesterday!” (ONLY I really know how long that is. The DOC asked me to be more precise.)
But as I didn’t remember the exact time I said
“Well, doc, in the last few days, I haven’t really been as fit as a fiddle.” (so if you want to be more precise with your times, you have the phrase ‘in the last few ……….’. NB, just because you see the word ‘last’ in the phrase, don’t use the PAST tense form with it.
QOTD: “Have you heard a great joke lately?” AND is it clean enough to pass on?!?
Recently, lately, (kürzlich/neulich), auxiliary verb (Hilfsverb), to be under the weather (nicht ganz in Form sein)
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Yes, I have – not naughty, but nerdy:
A photon is at the customs window when the agent asks: „Do you have any luggage to declare?“
The photon answers: „No, I’m travelling light.“
I love those science jokes…
Nice one, encore!!!
Oh, my inner Sheldon Cooper (ok, in this case it’s rather Howard) wants to tell another joke:
Three men are sitting in a bar discussing God and his profession.
„God must be a mechanical engineer,” says the first. “Just look at the joints in the human body.“
“No,” says the second man. “God must be an electrical engineer – just look at the nervous system.“
“You’re both wrong!” says the third man. „God has to be a civil engineer.”
“Why’s that?” ask the other two men.
“Well, who else would run a waste disposal pipeline through a perfectly good recreational area?“
Very naughty, but very nice – just as I like them.