ësja

Äsja is an Estonian adverb meaning “just now” or “a moment ago, recently.” It is used to mark that an action or event occurred very close to the present moment. The word is commonly attached to verb phrases and is especially frequent with past or perfect tenses to emphasize immediacy, for example: “Ma olen äsja lõpetanud kooli” (I have just finished school) and “Ta jõudis äsja koju” (He arrived home just now).

In usage, äsja conveys a tight time frame and is often preferable when the speaker wants to stress that something happened only moments ago. For a broader sense of recency, Estonian speakers may choose hiljuti (recently) or viimasel ajal (lately). The choice of adverb can subtly affect nuance: äsja emphasizes immediacy, while hiljuti may imply a slightly longer interval without specifying an exact moment.

Etymologically, äsja is a native Estonian adverb with no widely cited external cognates in common references. It remains a standard part of Standard Estonian and appears in both spoken and written contexts.

Grammatical notes: äsja typically appears with tenses formed by auxiliary or perfect constructions, but as an adverb it can appear in various positions within a clause. It is generally considered neutral in register, suitable for both everyday speech and formal writing, though more common in informal narration of recent events.

See also: other time adverbs in Estonian such as hiljuti (recently) and viimasel ajal (lately).