Dernièrement

Dernièrement is a French adverb that translates to "recently" or "lately" in English. It is used to indicate that an event or action occurred in the recent past. The word is derived from the French word "dernier," meaning "last" or "final."

Dernièrement is commonly used in everyday conversation and writing to refer to a time that is not far from the present. For example, one might say "J'ai vu ce film dernièrement," which means "I saw this movie recently." It can also be used to describe a trend or a change that has happened over a short period. For instance, "Les prix ont augmenté dernièrement" translates to "Prices have increased lately."

The adverb can be placed at the beginning or end of a sentence, depending on the desired emphasis. When placed at the beginning, it often serves to introduce a topic or highlight the recency of an event. For example, "Dernièrement, j'ai beaucoup pensé à nos vacances" means "Recently, I've been thinking a lot about our vacation." When placed at the end, it typically modifies the verb or the entire clause.

While "recently" and "lately" are the most common English equivalents, the precise nuance of "dernière" can sometimes imply a slightly more immediate past than "lately," though this distinction is often subtle and context-dependent. In some contexts, it might also be translated as "not long ago."