zojuist

Zojuist is a Dutch adverb meaning “just now” or “moments ago,” used to indicate events that occurred very recently relative to the present moment. It is common in both spoken and written Dutch and serves to anchor statements in a near-present timeframe.

Etymology: The term is a compound of zo (so, thus) and juist (correct, right), functioning as a fixed temporal adverb. It is written as a single word: zojuist.

Usage and position: In ordinary speech, zojuist typically accompanies a verb in the perfect tense, as in Ik heb zojuist gegeten. It can also appear at the beginning of a clause for emphasis, for example Zojuist kreeg ik het nieuws. The placement follows standard Dutch word order, with the auxiliary verb preceding zojuist in main clauses. In formal or journalistic Dutch, it conveys a precise sense of immediacy, but it remains somewhat more formal than net.

Nuance and alternatives: Net is a common, less formal alternative that can denote “just” in a slightly looser sense. Other related terms include onlangs and recentelijk, which refer to a more extended recent period rather than an immediate moment.

See also: net, onlangs, recentelijk.