1.
just the other day; only recently; not long ago
An emphatic way of saying 'the other day,' stressing that the event happened very recently — typically within the last few days or weeks.
つい先日会ったばかりだ。
I just saw them the other day.
つい先日、新しいレストランがオープンした。
Just the other day, a new restaurant opened.
つい先日買ったばかりのスマホを落として画面が割れてしまった。
I dropped the smartphone I had just bought the other day and cracked the screen.
つい adds emphasis to 先日 (the other day), making it feel more immediate — 'just' the other day. The つい here conveys the sense of 'only just' or 'so recently that it still feels fresh.'
COMMON PATTERNS:
- つい先日～ばかり — just the other day (with ばかり for further emphasis)
- つい先日のことだ — it was just the other day
SIMILAR EXPRESSIONS:
- 先日 — the other day (without the 'just' emphasis)
- つい最近 — just recently
- つい昨日 — just yesterday
- この間 — the other day, recently (more casual)