1.
just a moment ago; only a short while ago
Refers to a point in time only minutes before the present. つい emphasizes that very little time has passed; 先ほど is a polite word for 'a little while ago.'
つい先ほど帰ってきた。
I got back just a moment ago.
その件はつい先ほど連絡を受けた。
I was informed of that matter just a short while ago.
つい先ほどまでここにいたのに、彼はもう姿が見えない。
He was here just a moment ago, yet he is already nowhere to be seen.
Combines つい ('just; barely') with 先ほど ('a little while ago') to stress that the event happened only minutes before now. More polite and slightly more formal than さっき.
POSITION:
Appears before the verb or at the start of the sentence.
SIMILAR WORDS:
- さっき: a little while ago — casual, everyday speech
- 先ほど: a little while ago — polite and neutral; つい adds the 'only just' nuance
- たった今: just now — even more immediate, 'this very moment'