What's the difference between recently and lately
recently vs lately
5 Answers
Although "lately" and "recently" are nearly synonyms, they are different in way they are used.
If an action is habitual or repetitive, either word is fine; in that case, "lately" and "recently" can be used interchangeably:
"Crimes against grammar have decreased by 32% lately/recently."
"Lately/Recently, there has been a spike in people's interest in the Oxford comma."
But for unique actions orevents, use "recently" instead of "lately" (The latter sounds awkward).
"My cousin had a baby recently." (Right)
"My cousin had a baby lately." (Wrong)
RECENTLY : during the period of time that has just passed : not long ago
LATELY : in the recent period of time
When used with pr. perfect, the difference is mainly structural. While they can both be positioned at the beginning or end of a sentence, only "recently" can split the verb (i.e. "have recently taken").
When it comes to s. past, as there is the slight difference in meaning, "recently" sounds natural, while "lately" doesn't.