At a glance
さっき means "a little while ago" or "just now". It is used in conversation for something that happened a short time before now, usually earlier the same day.
さっき + [past verb]
さっきの + [noun]
さっき昼ごはんを食べました。 I ate lunch a little while ago.
How to form it
さっき is a time word. It usually goes at the start of the sentence or right after the topic: 私はさっき…
| Pattern | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| さっき + past verb | さっき食べました | I ate a little while ago |
| さっきの + noun | さっきの人 | the person from just now |
| さっきから + ～ています | さっきから待っています | I've been waiting for a while |
| さっきまで + ～ていました | さっきまで寝ていました | I was sleeping until a little while ago |