Lately and Hardly (最近 and ほとんど)

Lately and Hardly 

Lately is an adverb that means recently. 

“Have you been to the shopping mall lately? 4 new stores opened last week.”

“I lost 3 kilograms! I stopped eating chocolate and lately I have been riding my bicycle to work.”
What have you been doing lately? ~ 最近何してたの？

Hardly is an adverb that means only just, almost not.

“Jerry must not be feeling well. He hardly ate anything at lunchtime.”

“I’m not sure why Chris told me such a personal story, we hardly know each other.”
There's hardly any difference ~ ほとんど差がない

Do you study English hard? = Do you try your best?

Do you hardly study English? = Do you do very little studying?

AUDIO listening!

"I need to study."

"I'm too tired to study."