两者均可表示“最近”、“近来”,区别如下：
1.按传统语法：lately 通常用于否定句或疑问句,recently 通常用于肯定句.但在现代英语中 recently 也经常用于否定句或疑问句,而 lately 也经常用于肯定句(尤其是在美国英语中以及与 only,much,a lot 等连用时).
2.从使用的时态来看：两者都经常与完成时态连用,也可与一般过去时连用(但此时用 recently 比用 lately 更经常).
如：He’s only lately [recently] begun working here.他只是近来才开始在这里工作. I haven’t been sleeping well recently [lately].我最近一直未睡好. His visits used to be rare,but lately [recently] he has been here quite a lot.他过去很少来(拜访),但现在却来得很经常.
I have seen a lot of her lately [recently].我最近经常见到她. Did she have a party recently?她最近举办过聚会吗?
注：两者通常都不用于将来.如：
最近我们要去巴黎.
误：We will go to Paris lately [recently]. 正：We will go to Paris soon.
另外,lately 有时还可与一般现在时连用,指现在的习惯(但是recently 一般不这样用).如： He doesn’t like watching TV lately.他近来不喜欢看电视. We used to visit London once a week,but lately we go there twice a week.
我们过去总是每周去一次伦敦,但最近我们每周去两次.