1. Emphasizing scarcity or difficulty:
* "I hardly ever see her anymore." (meaning she rarely visits)
* "He hardly had any time to sleep." (meaning he had very little time)
* "The exam was hardly fair." (meaning it was very unfair)
2. Expressing a negative or contrasting idea:
* "She hardly spoke a word all evening." (meaning she was very quiet)
* "It was hardly a surprise to see him there." (meaning it was expected)
* "I hardly know what to do." (meaning I'm unsure of what to do)
3. With "can" or "could" for a near-impossibility:
* "I hardly can believe it." (meaning I find it almost unbelievable)
* "She hardly could stand up after the accident." (meaning she was very weak)
Remember that "hardly" is often used with a negative implication, even though it might not explicitly use a "not" or other negation.