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いま
ima
now
いま、何時ですか？
What time is it now?
neutral
at the present time; currently
いま、忙しいですか？
Are you busy now?
いま、雨が降っています。
It's raining now.
Used in both formal and informal contexts. Often appears at the beginning or end of sentences.
neutral
soon; shortly
いま、行きます。
I'm coming now.
Implies immediate action or arrival.
neutral
just now; a moment ago
いま、電話があった。
I just got a phone call.
Refers to a very recent past action, often used with past tense verbs.
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Using いま with verbs
When paired with a verb, いま often implies immediacy. For example, いま行く (I'm going now) suggests you're on your way, while いま行った (I just went) refers to a recent past action.
Gold Rule
Position in sentences
いま typically appears at the beginning or end of a sentence. Placing it in the middle can sound unnatural unless used for emphasis.
Word Origin
From Old Japanese *ima*, cognate with Old Korean *imay* and Middle Chinese 今 (MC *kim*). The modern form has been used since the Heian period.
Usage Notes
いま is one of the most basic time-related words in Japanese. It can be used in both temporal and spatial contexts (e.g., 'now' or 'right here'). In formal writing, 現在 is preferred, while いま is more common in speech.
Word Breakdown
い
current
rootま
point in time
root和英辞典