How to Say ‘Now / at the moment’ in Japanese
いま
ima
[ee-mah]
💬 Usage Tip: [いま] in hiragana feels casual/neutral. The kanji form [今] is also very common in writing.
🇯🇵 In Japan: Japanese conversations often clarify timing early (now vs. before vs. from now), especially in work contexts.
Phrase Breakdown
いま
ima
[ee-mah]
now; at the moment
Time word used for what is happening currently. Often placed at the beginning of the sentence.
いま忙しいです。
I’m busy right now.
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