How to Say ‘Right away’ in Japanese
今すぐ
ima sugu
[ee-mah soo-goo]
💬 Usage Tip: [今すぐ] is a strong time word. To soften it, you can say [すみません、今すぐ…] (“Sorry, right now…”).
🇯🇵 In Japan: Used to a neighbor, [今すぐ] can sound pushy unless you cushion it with an apology or polite request wording.
Phrase Breakdown
今
ima
[ee-mah]
now
With すぐ, 今 adds urgency: “right now.”
今すぐ小さくします。
I’ll turn it down right now.
すぐ
sugu
[soo-goo]
immediately; right away
すぐ emphasizes promptness; common in polite replies to a complaint.
今すぐ小さくします。
I’ll turn it down right now.
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