The word “now” is used every day to talk about the present moment, explain what is happening, or ask someone to do something immediately. Whether you are travelling, learning a new language, or communicating with people from different cultures, knowing how to say “now” in other languages can make everyday conversations easier.
In this guide, you will discover now in different languages, including native translations, easy English pronunciations, and simple example sentences. This collection of languages will help you understand how people express the present moment around the world.
How to Say “Now” in Different Languages
The word “now” generally refers to the current moment, but its translation and usage can vary depending on the language and context. Some languages use a short word, while others have different expressions for “right now” or “at this moment”.
The table below provides translations of “now in different languages”, along with pronunciations and practical examples.
Now in Different Languages
| Language | Native Translation | Easy English Pronunciation | Example Sentence | English Meaning |
| English | Now | Now | I need to leave now. | I need to leave at this moment. |
| Spanish | Ahora | Ah-OH-rah | Voy a salir ahora. | I am going out now. |
| French | Maintenant | Man-tuh-NAHN | Je pars maintenant. | I am leaving now. |
| German | Jetzt | Yetst | Ich gehe jetzt. | I am going now. |
| Italian | Adesso | Ah-DES-soh | Parto adesso. | I am leaving now. |
| Portuguese | Agora | Ah-GOH-rah | Vou sair agora. | I am going out now. |
| Dutch | Nu | New | Ik ga nu. | I am going now. |
| Swedish | Nu | Noo | Jag går nu. | I am leaving now. |
| Norwegian | Nå | Noh | Jeg drar nå. | I am leaving now. |
| Danish | Nu | Noo | Jeg går nu. | I am going now. |
| Finnish | Nyt | Neut | Lähden nyt. | I am leaving now. |
| Icelandic | Nú | Noo | Ég fer núna. | I am leaving now. |
| Irish | Anois | Ah-NISH | Tá mé ag imeacht anois. | I am leaving now. |
| Welsh | Nawr | Nowr | Dw i’n mynd nawr. | I am going now. |
| Polish | Teraz | TEH-raz | Idę teraz. | I am going now. |
| Czech | Teď | Tyeht | Jdu teď. | I am going now. |
| Slovak | Teraz | TEH-raz | Idem teraz. | I am going now. |
| Ukrainian | Зараз | Zah-raz | Я йду зараз. | I am going now. |
| Russian | Сейчас | See-CHAS | Я ухожу сейчас. | I am leaving now. |
| Bulgarian | Сега | Seh-GAH | Тръгвам сега. | I am leaving now. |
| Serbian | Сада | SAH-dah | Идем сада. | I am going now. |
| Croatian | Sada | SAH-dah | Idem sada. | I am going now. |
| Bosnian | Sada | SAH-dah | Idem sada. | I am going now. |
| Slovenian | Zdaj | Z-dye | Grem zdaj. | I am going now. |
| Romanian | Acum | Ah-KOOM | Plec acum. | I am leaving now. |
| Hungarian | Most | Mohsht | Most indulok. | I am leaving now. |
| Greek | Τώρα | TOH-rah | Φεύγω τώρα. | I am leaving now. |
| Albanian | Tani | TAH-nee | Po iki tani. | I am leaving now. |
| Turkish | Şimdi | Sheem-dee | Şimdi gidiyorum. | I am going now. |
| Arabic | الآن | Al-aan | سأذهب الآن. | I will go now. |
| Hebrew | עכשיו | Ach-SHAV | אני הולך עכשיו. | I am going now. |
| Persian | اکنون | Ak-NOON | من اکنون میروم. | I am going now. |
| Hindi | अब | Ab | मैं अब जा रहा हूँ। | I am going now. |
| Urdu | اب | Ab | میں اب جا رہا ہوں۔ | I am going now. |
| Bengali | এখন | Ekhon | আমি এখন যাচ্ছি। | I am going now. |
| Punjabi | ਹੁਣ | Hun | ਮੈਂ ਹੁਣ ਜਾ ਰਿਹਾ ਹਾਂ। | I am going now. |
| Gujarati | હવે | Ha-ve | હું હવે જાઉં છું. | I am going now. |
| Marathi | आता | Aa-taa | मी आता जात आहे. | I am going now. |
| Nepali | अहिले | Ah-hee-lay | म अहिले जान्छु। | I am going now. |
| Sinhala | දැන් | Den | මම දැන් යනවා. | I am going now. |
| Tamil | இப்போது | Ip-po-dhu | நான் இப்போது செல்கிறேன். | I am going now. |
| Telugu | ఇప్పుడు | Ip-pu-du | నేను ఇప్పుడు వెళ్తున్నాను. | I am going now. |
| Kannada | ಈಗ | Eega | ನಾನು ಈಗ ಹೋಗುತ್ತೇನೆ. | I am going now. |
| Malayalam | ഇപ്പോൾ | Ip-pol | ഞാൻ ഇപ്പോൾ പോകുന്നു. | I am going now. |
| Thai | ตอนนี้ | Ton-nee | ฉันจะไปตอนนี้ | I am going now. |
| Vietnamese | Bây giờ | Bay zuh | Tôi đi bây giờ. | I am going now. |
| Indonesian | Sekarang | Seh-KAH-rang | Saya pergi sekarang. | I am going now. |
| Malay | Sekarang | Seh-KAH-rang | Saya pergi sekarang. | I am going now. |
| Filipino (Tagalog) | Ngayon | NGA-yohn | Aalis na ako ngayon. | I am leaving now. |
| Mandarin Chinese | 现在 | Xiànzài | 我现在走。 | I am leaving now. |
| Japanese | 今 | Ima | 今行きます。 | I am going now. |
| Korean | 지금 | Ji-geum | 지금 가요. | I am going now. |
| Swahili | Sasa | SAH-sah | Ninaondoka sasa. | I am leaving now. |
| Afrikaans | Nou | Now | Ek gaan nou. | I am going now. |
| Amharic | አሁን | Ah-hoon | አሁን እሄዳለሁ። | I am going now. |
| Yoruba | Bayi | Bah-yee | Mo n lọ bayi. | I am going now. |
| Hausa | Yanzu | Yahn-zoo | Zan tafi yanzu. | I will leave now. |
| Zulu | Manje | MAHN-jeh | Ngiyahamba manje. | I am leaving now. |
| Xhosa | Ngoku | N-GOH-koo | Ndiyahamba ngoku. | I am leaving now. |
| Somali | Hadda | HAH-dah | Hadda waan tegayaa. | I am leaving now. |
| Malagasy | Ankehitriny | An-keh-hee-tree-nee | Handeha aho ankehitriny. | I am going now. |
| Māori | Ināianei | Ee-nah-ee-ah-nay | Ka haere ahau ināianei. | I am going now. |
| Hawaiian | I kēia manawa | Ee kay-ah mah-nah-wah | E hele ana au i kēia manawa. | I am going now. |
| Samoan | Nei | Nay | Ou te alu nei. | I am going now. |
| Esperanto | Nun | Noon | Mi iras nun. | I am going now. |
| Latin | Nunc | Noonk | Nunc eo. | I am going now. |
| Luxembourgish | Elo | EH-loh | Ech ginn elo. | I am going now. |
| Catalan | Ara | AH-rah | Me’n vaig ara. | I am leaving now. |
| Basque | Orain | Oh-ryne | Orain noa. | I am going now. |
| Estonian | Nüüd | Nyuud | Ma lähen nüüd. | I am going now. |
Note: Pronunciations are approximate guides for English speakers. Some languages use different forms depending on context, dialect, formality, or the intended meaning of “now”.
Why Learn the Word “Now” in Different Languages?
“Now” is a useful word for everyday communication. It helps people talk about immediate plans, current activities, and things that need to happen without delay.
Learning this word in several languages can help you:
- Communicate more confidently when travelling abroad.
- Understand common phrases in films, songs, and conversations.
- Improve your vocabulary when learning a new language.
- Give clearer instructions and discuss plans.
- Recognise how different cultures express time and urgency.
Common Uses of “Now” Around the World
Although translations vary, “now” is commonly used in several situations.
1. Talking About the Present Moment
Use “now” to describe something happening at the current time.
- English: I am busy now.
- Spanish: Estoy ocupado ahora.
- French: Je suis occupé maintenant.
2. Asking Someone to Act Immediately
In some contexts, “now” indicates that an action should happen without waiting.
- English: Come here now.
- Spanish: Ven aquí ahora.
- German: Komm jetzt her.
The tone of voice matters. Depending on the situation, these sentences may sound direct, urgent, or commanding.
3. Explaining a Change
“Now” can also introduce a new situation or describe what has changed.
- English: Now I understand.
- Spanish: Ahora entiendo.
- French: Maintenant, je comprends.
4. Talking About Plans
People often use “now” to explain what they intend to do next.
- English: I will call you now.
- Spanish: Te llamaré ahora.
- Italian: Ti chiamo adesso.
The most natural translation can depend on whether the speaker means immediately, at this moment, or very soon.
How to Pronounce “Now” in Different Languages
Pronunciation depends on the language’s sounds, stress patterns, and writing system. Some translations, such as German jetzt and French maintenant, sound very different from the English word.
For easier learning:
- Read the native phrase aloud before using the pronunciation guide.
- Practise each word with its example sentence.
- Listen to native speakers when possible.
- Pay attention to syllables, stress, and unfamiliar sounds.
- Remember that English-style pronunciation guides are approximations rather than exact phonetic transcriptions.
Regular practice will help you recognise and use these translations more naturally.
Is “Now” the Same as “Right Now”?
Not always. “Now” usually refers to the present moment, while “right now” often places greater emphasis on immediacy.
For example:
- Now: I am working now.
- Right now: I need your answer right now.
Many languages can express this distinction using a longer phrase, an added word, or a different expression. The best translation depends on context and the level of urgency.
Conclusion
Learning how to say “now” in different languages is a simple way to expand your vocabulary and improve everyday communication. From ahora in Spanish to jetzt in German and 现在 in Mandarin Chinese, each language offers its own way to express the present moment.
Use the 70 translations and example sentences in this guide to practise, build confidence, and discover how people communicate across languages.
FAQs
1. How do you say “now” in different languages?
“Now” has different translations around the world. Examples include ahora in Spanish, maintenant in French, jetzt in German, adesso in Italian, and sek arang in Indonesian (commonly written sekarang).
2. What is the Spanish word for “now”?
The Spanish word for “now” is ahora. For example, Voy ahora can mean “I am going now”, depending on the context.
3. What is the difference between “now” and “right now”?
“Now” refers to the present moment, while “right now” often stresses that something should happen immediately. The distinction may be expressed differently across languages.
4. Why does “now” have different translations in different languages?
Languages have their own vocabulary, grammar, and ways of expressing time. Some have a single common word for “now”, while others use different expressions depending on the situation.
5. How can I memorise “now” in other languages?
Start with a few languages, practise each translation in a short sentence, and review the words regularly. Connecting each word with a real-life situation can make it easier to remember.
