Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "今" vs "いつも"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
今
いま (ima)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
いつも
いつも (itsumo)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 今 and いつも are often translated to English but have distinct usages.
今 (いま (ima)) represents "now" (Level: N5) and typically represents Refers to the current moment or present time. Can be used as an adverb..
On the other hand, いつも (いつも (itsumo)) translates to "always, usually, habitually" (Level: N5) and is used for Adverb of frequency. Indicates something happens all the time or habitually without exception.. Mixing these up can sound unnatural to native Japanese speakers!
Bilingual Sentence for "今"
今、何をしていますか。
What are you doing now?
Bilingual Sentence for "いつも"
私はいつも朝ごはんを食べます。
I always eat breakfast.
Nuance Mastery Quiz
Which Japanese word perfectly fits this blank space?
Fill in the blank: " ＿＿＿ 、何をしていますか。" (Meaning: "What are you doing now?")
🎉 Correct Answer!
Remember: "今" fits here because it represents "now" in the context: "What are you doing now?".