Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "今" vs "出かけます"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
今
いま (ima)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
出かけます
でかけます (dekakemasu)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 今 and 出かけます 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, 出かけます (でかけます (dekakemasu)) translates to "to go out, to leave" (Level: N5) and is used for Intransitive verb. Used for leaving a place. 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 "出かけます"
友達と買い物に出かけます。
I go out shopping with my friend.
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?".