Synonym Comparison
The Nuance Difference: "今" vs "壊れる"
Master the exact conceptual boundary between these Japanese terms.
Japanese Term A
今
いま (ima)
N5 / CEFR Syllabus
VS
Japanese Term B
壊れる
こわれる (kowareru)
N4 / CEFR Syllabus
Nuance Contrast & Social Differences
In Japanese, both 今 and 壊れる 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, 壊れる (こわれる (kowareru)) translates to "to break (intransitive)" (Level: N4) and is used for Used when something breaks *by itself* or the cause is not specified. It emphasizes the state of being broken. 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 "壊れる"
私のパソコンが壊れてしまいました。
My computer broke.
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?".