French word

immédiatement

Pronunciation

IPA/imedjatəmɑ̃/

Meaning

  • adverbright away

Example

Appelle-moi immédiatement.

Call me right away.

Illustration for immédiatement (right away)

More examples

Le colis sera envoyé immédiatement.

The package will be sent immediately.

Core concept

An action starts at once, with no pause between the decision and the event.

Common phrases

  • partir immédiatement

    depart immediately

  • être disponible immédiatement

    be available immediately

  • payer immédiatement

    pay immediately

Similar words

tout de suite: In casual speech, indicating immediate action or response.
maintenant: Indicating the present moment or the current time.
aussitôt: Indicating that something happens straightaway, without an interval.

Definition in French

Signifie que quelque chose arrive ou se fait immédiatement, sans attendre.

Word origin

French immédiatement comes from immédiat plus the adverbial suffix -ment, while immédiat derives from Latin immediatus, meaning without an intermediary.

Usage tips

  • Immédiatement is neutral but can sound firm or formal in instructions, whereas tout de suite is often more conversational.

Opposites

  • ultérieurementsubsequentlyadverb
  • tardlateadverb

Related words

Word lists with this word