French word

maintenant

Pronunciation

IPA/mɛ̃tənɑ̃/

Meaning

  • adverbnow

Example

Nous devons maintenant partir.

We have to leave now.

Illustration for maintenant (now)

More examples

Je peux m'en occuper maintenant.

I can take care of it now.

Core concept

Attention lands on what is happening at this point, whether as a time reference or a transition in speech.

Common phrases

  • dès maintenant

    from now on

  • pas maintenant

    not now

  • maintenant que

    now that

Similar words

tout de suite: Indicating that something should happen right away, with almost no delay.
immédiatement: Indicating that an action or response happens immediately, without delay.
à l'instant: Referring to something that happened only a moment ago.

Definition in French

Indique le moment présent ou sert de marqueur discursif pour introduire une nouvelle information ou une conséquence.

Word origin

Maintenant comes from Old French maintenant, an adverbial use of the present participle of maintenir, which continues Latin manu tenere, 'to hold by hand'.

Usage tips

  • In discourse, sentence-initial maintenant can introduce a new point or consequence and need not refer only to an exact instant.

Opposites

  • avantbeforeadverb
  • plus tardlateradverb

Word lists with this word