Japanese word

いったん

Pronunciation

Romajiittan

Meaning

  • adverbfor now

Example

いったん休みます。i tta n yasu mi ma su

I will take a break for now.

Illustration for いったん (for now)

More examples

今日はいったん家に帰って、また明日来ます。kyō wa i tta n ie ni kae tte ma ta asu ki ma su

I will go home for now and come back tomorrow.

Core concept

It presents an action as paused or settled for the moment rather than permanently finished.

Common phrases

  • いったん帰るi tta n kae ru

    go home for now

  • いったん休むi tta n yasu mu

    take a break for now

  • いったんやめるi tta n ya me ru

    stop for now

Similar words

とりあえずtoriaezu: It indicates taking a temporary step without deciding the final course.
ひとまずhitomazu: It indicates handling something for the present before deciding what to do next.

Definition in Japanese

今はひとまずそうして、後で続けたり改めたりするさま。ima wa hi to ma zu sō shi te ato de tsuzu ke ta ri arata me ta ri su ru sa ma

Word origin

The adverb いったん (ittan) comes from the Sino-Japanese compound 一旦 (ittan), formed from 一 (ichi, "one") and 旦 (tan, "morning; beginning"); the compound conveys one stage or occasion.

Usage tips

  • Unlike a final stop, いったん (ittan) commonly leaves a later continuation or change open.

Other meanings

  • onceadverb

Word lists with this word