Learn Hardcore Japanese: ima

Usages of ima

私わたし　は　箸はし　が　全然ぜんぜん　使つかえなかった　けど、　今いま　は　すごく　上手じょうず　だ。watashi wa hashi ga zenzen tsukaenakatta kedo, ima wa sugoku jouzu da.

I couldn’t use chopsticks at all before, but now I’m very good.

今いま　は　忙いそがしい　です　から、　後あと　で　電話でんわ　を　します。ima wa isogashii desu kara, ato de denwa o shimasu.

I am busy now, so I will call later.

その　部活ぶかつ　の　先輩せんぱい　は　厳きびしかった　が、　今いま　思おもえば　兄あにたち　は　よく　練習れんしゅうさせられて　強つよく　なった　と　思おもう。sono bukatsu no senpai wa kibishikatta ga, ima omoeba anitachi wa yoku renshuusaserarete tsuyoku natta to omou.

The seniors in that club were strict, but looking back, I think my brother and his teammates were made to practice a lot and became strong.

今いま　は、　生徒せいと　全員ぜにん　が　順番じゅんばん　で　掃除そうじ　を　して　いて、　昔むかし　より　ずっと　平等びょうどう　に　なった　と　感かんじる。ima wa, seito zenin ga junban de souji o shite ite, mukashi yori zutto byoudou ni natta to kanjiru.

Now all the students take turns cleaning, and I feel it has become much more equal than before.

昔むかし　は　すぐ　怒おこって　いました　が、　今いま　は　我慢がまんすること　を　覚おぼえて　きました。mukashi wa sugu okotte imashita ga, ima wa gamansurukoto o oboete kimashita.

In the past I got angry right away, but now I’ve learned to hold back.

別わかれた　相手あいて　に　して　は、　今いま　でも　時々ときどき　連絡れんらく　が　来くる　ので　少すこし　不思議ふしぎ　です。wakareta aite ni shite wa, ima demo tokidoki renraku ga kuru node sukoshi fushigi desu.

For someone I broke up with, it’s a bit strange that they still contact me sometimes.

才能さいのう　が　ない　と　思おもって　いた　ピアノ　も、　毎日まいにち　続つづければ　もっと　上手じょうず　に　なれた　かも　しれない　と　今いま　に　なって　思おもいます。sainou ga nai to omotte ita piano mo, mainichi tsuzukereba motto jouzu ni nareta kamo shirenai to ima ni natte omoimasu.

I now think that even with piano, which I believed I had no talent for, I might have become better if I had kept at it every day.

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“How do verb conjugations work in Japanese?”

Japanese verbs conjugate based on tense, politeness, and mood. For example, the polite present form adds ‑ます to the verb stem, while the past tense uses ‑ました. Unlike English, Japanese verbs don't change based on the subject — the same form works for "I", "you", and "they".

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