Thinking about the word "now" in French, your mind probably jumps straight to "maintenant." And you'd be right – it's the most common and versatile way to express it. But what if I told you there are actually many other fascinating ways to say "now," each with its own subtle nuance and perfect moment for use? Mastering these variations will not only make your French sound more natural and fluent but also help you grasp the intricate dance of time in the language. Ready to dive in and discover 9 different ways to express "now" like a true francophone?

The standard 'now' – maintenant

The standard 'now' – maintenant

Maintenant is the most common and versatile French word for 'now'.

You can use maintenant in almost any situation, whether formal or informal, to refer to the current moment or 'at this time'.

While maintenant means 'now', it doesn't always imply immediate action. It can refer to the present moment more generally.

For a stronger sense of 'right now' or 'immediately', French speakers often use tout de suite. Think of maintenant as 'now' and tout de suite as 'right now'.

Maintenant is also part of several useful expressions: À partir de maintenant (from now on), Maintenant que... (now that...), and it can sometimes be interchangeable with pour l'instant (for now, for the moment) depending on context.

Maintenant can be placed at the beginning or end of a sentence, or sometimes in the middle, depending on the emphasis. For example, Maintenant, je comprends (Now, I understand) or Je comprends maintenant (I understand now).

Mastering maintenant is crucial for expressing current actions and situations in French. It's a fundamental adverb you'll hear and use constantly in everyday conversation.

💡 * Je dois partir maintenant. (I have to leave now.)

Qu'est-ce que tu fais maintenant ? (What are you doing now?)

Maintenant que tu es là, on peut commencer. (Now that you're here, we can start.)

À partir de maintenant, je ferai plus attention. (From now on, I will pay more attention.)

Pour l'instant, je suis occupé. (For now, I am busy.)

The 'right now' or 'immediately' – tout de suite

When you want to express that something needs to happen 'right now' or 'immediately' in French, the phrase you'll most often hear and use is tout de suite.

Literally, tout de suite translates to 'all of a sudden' or 'straight away.' Tout means 'all' or 'very,' and de suite means 'in a row' or 'following.' Together, they convey a strong sense of immediacy.

This versatile phrase can be used in various everyday situations, from giving an urgent instruction to confirming an immediate action. It's a staple in spoken French for conveying promptness.

Unlike other temporal adverbs like bientôt (soon) or maintenant (now), tout de suite carries a distinct connotation of urgency and lack of delay. It implies 'without any waiting' or 'at once.'

You might hear it when someone needs you to come over, when a task needs immediate attention, or when confirming you'll start something without delay.

Mastering tout de suite is essential for clear and effective communication in French, especially when time-sensitive matters are involved.

💡 * Je viens tout de suite. (I'm coming right away.)

Fais ça tout de suite ! (Do that immediately!)

Il faut partir tout de suite. (We have to leave right now.)

Je vous appelle tout de suite. (I'll call you right away.)

Peux-tu venir tout de suite, s'il te plaît ? (Can you come right away, please?)

The 'at this very moment' (or 'just now') – à l'instant

The French expression à l'instant is a versatile adverbial phrase used to indicate a precise moment in time, often translating to "at this very moment" or "just now."

When used in the present tense, à l'instant emphasizes immediacy, meaning right now or at this exact moment. It conveys that something is happening without any delay.

It can also refer to the very immediate past, meaning just a moment ago or just now. In this context, it highlights that an action has been completed very recently.

The key takeaway is that à l'instant always stresses a strong sense of immediacy, whether describing an action currently taking place or one that has only just finished.

💡 * J'arrive à l'instant. (I'm arriving right now / I just arrived.)

Il est à l'instant au téléphone. (He's on the phone at this very moment.)

Je l'ai vu à l'instant. (I just saw him.)

Elle vient de partir à l'instant. (She just left this very moment.)

The 'at the moment' or 'currently' – en ce moment

The French expression en ce moment is a common way to say 'at the moment' or 'currently' in English. It's an indispensable phrase for discussing present-day actions.

It's used to describe an action or a state that is ongoing and happening right now, at the present time, emphasizing immediacy and current relevance.

You'll most often find en ce moment at the beginning or end of a sentence, acting as a temporal adverbial phrase to specify when something is occurring.

💡 * Que fais-tu en ce moment ? (What are you doing at the moment?)

Je travaille beaucoup en ce moment. (I'm working a lot currently.)

Il pleut en ce moment. (It's raining right now.)

Nous vivons des moments difficiles en ce moment. (We are living through difficult times at the moment.)

The formal 'currently' or 'presently' – actuellement

The formal 'currently' or 'presently' – actuellement

Actuellement is a French adverb that translates to 'currently,' 'presently,' or 'at the moment.' It refers to something happening in the present time.

Crucially, actuellement is a false cognate with the English word 'actually.' It does not mean 'actually' in French.

If you want to express 'actually' in French, you would typically use phrases like en fait, effectivement, or à vrai dire.

Actuellement is standard French and can be used in both formal and informal contexts. It's particularly useful when emphasizing a state or situation that holds true right now.

While maintenant also means 'now,' actuellement often implies a more extended 'current period' or 'presently' rather than just the immediate 'this very second.'

💡 * Nous travaillons actuellement sur un nouveau projet. (We are currently working on a new project.)

Actuellement, la situation est stable. (Currently, the situation is stable.)

Que faites-vous actuellement ? (What are you doing presently/at the moment?)

Le magasin est actuellement fermé pour rénovation. (The store is currently closed for renovation.)

Il est actuellement en vacances. (He is currently on vacation.)

The 'from now on' or 'henceforth' – désormais

The French adverb désormais translates directly to 'from now on,' 'henceforth,' or 'as of now.' It signals a definitive change or a new state that begins at the present moment and continues into the future, indicating that something will be different from this point forward.

Désormais carries a slightly more formal or emphatic tone than simpler phrases like maintenant (now) or à partir de maintenant (starting from now). It's commonly found in official announcements, legal documents, or when making a firm declaration about a lasting change. While not strictly formal, it conveys a sense of finality or new policy.

Unlike maintenant, which simply means 'now,' désormais highlights a contrast with the past. It implies that a previous situation has ended, and a new one has taken its place permanently. Think of it as 'no longer the old way, but the new way starting now.'

Désormais is an adverb and can be placed in various positions within a sentence. Most commonly, it precedes the verb it modifies or is placed at the beginning of the sentence for emphasis. For instance, 'Désormais, je parle français' (From now on, I speak French) or 'Je parle désormais français.'

The key takeaway for désormais is its emphasis on a lasting change. It's not just a momentary 'now,' but a declaration that a new condition will persist. Use it when you want to clearly state that a situation has fundamentally shifted and will continue in its new form.

💡 * Désormais, les livraisons seront gratuites pour tous les membres. (From now on, deliveries will be free for all members.)

Il est désormais interdit de fumer dans cet établissement. (It is henceforth forbidden to smoke in this establishment.)

Je travaille désormais à domicile, ce qui est très pratique. (I now work from home, which is very convenient.)

Désormais, je ferai plus attention à mes dépenses. (From now on, I will pay more attention to my expenses.)

The 'at the present time' or 'as of now' – à l'heure actuelle

The phrase à l'heure actuelle directly translates to 'at the present hour' or 'at the current time,' and is commonly used to mean 'at the present time' or 'as of now' in French.

It's generally considered a more formal or administrative way to express 'now,' 'currently,' or 'presently,' often used in professional, official contexts, or when emphasizing a specific point in time.

While maintenant is a simple and common way to say 'now,' à l'heure actuelle adds a sense of precision and often implies a situation that might change or is being evaluated at this very moment.

💡 * À l'heure actuelle, la situation économique est préoccupante. (At the present time, the economic situation is worrying.)

Nous n'avons pas encore de solution à l'heure actuelle. (We don't have a solution yet as of now.)

Le projet est en phase de test à l'heure actuelle. (The project is currently in the testing phase.)

À l'heure actuelle, il est impossible de confirmer cette information. (At the present time, it's impossible to confirm this information.)

The emphatic "on the spot" or "straight away" – sur-le-champ

The emphatic “on the spot” or “straight away” – sur-le-champ

The French idiom sur-le-champ literally means “on the field,” but it's used to convey “on the spot,” “immediately,” or “straight away.”

This expression highlights a strong sense of urgency and decisiveness. It's more emphatic than immédiatement or tout de suite, implying an action taken without any delay.

Use sur-le-champ when you want to stress that something happened or should happen instantly, with no hesitation or postponement.

💡 * Il a réagi sur-le-champ. (He reacted immediately/on the spot.)

Elle a dû partir sur-le-champ. (She had to leave straight away.)

La décision a été prise sur-le-champ. (The decision was made on the spot.)

Rendez-vous sur-le-champ ! (Come here immediately!)

Je lui ai répondu sur-le-champ. (I answered him right away.)

The formal 'at present' or 'now' (often marking a transition) – à présent

À présent is a formal French adverbial phrase meaning 'at present' or 'now'. It often implies a shift or a new state of affairs.

Unlike the more general maintenant, à présent is frequently used to signal a change or a progression in a situation or an argument, making it perfect for formal writing and speeches.

While both à présent and maintenant translate to 'now', maintenant is a more common and neutral term for 'at this moment'. À présent carries a stronger connotation of 'from this point on' or 'as things stand now', often following a previous state.

You'll most often encounter à présent in formal contexts such as academic writing, legal documents, official announcements, or sophisticated conversations, where precision and a sense of gravity are desired.

À présent typically appears at the beginning of a sentence or clause, or after the conjugated verb, to emphasize the current state or the transition.

💡 *La situation était compliquée, mais à présent, tout est clair. (The situation was complicated, but now, everything is clear.)
*Nous avons discuté de tous les points; à présent, nous pouvons prendre une décision. (We have discussed all the points; at present, we can make a decision.)
*Les travaux sont terminés; à présent, le bâtiment est ouvert au public. (The works are finished; now, the building is open to the public.)
*Jusqu'à hier, il était incertain, mais à présent, il est déterminé. (Until yesterday, he was uncertain, but now, he is determined.)
*À présent, nous devons nous concentrer sur l'avenir. (Now, we must focus on the future.)

Are there other ways to say 'now' in French?

Are there other ways to say “now” in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say “now” in French. But just like in English, French has a rich variety of expressions to convey immediacy, from more formal terms to casual slang, and even regional nuances.

You can also do an online search for “comment dire maintenant en ___” followed by a specific Francophone country or region to discover local expressions.

You might find interesting synonyms or expressions for maintenant on various lists. Of course, always make sure to check a word’s definition and try to see it used in context before you use it yourself.

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French — you may discover different ways to express the concept of 'now' depending on the situation or speaker.

And if you’re looking for more ways to talk about the present moment or related temporal expressions in French, the WordReference entry for maintenant is a great place to start!

I hope you found this article helpful. Here’s what I think is the perfect quote to finish it with, courtesy of Voltaire: Le présent est la seule chose qui n'ait pas de fin. (The present is the only thing that has no end.)

9 ways to say "now" in French