French · Time, Numbers & Colors
"Now" in French: maintenant
maintenant
Now in French is maintenant. Tout de suite means right away. À présent is a bit more formal. Place maintenant near the verb or at the ends of short lines.
Changing plans
Maintenant je suis prêt.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce maintenant
Say it
mehnt-NAHN
/mɛ̃t.nɑ̃/
Mehnt-NAHN—nasal an on the end. Soft French r absent; t in the middle is often soft. Stress the final syllable.
"Now" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| maintenant | now Default adverb. | Default adverb. |
| tout de suite | right away Immediate action. | Immediate action. |
| à présent | now / at present Slightly more formal. | Slightly more formal. |
| dès maintenant | from now on Starting immediately. | Starting immediately. |
How to use maintenant in real life
- 1Changing plans
Maintenant je suis prêt.
Now I am ready.
Opening with maintenant.
- 2In a shop
Je paie maintenant ?
Shall I pay now?
End position with ?
- 3Urgent help
Viens maintenant !
Come now!
Maintenant marks the moment you need them.
Mistakes English speakers make with maintenant
Incorrect: Je now vais.
Correct: Je vais maintenant. / Maintenant je vais.
Place maintenant at the edge, not like English mid-position calques.
Incorrect: Maintenant-même for immediate "right now" always
Correct: Tout de suite / maintenant.
Tout de suite is clearer for immediate action.
Good to know
Service staff may say j'arrive tout de suite even if "right away" takes a minute. Maintenant marks a change of state: before vs now—very common in storytelling.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Leaving a museum before closing
ChatPal
Il faut partir maintenant.
We need to leave now.
You
Oui, maintenant le musée va fermer.
Yes, the museum is going to close now.
ChatPal
Tu prends tes affaires maintenant ?
Are you getting your things now?
You
Je suis prêt maintenant. Allons-y.
I'm ready now. Let's go.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Now" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Now" in French
Maintenant or tout de suite?
Maintenant is now; tout de suite stresses right away.
Where do I place maintenant?
Often at the start or end of a short sentence.
What does dès maintenant mean?
From now on.
Is à présent common?
Yes, a bit more formal or written than maintenant.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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