Italian · Time, Numbers & Colors
"Now" in Italian: adesso
adesso
Note: also: ora
Now in Italian is adesso (ah-DEHS-soh). Ora means the same in many sentences: vengo ora. Adesso is extremely common in speech when you mean right now.
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How to pronounce adesso
Say it
ah-DEHS-soh
/aˈdɛs.so/
Adesso stresses DEHS: ah-DEHS-soh with a held double s. Ora is OH-rah. Both are short and punchy.
"Now" in Italian: quick reference
| Italian | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| adesso | now Very common spoken now. | Very common spoken now. |
| ora | now; hour Also means hour; context decides. | Also means hour; context decides. |
| proprio adesso | right now Stronger immediacy. | Stronger immediacy. |
| da adesso | from now on Starting now. | Starting now. |
How to use adesso in real life
- 1Leaving a chat
Devo andare adesso, ciao!
I have to go now, bye!
Adesso at the end works well.
- 2Cooking
Adesso aggiungo il sale.
Now I'm adding the salt.
Step-by-step adesso.
- 3On the phone
Non posso parlare adesso, ti richiamo.
I can't talk now, I'll call you back.
Adesso is the everyday spoken now.
Mistakes English speakers make with adesso
Incorrect: Adesso io sono andato ieri.
Correct: Sono andato ieri. / Adesso sto uscendo.
Adesso is for the present moment, not for yesterday stories.
Incorrect: Il adesso è meglio.
Correct: Adesso è meglio.
No article before adesso.
Good to know
Adesso and ora overlap heavily. Some speakers prefer one by habit or region. Proprio adesso sharpens urgency without sounding rude among friends.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Rushing to catch a tram
ChatPal
Il tram arriva adesso! Corri!
The tram is arriving now! Run!
You
Arrivo adesso! Ho le chiavi?
I'm coming now! Do I have the keys?
ChatPal
Sì, le hai. Dobbiamo salire adesso o perdiamo tutto.
Yes, you have them. We must get on now or we miss everything.
You
Ok, vado. Meglio adesso che tra cinque minuti!
Ok, I'm going. Better now than in five minutes!
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 Italian
Is adesso or ora better?
Both mean now. Adesso is a safe spoken default; ora is also common and also means hour.
How do I say right now?
Proprio adesso or immediatamente for stronger urgency.
Can ora mean hour and now?
Yes. Che ora è? asks the time; Vengo ora means I'm coming now.
Where do I place adesso?
Beginning or end are both natural: Adesso esco / Esco adesso.
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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