Ways to say it
| Japanese | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| たった今 | tatta ima | |
| さっき | sakki | [sa̠k̚ʲkʲi] (narrow) |
Both forms are used to describe events that occurred very close to the present moment. たった今 is typically used for actions that were completed in the immediate past, often appearing with the past tense of verbs. さっき is used to refer to the recent past, though it can cover a slightly wider timeframe than たった今.
What does it mean word for word?
In the phrase たった今, the word たった acts as an intensifier meaning "only" or "just" and 今 means "now".
Which one should you use?
たった今 is used for events that happened a few seconds or a very short moment ago. In contrast, さっき can refer to a slightly longer period in the recent past, such as a few minutes to an hour ago.
How does it change in a sentence?
You can add the adverb つい to さっき to create ついさっき, which emphasizes that an event happened extremely recently, similar to "just a moment ago".
How do you pronounce it?
tatta ima
Did you know?
- The intensifier つい in ついさっき often carries a nuance of regret or lack of control, as if the event happened before the speaker could stop it.
- In a professional environment, using さっき can be seen as too casual. To maintain politeness in business, you should use the formal version 先ほど instead.
- The word さっき is a phonetic evolution of 先, which typically means 'ahead' or 'previous'.
Examples in context
- たった今銃声がした。I heard a shot just now.This sentence shows the use of たった今 to describe a sound that occurred in the immediate past.Tatoeba #203581 by arnab, translation #40819 by orcrist
- 彼はついさっき出かけた。He went out just now.This sentence shows the use of さっき to describe someone leaving recently.Tatoeba #111913 by bunbuku, translation #291655 by Eldad
- ついさっき夕立に遭った。I was caught in a shower just now.This sentence shows the use of さっき to describe being caught in a shower recently.Tatoeba #202690 by small_snow, translation #39925 by orcrist
- 会議が終わったばかりです。 たった今 戻りました。The meeting just ended. I came back just now.
- ご連絡お待ちしておりました。ただいま帰社したばかりです。 ついさっき 戻りましたWe have been waiting for your contact. We just returned to the office just now.
- ちょっと前 に、新しいレストランを見つけたよ。I found a new restaurant just a little while ago.
- 15 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
A young man asks a woman if she finished her meal.
- 大翔 Hirotoご飯はもう食べた？Gohan wa mō tabeta?Did you eat your meal already?
- 美咲 Misakiうん、たった今食べたところだよ。Un, tatta ima tabeta tokoro da yo.Yeah, I just finished eating just now.
- 大翔 Hirotoそうなんだ。お腹いっぱいかな？Sō nanda. Onaka ippai kana?I see. Are you full?
- 美咲 Misakiすごくお腹いっぱい！Sugoku onaka ippai!I'm very full!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “just now” translations and entries さっき, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries さっき, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
