الان
alān[ʔä.lɑːn]
The English word "now" is translated into Persian as الان (alān).
الان is the standard word for "now", referring to the present time.
Meaning: at the present time (adv)
Which one should you use?
While الان is the standard word for "now", the phrase در حال حاضر is a more formal way to say 'currently' or 'at the present time' in written or official contexts.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
الآن is a formal way to say "now" in Persian. In colloquial speech, you can use همین الان to emphasize "right now" or "immediately".
How do you pronounce it?
The romanization is [alān, alân].
Did you know?
- In Iranian culture, saying الان when promising to do something can be intentionally vague, sometimes meaning 'soon' or 'eventually' rather than immediately.
- The word الان is actually a loanword from Arabic, where it also means 'now', showing the deep historical influence of Arabic on the Persian lexicon.
- While الان means 'now', in casual conversation it can function as a filler word similar to 'so' or 'well' to introduce a new topic or change the subject.
Examples in context
- تلفن الان درست نیست.The telephone is now out of order.This sentence shows how to use الان to describe a device being out of order.Tatoeba #940182 by mahdiye, translation #279307 by CK
- الان دیگه خیلی دیر شده.It's too late now.This sentence uses الان to indicate that a situation has become too late.Tatoeba #12235539 by Suroosh, translation #65909 by CK
- الان حس و حالش رو ندارم.I'm not in the mood right now.This sentence uses الان to express a current lack of mood or feeling.Tatoeba #3884873 by reto, translation #3994488 by ehsansia
- 18 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sara and Mohammad are discussing when to go for a walk.
- سارا Saraمحمد، الان بریم بیرون؟Mohammad, alan berim birun?Mohammad, shall we go out now?
- محمد Mohammadنه، الان نمیتونم بیام.Na, alan nemitunam biyam.No, I can't come now.
- سارا Saraپس کی میتونی بیای؟Pas key mituni biyay?So when can you come?
- محمد Mohammadیک ساعت دیگه آماده میشم.Yek saat-e dige amade misham.I will be ready in an hour.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry الان, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
