ahora
/aˈoɾa/
The English word "now" is translated into Spanish as ahora. If unsure, use ahora. It is also spelled agora.
Meaning: at the present time (adv)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ahora | /aˈoɾa/ | |
| agora | /aˈɡoɾa/ | alternative form |
Ahora is the most common and versatile word used to mean "now" at the present time. You can add mismo after it to form ahora mismo, which translates to "right now" to emphasize immediacy. When you want to use the word as a conjunction meaning "now that", you should pair it with que to form ahora que. Additionally, ahora can function as an interjection to signal that an action should begin or as a conjunction meaning "since" or "because".
Which one should you use?
While ahora refers to the present time, the word ya is often used to mean "now" in the sense of "already" or to signal that an action should happen immediately.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, the phrase ahora mismo is used specifically to mean "right now".
Related words
How do you pronounce it?
/aˈoɾa/
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, saying ahora can be paradoxically vague, sometimes implying 'in a little while' rather than 'immediately'.
- The word ahora is actually a contraction of the Latin phrase hāc hōrā, which means 'at this time'.
Examples in context
- Ahora ya lo sé.I know now.This sentence shows how to use ahora to express knowing something now.Tatoeba #11883309 by Seael, translation #3330273 by CK
- Es ahora o nunca.It's now or never.This sentence uses ahora in the idiom 'now or never'.Tatoeba #564601 by Shishir, translation #241628 by CK
- Ahora sé por qué.Now I know why.This sentence demonstrates using ahora to express knowing a reason now.Tatoeba #1903587 by marcelostockle, translation #1898291 by CK
- Por favor, espere un momento. El doctor lo verá en este momentoPlease wait a moment. The doctor will see you now
- Actualmente, estoy trabajando en un proyecto importanteCurrently, I am working on an important project
- El presidente se encuentra ocupado en estos momentos y no puede atender a su llamadaThe president is currently busy and cannot take your call
- Ahora estoy ocupadoI'm busy now
- ¡Vámonos ahora!Let's go now!
- Voy a terminar el trabajo ahoritaI'll finish the work right now
- Acabo de comprar los boletos de cine en este instanteI just bought the movie tickets right now
- Ven aquí ahora mismoCome here right now
- 2213 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Elena are in the kitchen deciding when to eat.
- Javier¿Quieres comer ahora?Do you want to eat now?
- ElenaNo, prefiero esperar un poco.No, I prefer to wait a little bit.
- JavierPero tengo mucha hambre ahora.But I am very hungry now.
- ElenaEstá bien, comamos ya.Fine, let's eat already.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “now” translations and entries ahora, agora, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries agora, ahora, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
