עכשיו
akhsháv/(ʔ)aχˈʃav/
The Hebrew phrase for "right now" is עכשיו (akhsháv). If unsure, use עכשיו. Wiktionary also lists כרגע (karéga) and עכשיו בדיוק.
Meaning: at this precise moment (adv)
Ways to say it
| Hebrew | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| עכשיו | akhsháv | /(ʔ)aχˈʃav/ (Modern Israeli) | |
| כרגע | karéga | ||
| עכשיו בדיוק | /(ʔ)aχˈʃav be.diˈjuk/ (Modern Israeli, word by word) | emphatic |
The phrase is used to indicate that something is happening at the precise moment.
What does it mean word for word?
The word כרגע literally translates to "at the moment", consisting of the prefix כ meaning "at" and the noun רגע meaning "moment".
Which one should you use?
While עכשיו means "now", כרגע is often used to mean "at this moment" or "currently" in a more specific sense. To create an emphatic version of "right now" (meaning "exactly now"), you can use עכשיו בדיוק.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
כרגע is slightly more formal or professional than עכשיו and is frequently used in status updates or reports. In informal speech, you can repeat the word עכשיו twice as עכשיו עכשיו to emphasize urgency.
How do you pronounce it?
akhsháv (/ (ʔ)aχˈʃav /)
Did you know?
- The word עכשיו may have originally been a phrase meaning 'until the hour' or 'until he'.
- While עכשיו is the standard way to say 'now', the word רגע is often used as a standalone interjection to mean 'Wait a second' or 'Hold on'.
- The component דיוק in עכשיו בדיוק is the same word used to describe 'precision' in scientific or mathematical contexts.
Examples in context
- את לא לבד כרגע?Aren't you alone right now?This sentence is useful for asking if someone is alone כרגע.Tatoeba #11811061 by maya_, translation #6104326 by CK
- אני לא עייף כרגע.I'm not tired right now.This sentence is useful for stating that one is not tired כרגע.Tatoeba #735154 by Eldad, translation #735084 by Darkmaster
- הוא לא כאן עכשיו.He's not here right now.This sentence is useful for stating that someone is not here עכשיו.Tatoeba #1444667 by MrShoval, translation #2566000 by Hybrid
- האם אתה יכול לסיים את הדוח כעת?Can you finish the report right now?
- 162 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Itay and Noa are talking on the phone.
- איתי Itayאת יכולה לדבר עכשיו?At yechola ledaber achshav?Can you talk right now?
- נועה Noaלא, אני בעבודה עכשיו.Lo, ani ba-avoda achshav.No, I am at work right now.
- איתי Itayמתי תהיי פנויה?Matay tihyi pnuyah?When will you be free?
- נועה Noaאני אתקשר אליך בעוד שעה.Ani etkasher elcha be-od sha'a.I will call you in an hour.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “right now” translations and entries עכשיו, כרגע, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (עכשיו, בדיוק) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries בדיוק, עכשיו, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
