The Meaning of ima ni [今に] In Japanese

今に
いまに
Romaji: ima ni N5

What does 今に mean?

Translation and Meaning

soon, before long, presently

Definition

What does 今に mean? It denotes events expected to happen soon; used to set a near-future timeframe and can appear in both casual and formal contexts. It attaches to a clause to signal imminent occurrence.

Type

Adverbial phrase (副詞)

Stroke Order

Meanings

  • near-future timing: events expected to happen in the near future, with a sense of imminence
  • anticipatory nuance: can convey mild urgency or expectation about a result or outcome
  • register flexibility: usable in everyday speech and writing, sometimes with a slightly literary or old-fashioned tone

Composition

  • 今: present moment, the current time
  • に: temporal particle indicating the point in time; together they form a phrase conveying action occurring in the near future

Usage

Used as an adverbial phrase before verbs or clauses; typical contexts include everyday speech and writing; formal to semi-formal registers are also possible; it modifies the action’s timing and can appear before the main verb to indicate upcoming events.
💡 Tips
Mnemonic: picture the kanji 今 as a clock at the present moment and the particle に as an arrow pointing forward, signaling movement toward the near future.

Variations

  • すぐに (sugu ni) — soon, immediately
  • 近いうちに (chikai uchi ni) — in the near future
  • そのうち (sono uchi) — eventually
  • 今にも (ima ni mo) — at any moment

Example Phrases

  • 今に雨が降るから、傘を持って行こう。
    Ima ni ame ga furu kara, kasa o motte ikou.
    It’s going to rain soon, so let’s bring an umbrella.
    Lista:
    • 今に (ima ni) – before long
    • 雨が (ame ga) – the rain
    • 降る (furu) – to fall
    • から (kara) – because
    • 傘を (kasa o) – umbrella
    • 持って (motte) – to carry
    • 行こう (ikou) – let’s go
    「今に」 marks that something will happen soon; it forecasts near-future events.
  • 今にも雨が降りそうなので、傘を持って出かけた。
    Ima ni ame ga furisō node, kasa o motte dekaketa.
    Since it looks like it’s going to rain any moment now, I headed out with an umbrella.
    Lista:
    • 今にも (ima ni) – any moment now
    • 雨が (ame ga) – rain (subject marker)
    • 降りそう (furisō) – looks like it’s going to rain
    • なので (nanode) – so
    • 傘を (kasa o) – umbrella
    • 持って (motte) – holding
    • 出かけた (dekaketa) – went out
    「今にも」 expresses imminence: something will happen very soon; in this sentence it marks the rain as imminent.
今に