hiện tại
Vietnamese
Etymology
Sino-Vietnamese word from 現在, composed of 現 (“now”) and 在 (“to exist”), literally "that which exists now".
Pronunciation
- (Hà Nội) IPA(key): [hiən˧˨ʔ taːj˧˨ʔ]
- (Huế) IPA(key): [hiəŋ˨˩ʔ taːj˨˩ʔ]
- (Saigon) IPA(key): [hiəŋ˨˩˨ taːj˨˩˨]
Noun
- the present
Adverb
Adjective
Usage notes
- Not to be confused with hiện đại.
- Similar to English presently/currently or Japanese 現在 (genzai), hiện tại carries a somewhat formal tone compared to the more casual now or 今 (ima). While not markedly formal, there are still register differences in the choice between hiện tại and its more colloquial synonyms like giờ/bây giờ. Compare formal và vs. more colloquial với (“and”), những vs. mấy (plural marker), bao giờ vs. chừng nào (“when”), etc.