ただいま

た

だ

い

ま

Common wordJLPTN5Freq.FrequencyTop 10,000

Meanings

interjection

I'm home!; I'm back!

usually written using kana aloneabbreviation

Fixed greeting said when returning home. Abbreviation of ただいま帰りました (I've just returned). Used casually among family or housemates.

Usage patterns

ただいま〈時とき〉でございますit is currently 〈time〉 (formal announcement)
ただいま午ご後ご三さん時じでございます。
It is currently 3 p.m.
ただいま〈動どう詞し〉いたしますto do 〈verb〉 right away (polite)
ただいまお調しらべいたします。
I will look into it right away.
ただいまより〈事こと〉starting now, 〈event〉 (formal opening phrase)
ただいまより会かい議ぎを始はじめます。
We will now begin the meeting.

Kanji

只only, free, in addition
今now
唯solely, only, merely

Related words· 7

今いまN5sense 2
いま is the plain, everyday word for 'now', while ただいま is the more formal or polite equivalent used in announcements and service settings.
さっきN4sense 3
さっき is the casual way to say 'a moment ago', while ただいま (sense 3) is its more polite and formal counterpart.
すぐN4sense 4
すぐ is the everyday word for 'right away', while ただいま (sense 4) is a more courteous phrase used especially by staff asking customers to wait.
現げん在ざいN3sense 2
現在 is a formal noun meaning 'the present time' used in writing and reports, while ただいま is spoken and used in announcements or polite speech.

Show 3 more

先さきほどN2sense 3
先ほど and ただいま (sense 3) are both formal ways to say 'a moment ago', with 先ほど slightly more common in business writing and speech.
お帰かえりなさいN5
ただいま is said by the person who has just arrived home, while お帰りなさい is the greeting said back to them.
目もっ下かN1
ただいま is a polite spoken word for 'right now', while 目下 is a formal written term with a slightly less immediate feel.

Opposites

行いってきますN5
行ってきます is said when leaving home, while ただいま is said upon returning, making them opposite halves of the same daily routine.

Politeness

今いまplainN5
今 is the plain, everyday word for 'now', while ただ今 is its polite/formal counterpart used in business or announcements.

Built from

ただ+今いま

Written forms

ただいまUsage86%
Kana spelling is standard for all senses; usually written in kana.
只ただ今いまUsage12%
Kanji form is seen in formal writing or signs, but kana is much more common in everyday use.
ただ今いまUsage2%
Mixed kanji-kana variant; less common than 只今 or the pure kana form.
唯ただ今いまUsage1%
rarely-used kanji form
Rarely used kanji form; learners are unlikely to encounter it.

Etymology

Originally a phrase ただ今 (tada ima) meaning 'just now'. The 'I'm home' sense is an abbreviation of ただいま帰りました (tadaima kaerimashita, 'I've just returned').