现在

xiàn zài n.

now; at present; currently

now; at present; currently

Right now, at present. Combines 现 (manifest/appear) and 在 (existing right here).

Common Usage & Traps

  • 现在几点 (xiàn zài jǐ diǎn) — What time is it now?
  • 现在开始 (xiàn zài kāi shǐ) — start now
  • 现在的生活 (xiàn zài de shēng huó) — life now; current life
  • 现在这个时候 (xiàn zài zhè ge shí hou) — right now; at this moment
  • 现在的时候 现在 / 现在这个时候

    现在 already means 'now'; 的时候 adds 'when/during', so stacking them is redundant. For emphasis, say 现在这个时候.

  • 在现在 现在

    Don't put 在 directly before bare 现在. 现在 works as the time word by itself; 在 is for places or longer phrases like 在现在这个社会.

  • 我忙现在 我现在很忙

    Time words like 现在 go before the verb, not after it.

Does 现在 go before or after the verb?

Put 现在 before the verb, not after it.

现在 is a time word, so it parks before the verb. 我现在很忙 is the normal order. 现在我很忙 also works when you want to stress 'now'. 我忙现在 is broken because the time word landed after the verb.
DimensionNaturalAvoid
Normal sentence我现在很忙我忙现在
Topic emphasis现在我很忙我忙现在
With a verb现在开始开始现在

Can you say 在现在 for 'at present'?

Bare 现在 does not take 在. Say 现在, not 在现在.

Bare 现在 usually works as a time word by itself. You say 现在开始, not 在现在开始. Use 在 only when 现在 is part of a longer phrase like 在现在这个社会. The 在 connects to the whole phrase, not to bare 现在.
DimensionNaturalAvoid
'At present'现在在现在
Time before a verb现在开始在现在开始
Longer phrase with a noun在现在这个社会在现在

Why does the sentence say 现在的新电影 instead of 现在新电影?

Use 现在的新电影 for 'today's new movies'; 现在新电影 sounds like a time setting.

现在 can sit before a verb as a time word: 现在开始. But before a noun, 的 turns it into a label: 现在的新电影. Without 的, 现在新电影 sounds like 'Now, new movies...' rather than 'today's new movies'. The 的 makes the comparison sharper.

“有的时候,老电影比现在的新电影有意思。” (Sometimes, old movies are more interesting than today's new movies.)
DimensionNaturalAvoid
Label before a noun现在的新电影现在新电影
Time word before a verb现在开始开始现在

Appears in Stories 9 stories

Real context sentences across different daily scenarios and graded readings.

《成语0001:东山再起》 (The Comeback: From Eastern Mountain to Success) HSK 7
~5 min read 589 chars
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Learn the fascinating story behind the Chinese idiom '东山再起' (Dongshan Zaiji), which means to make a comeback. Discover its historical roots and modern usage.

  • 朋友跟他开玩笑说:“你以前一直待在东山, 现在 终于愿意出来重新开始了。”

  • 现在 ,我们用“东山再起”来形容一个人失败或退出后,通过努力又重新获得成功。

《是谁要去玩?》 (A Hot Day at School) HSK 1
~4 min read 261 chars
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Join a family on a sweltering Beijing Sunday as a boy learns a funny lesson about playing outside in the summer heat. Perfect for HSK 1 learners.

  • 现在 是北京的七月,天气很热。

  • “ 现在 是下午,天气太热“。

《你误会方便面了吗?》 (Are Instant Noodles Misunderstood?) HSK 6
~10 min read 1171 chars
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Think instant noodles are unhealthy? This HSK 6 article challenges common myths and reveals surprising facts about nutrition, oil, and salt in this convenient food.

  • 事实上,油炸方便面的含油量比中国人传统常吃的油条,以及 现在 年轻人喜欢的炸薯条、炸土豆片什么的低很多,只是它们的二分之一不到。

《这还是茶馆儿吗?》 (Teahouse or Cinema?) HSK 3
~3 min read 325 chars
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Ever wondered where old Beijing's tea-drinking culture has gone? Follow a visitor discovering why locals now avoid famous tea houses—and practice expressing surprise and comparisons in Chinese along the way.

  • 他说, 现在 喜欢去茶馆喝茶的老北京不很多了。

  • 因为他们不喜欢 现在 的茶馆。

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