지금 vs 방금: Now vs Just Now in Korean

지금 refers to the present moment (now), while 방금 refers to something that happened a very short time ago (just now / just a moment ago).

Side-by-Side Comparison

	지금 (jigeum)	방금 (banggeum)
Time Reference	Present moment — right now	Very recent past — moments ago
Verb Tense Used With	Present or near-future tense	Past tense (just happened)
English Equivalent	Now, currently, at this moment	Just now, a moment ago, just a second ago
Example	지금 뭐 해? (What are you doing now?)	방금 전화했어 (I just called)
Can Point to Future?	Yes — 지금 갈게요 (I'll go now)	No — 방금 only refers to the very recent past

Examples in Context

Asking what someone is doing right now — using 지금

지금 뭐 해요?

What are you doing right now?

Saying you just finished eating — using 방금

방금 밥 먹었어.

I just ate.

Saying you will leave right now — using 지금

지금 바로 출발할게요.

I will leave right now.

Asking if someone just saw something — using 방금

방금 그거 봤어?

Did you just see that?

Common Mistakes to Avoid

✗Using 지금 for something that already happened — 지금 is for the present or imminent future, not the past. Use 방금 for very recent past events.
✗Using 방금 with a present-tense verb — 방금 must pair with past tense since the action already occurred.
✗Confusing 방금 with 막 (just/right away), which has a similar meaning but slightly more emphasis on immediacy.
✗Forgetting that 지금 can indicate the near future, e.g., '지금 갈게' (I'll go now) — this is common in Korean.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between 방금 and 막?

Both mean 'just now,' but 막 can also mean 'right away' or 'just about to,' giving it a slightly broader range. 방금 strictly refers to something that just happened.

Can I say 지금 막 to emphasize immediacy?

Yes, 지금 막 is a natural combination meaning 'just this moment' or 'literally right now,' and is commonly used in spoken Korean.

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