ただいま・只今・ただ今・唯今tadaima[2]nakadaka (mid-high)

1. interjectionI'm home!; I'm back!; it's me!
   ただいま、お母かあさん。↗

   I'm home, Mom!
2. adverb, nounnow; at present; at the moment
   申し訳もうしわけありませんが、ただ今こん満室まんしつになっています。↗

   I'm afraid we're quite full at the moment.
3. adverbjust now; a moment ago
   メアリーはただいま戻もどったところです。↗

   Mary has just come home.
4. adverbat once; right away; in a minute; shortly; soon
   ただいま参まいります。↗

   I will be with you right away.

• Synonym現在げんざいNeutralNeutral word for 'now', as in 「現在の状況」; the most objective choice, with none of 只今's greeting sense.
• Synonymたった今たったいまCasualColloquial: 'just now', as in 「たった今帰った」, or 'right away'. 只今 goes further, covering 'now' in general and the homecoming greeting.
• Related現下げんかFormalFormal term for the present state of affairs, as in 「現下の情勢」; belongs mainly to official documents.
• Related現時点げんじてんNeutralNeutral for 'at this point in time', as in 「現時点では未定」; typical of explanations and reports.
• Related今しがたいましがたWrittenWritten style for 'a moment ago', as in 「今しがた出かけた」; a touch more literary than たった今.
• Related今方いまがたWrittenWritten style for 'a moment ago'; synonymous with 今しがた but seen less often.
• RelatedついさっきCasualColloquial for 'just a little while ago', as in 「ついさっき聞いた」; a staple of everyday speech.
• Related刻下こっかFormalFormal for 'the present moment'; extremely literary and little used in modern Japanese.
• Related方今ほうこんFormalFormal for 'nowadays, at present'; carries an old-fashioned literary flavor.
• Related現今げんこんFormalFormal for the present day or age, as in 「現今の社会」.
• Related即今そっこんFormalFormal for 'at this moment'; extremely rare and far stiffer than 只今.

Use 「只今」 for the homecoming greeting, and also to say 'now' or 'right away' with a formal touch. For plain 'now' use 「今」 or 「現在」; for 'just now' use 「たった今」 or 「ついさっき」; in written prose 「今しがた」; in official documents 「現下」.

Usage comparisons are AI-assisted and cross-checked by multiple models; for study reference only

1. 今いま現在げんざい。
2. ごく近ちかい未来みらい、いますぐに、ただちに。
3. ごく近ちかい過去かこ、つい先さきほど。
4. 帰宅きたくのときの挨拶あいさつ。帰宅きたくした側がわが用もちいる。（同等どうとう以下いかの者ものに対たいして言いう（新しん明解めいかい国語こくご辞典じてん（三省堂さんせいどう）第だい7版ばん。）
5. いますぐに対応たいおうする、言いいつけを行おこなう、という意味いみの返事へんじ。