How to Say 'Just Now' in German: gerade, gerade eben, and vorhin
Learn to use gerade, gerade eben, and vorhin correctly. Understand how verb tense and context distinguish 'right now' from 'a moment ago' in everyday German.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
German has several ways to express 'just now,' and the right choice depends on whether you mean right now, a moment ago, or earlier today. This lesson teaches three common expressions: gerade, gerade eben, and vorhin. You will learn how verb tense and context change the meaning of gerade, so you can talk about actions happening now or moments ago without confusion. We will focus on practical sentence patterns you can use in phone calls, messages, and face-to-face conversations.
By the end, you can…
- use gerade, gerade eben, and vorhin to talk about recent actions.
- distinguish between an action happening right now and one that happened a moment ago using verb tense and context.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
Ich habe gerade eben angerufen.
I called just a moment ago.
ikh HAH-buh guh-RAH-duh AY-ben AN-guh-roo-fen
Use with the past participle to say you called a very short time ago. Common in phone messages and follow-up calls.
Ich telefoniere gerade.
I am on the phone right now.
ikh te-le-fo-NEE-ruh guh-RAH-duh
Present tense plus gerade means the action is happening at this moment. Use it to explain why you cannot talk or to say you are busy.
Ich habe vorhin angerufen.
I called earlier.
ikh HAH-buh for-HIN AN-guh-roo-fen
vorhin refers to an earlier time today, not necessarily immediately before. Use it when some time has passed, but still the same day.
Ich war gerade eben dort.
I was there just a moment ago.
ikh vahr guh-RAH-duh AY-ben dort
Use the simple past war with gerade eben to say you were somewhere very recently. Useful for reporting a quick errand or visit.
Ich rufe später noch einmal an.
I will call again later.
ikh ROO-fuh SHPET-er nokh eye-mahl AN
A polite follow-up after saying you called earlier. Use it when you need to try again at a different time.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is a verb plus a time word. With present tense, gerade means 'right now': Ich telefoniere gerade. With past tense or perfect tense, gerade eben means 'just a moment ago': Ich habe gerade eben angerufen. vorhin works with past tenses to mean 'earlier today': Ich habe vorhin angerufen. The verb tense tells you whether the action is ongoing or finished. For example, Ich koche gerade (I am cooking right now) versus Ich habe gerade eben gekocht (I cooked just a moment ago). Note that gerade can also appear in the past to mean 'at that very moment' (e.g., Ich war gerade angekommen, als das Telefon klingelte), but for the everyday 'just now' meaning, gerade eben is the clearer choice in the past.
When to use it
Use gerade when you want to say an action is in progress at this moment. Use gerade eben when the action finished a very short time ago, often seconds or a minute. Use vorhin when the action happened earlier today but not immediately before. For example, if you call someone and they miss it, you might say: Ich habe gerade eben angerufen. If you call again an hour later, you could say: Ich habe vorhin angerufen. In southern Germany and Austria, you may hear vorhin used for a slightly longer window, but the core meaning stays the same.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Hallo, hier ist Anna. Ich habe gerade eben angerufen, aber du warst nicht da.
Hello, this is Anna. I called just a moment ago, but you weren't there.HAH-loh, heer ist AH-nah. ikh HAH-buh guh-RAH-duh AY-ben AN-guh-roo-fen, ah-ber doo vahrst nikht dahOh, tut mir leid. Ich habe gerade telefoniert. Was gibt es?
Oh, I'm sorry. I was just on the phone. What's up?oh, toot meer lite. ikh HAH-buh guh-RAH-duh te-le-fo-NEERT. vahs geept esKein Problem. Ich wollte nur fragen, ob du heute Zeit hast.
No problem. I just wanted to ask if you have time today.kine pro-BLAYM. ikh VOL-tuh noor FRAH-gen, op doo HOY-tuh tsite hahstJa, gerne. Ich rufe dich später noch einmal an, okay?
Yes, gladly. I'll call you again later, okay?yah, GAIR-nuh. ikh ROO-fuh dikh SHPET-er nokh eye-mahl AN, oh-KAYA little context goes a long way
In German-speaking countries, punctuality and clear time references are valued in phone calls and appointments. Saying gerade eben or vorhin helps your conversation partner understand exactly when something happened. Using gerade for 'right now' is standard in all regions, but in Austria and southern Germany, vorhin may cover a slightly longer period within the same day. When in doubt, use gerade eben for very recent actions to avoid confusion.
One thing to watch for
Using gerade only for present tense and forgetting that gerade eben is the usual way to say 'just now' in the past.
Try this instead: Remember that gerade alone usually means 'right now' in present tense, while gerade eben in past tense means 'just a moment ago.' For example, Ich telefoniere gerade (I am on the phone right now) versus Ich habe gerade eben telefoniert (I was on the phone just a moment ago).
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How would you say 'I called just a moment ago' in German?
Show a sample answer
Ich habe gerade eben angerufen.
This uses the perfect tense with gerade eben to indicate a very recent completed action. You could also say Ich habe soeben angerufen, which is more formal.
2Which word would you use to say you are on the phone right now?
Show a sample answer
Ich telefoniere gerade.
The present tense with gerade shows the action is happening at this moment. Using vorhin here would be wrong because vorhin refers to earlier today, not now.
3If you called two hours ago, which expression fits better: gerade eben or vorhin?
Show a sample answer
vorhin
vorhin is used for earlier today when some time has passed. gerade eben would suggest it was only a moment ago, which is not accurate for two hours.
Use gerade for actions happening right now, gerade eben for actions that finished a moment ago, and vorhin for earlier today. Pay attention to verb tense and context to choose the right expression.
Progress is saved on this browser.
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Put today’s German into a conversation with an AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr