sensushi
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今に details

before long + understand

ima ni wakaru

before long; one of these days — an outcome the speaker treats as coming whether the listener likes it or not

meaning: will understand before long

そんな食たべ方かたをしていると、今にいまに後悔するこうかいするよ。

sonna tabekata o shite iru to, ima ni koukaisuru yo.

Eating like that, you will regret it before long. casual

今いまは誰だれも見向みむきもしないが、あの技術ぎじゅつの価値かちは今いまに分わかる。

ima wa dare mo mimuki mo shinai ga, ano gijutsu no kachi wa ima ni wakaru.

Nobody gives it a second glance now, but the value of that technology will be clear before long. neutral

Examples

before long — a future change the speaker states as certain, usually as a warning

そんな食たべ方かたをしていると、今いまに後悔こうかいするよ。

sonna tabekata o shite iru to, imanikoukaisuru yo.

Eating like that, you will regret it before long. casual

今いまは誰だれも見向みむきもしないが、あの技術ぎじゅつの価値かちは今いまに分わかる。

ima wa dare mo mimuki mo shinai ga, ano gijutsu no kachi wa ima ni wakaru.

Nobody gives it a second glance now, but the value of that technology will be clear before long. neutral

口くちの利きき方かたに気きをつけろよ。今いまに痛いたい目めを見みるぞ。

kuchi no kikikata ni ki o tsukero yo. ima ni itai me o miru zo.

Watch how you speak to people. You'll be sorry before long. casual

Formation

Notes

The outcome is still ahead, so the predicate stays non-past — ×今いまに
困こまった reports nothing. 今いまになって is a different word: 今いまに
なって後悔こうかいしても遅おそい means "at this late stage", not "before long".

Related patterns

Similar

  • すぐ

    すぐ measures the gap from a trigger and passes no judgment on the event; 今に names no interval and always forecasts an outcome the speaker is sure of — すぐ来くる is a promise about timing, 今に分わかる a claim that the listener is wrong for now.

  • だろう

    だろう is a predicate ending that can hedge any clause; 今に is an adverb that commits the speaker rather than hedging, so the two stack (今に困こまることになるだろう) and 今に never softens the forecast the way a bare だろう does.

  • そのうち

    Both push the event into an unnamed future, but 今に states an outcome the speaker is sure of and usually warns with, while そのうち is neutral about what comes and is the reassuring one — 今に後悔こうかいするよ threatens, そのうち慣なれるよ comforts.

Lookalikes

  • 今にも〜そうだ

    One も apart, and they read different evidence — 今にも needs a change already showing in front of the speaker, while 今に forecasts an outcome with nothing yet visible, which is why 今いまに後悔こうかいする works and ×今いまにも後悔こうかいする does not.