Both words, jetzt and nun, are translated as now. So what is the difference?
(question by TheHillma, thank you)
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Both words, jetzt and nun, are translated as now. So what is the difference?
(question by TheHillma, thank you)
Ask about German 
So, jetzt is really purely a time expression. It is now as opposed to in 10 minutes for example.
Here, we can not use nun instead. So we could maybe say, that jetzt means right now.
Nun is different in that it focuses more in the current situation. We can think of it as some kind of “as things are now”
One simple example is this. You and a friend go for a walk. You get back home and you realize that you don’t have a key with you.
Here, jetzt and nun are interchangeable because the focus is not so much on time but on the situation. But that doesn’t mean that jetzt wouldn’t work.
Nun in sense of now is actually not used that much. But there are other situations where you can see nun because it is somewhat of a coloring word or particle. For one, it is often used in combination with mal.
Here, nun mal is kind of a reasoning. And on a rather abstract level this is not so different to the first nun… “as things are” or thing is.
And then finally, nun is often used to introduce sentences. Dictionaries often translate this one as “well”.
And again, if we think of it on an abstract level, it is kind of the same nun…
I hope that makes sense :).
So bottom line, “nun” in sense of now refers to the current situation and is not used that much, while “jetzt” really means now as in “at this current point in time”.
Damn, that is a very well explained and thorough reply. Thank you!
Thanks! Has bugged me 4 2 long. Makes sense, finally.
Danke Schön, das war sehr hilfreich!