jetzt
now
Refers to the present moment; at this moment.
EXAMPLE
Ich kann nicht telefonieren, ich esse gerade jetzt.
I can't talk on the phone; I'm eating right now.
jetzt
now
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Meanings
jetzt
now
Introduces a consequence or is used to emphasize a statement, often with impatience or determination.
EXAMPLE
So, jetzt reicht es mir aber mit dem Lärm!
Right, now I've had enough of the noise!
jetzt
nowadays
Refers to the present day or the current era, in contrast to the past.
EXAMPLE
Die Jugend von jetzt hat ganz andere Möglichkeiten als früher.
The youth of today have completely different opportunities than in the past.
ab jetzt
from now on
Means 'from this moment onward', looking toward the future.
EXAMPLE
Ab jetzt werde ich jeden Tag Sport machen.
From now on, I will exercise every day.
Usage tips
Sentence position
'Jetzt' (now) can be placed flexibly in a sentence. In position 1, it emphasizes the time and requires inversion (verb in position 2). Within the sentence, it usually comes after the conjugated verb.
EXAMPLE
Jetzt fängt der Film an.
Now the film is starting.
Use as a particle
'Jetzt' (now) can also express an emotional reaction such as impatience or determination. In this case, it marks less a point in time and more a consequence or turning point.
EXAMPLE
Jetzt hör aber auf damit!
Now stop that!
Context clue
When 'jetzt' (now) is used in contrast to the past (e.g., with words like 'früher' (formerly/in the past)), it refers not only to the moment but to the entire present day or era.
EXAMPLE
Früher war alles aus Holz, jetzt ist vieles aus Plastik.
In the past, everything was made of wood; now many things are made of plastic.
Fixed expression
The expression 'ab jetzt' (from now on) marks a starting point in the present and looks toward the future. It means 'from this moment onward'.
EXAMPLE
Ab jetzt rauche ich nicht mehr.
From now on, I won't smoke anymore.
Compare with
jetzt vs hier
here
In a sequence of steps, “hier” refers to a particular point or step. “Jetzt,” by contrast, refers to the present moment. Use “hier” when you want to point to a place in the sequence; use “jetzt” when the current moment is what matters.
jetzt
Jetzt wechseln wir im Ablauf zum nächsten Schritt.
Now, we move on to the next step in the process.
hier
Hier wechseln wir im Ablauf zum nächsten Schritt.
Here, we move on to the next step in the process.
In real life
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