nū
The Old English word for "now" is nū.
nū is an adverb meaning "at the present time." It is the most common term used to express the concept of "now" in Old English.
Meaning: at the present time (adv)
Which one should you use?
While nū is the standard term for the present moment, the word þonne can sometimes be used to denote the present moment, though it more commonly means "then" or "after."
Did you know?
- Old English nū could also mean 'now that', joining two clauses, as in nū þū hēr eart, 'now that you are here'.
- In Old English poetry, nū is frequently used as a 'discourse marker' to signal a transition to a new topic or a shift in the narrative timeline.
- The vowel in nū was a long 'oo' sound, so the word sounded like 'noo'. The modern 'ow' sound came later with the Great Vowel Shift.
Examples in context
- Warna, sēo duru nū lȳcþ!Caution, the doors are now closing!This sentence shows nū used in the context of an immediate action like doors closing.Tatoeba #1574610 by aandrusiak, translation #1574601 by aandrusiak
- Eall sceal nū elles bēon.Everything is going to be different now.This sentence demonstrates nū describing a change in a state of affairs.Tatoeba #13900037 by rul, translation #4090107 by fekundulo
- Wē ne þurfon nū his helpe.We don't need his help right now.This sentence shows how nū can be used to specify the immediate present moment regarding a need.Tatoeba #13889339 by rul, translation #13105764 by rul
- Nu scēal icNow shall I
- Nū þaNow, then
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Eadgyth and Godric are discussing their meal.
- EadgythHwǣr is se hlāf nū?Where is the bread now?
- GodricHit is on þǣm borde.It is on the table.
- EadgythNū wē etaþ!Now we eat!
- GodricGēa, ic eom hungrig.Yes, I am hungry.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “now” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
