German Vowels and Time Words: nun, jetzt, wirklich, still
Learn the five basic German vowel sounds and use them in common time words like nun, jetzt, wirklich and still. Includes pronunciation, dialogue and practice.
By TheaFirst conversations · Yapr Learn
German vowels are short or long, and that difference can change a word's meaning. This lesson teaches the five basic vowel letters (a, e, i, o, u) and shows how they work in three useful time words: nun and jetzt for 'now', wirklich for 'really', and still for 'still'. You will learn to hear and produce these sounds, and to use the words in simple sentences. The focus is on clear pronunciation and natural usage, not on memorizing abstract rules.
By the end, you can…
- pronounce the five basic German vowel sounds in isolation and in simple words.
- distinguish similar vowels, such as long i and short i, in words like wir and wirklich.
- use nun, jetzt, wirklich and still correctly in short conversational sentences.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
nun
now (often narrative or reflective)
noon (long u, like English 'oo' in 'moon')
Use nun in storytelling or when you mean 'now' as a next step. Example: Nun gehen wir. (Now we go.)
jetzt
now (immediate present)
yetzt (short e, like 'e' in 'bet'; ts like 'ts' in 'cats')
Use jetzt for something happening right now. Example: Jetzt ist es Zeit. (Now it is time.)
wirklich
really, actually
VIRK-likh /ˈvɪʁklɪç/ (short i as in sit; final soft German ch)
Use wirklich to ask if something is true, or to emphasize. Example: Ist das wirklich so? (Is that really so?)
still
still, quiet
shtil (short i, like 'i' in 'sit'; st at the start sounds like 'sht')
Use still for 'quiet' or 'still'. Example: Sei bitte still. (Please be quiet.)
Bitte?
Pardon? / Please?
BIT-tuh (short i, like 'i' in 'bit'; final -e like 'uh')
Use Bitte? to ask someone to repeat something. Example: Bitte? Wie bitte? (Pardon? What did you say?)
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
German contrasts vowel length and quality. Nun has a long u, while Mutter has a short u. Jetzt has a short e, while Beet has a long e. Wir has a long i, but the first vowel of wirklich is short /ɪ/, as in still. Practice nun / Mutter, jetzt / Beet, wir / wirklich, still / Stiel. A written h or doubled vowel can signal length, but spelling patterns have exceptions; listen to each word.
When to use it
Use nun and jetzt for 'now'. Jetzt is more common in everyday speech for the immediate present: Jetzt regnet es. (Now it is raining.) Nun often sounds slightly more narrative or reflective: Nun ist es zu spät. (Now it is too late.) Wirklich means 'really' or 'actually' and can stand alone as a question: Wirklich? (Really?) Still means 'quiet' or 'still': Bleib still. (Stay still.) In shops or stations, you might ask: Ist der Zug jetzt da? (Is the train here now?) or Wirklich? (Really?) These are standard in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, though regional intonation varies.
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Entschuldigung, ist der Zug jetzt da?
Excuse me, is the train here now?ent-SHOOL-dee-goong, ist dair tsook yetst dah?Nein, noch nicht. Er kommt in zehn Minuten. Bitte warten Sie hier.
No, not yet. It comes in ten minutes. Please wait here.nine, nokh nikht. air komt in tsayn mee-NOO-ten. BIT-tuh VAR-ten zee heer.Wirklich? Zehn Minuten? Dann bin ich still und warte.
Really? Ten minutes? Then I'll be quiet and wait.VIRK-likh? Tsayn mee-NOO-ten? Dan bin ikh shtil oont VAR-tuh.Ja, nun ist es gleich so weit. Der Zug fährt gleich ein.
Yes, now it will be soon. The train is arriving soon.yah, noon ist es glike zo vite. dair tsook fairt glike ine.A little context goes a long way
In German-speaking countries, using bitte and danke is standard in service encounters. Bitte? can mean 'Pardon?' or 'You're welcome', depending on context. Nun is more common in written narrative than in casual speech, where jetzt dominates. In Austria and Switzerland, some vowel pronunciations differ slightly, but the standard forms taught here are widely understood. Avoid using still to mean 'still' in the sense of 'up to now'; for that, use noch: Ich bin noch hier. (I am still here.)
One thing to watch for
Pronouncing wirklich with the long ee vowel of wir.
Try this instead: Wirklich has a short /ɪ/ in its first syllable: /ˈvɪʁklɪç/. Say VIRK-likh, with the German soft ch at the end. Wir has a long vowel, so do not transfer that vowel length to wirklich.
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'now' in German when you mean right at this moment?
Show a sample answer
jetzt
Jetzt is the standard word for the immediate present. Nun is also correct but often sounds more narrative or reflective. Both are valid in many contexts.
2Which word means really and has a short i in its first syllable?
Show a sample answer
wirklich
Wirklich begins /vɪʁk/, with short /ɪ/. Wir has a long i, but wirklich does not.
3What is the difference between still and Stiel?
Show a sample answer
Still has a short i and means 'quiet' or 'still'; Stiel has a long i and means 'handle' or 'stem'.
Vowel length changes meaning. Still is pronounced shtil, while Stiel is shteel.
Master the five basic German vowels by practicing long and short pairs. Use jetzt for 'now' in daily speech, wirklich for 'really', and still for 'quiet'. Listen for vowel length, and remember that nun is a valid alternative for 'now' in more reflective contexts.
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