3 syllables: Now, a, days. Stress on Now.
NOW-uh-dayz
/ˈnaʊəˌdeɪz/
Nowadays is pronounced NOW-uh-dayz (/ˈnaʊəˌdeɪz/). It has three syllables (Now-a-days), with the stress on "Now". Nowadays is an adverb meaning at the present time or in the current era. It is often used to contrast past habits or states with current ones. It typically stresses recent developments and is common in informal to semi-formal discourse.
adverbNowadays is an adverb meaning at the present time or in the current era. It is often used to contrast past habits or states with current ones. It typically stresses recent developments and is common in informal to semi-formal discourse.
"Nowadays, people rely on smartphones for almost everything."
"She used to read before bed, but nowadays she scrolls through social media instead."
"We don’t go to the cinema as often nowadays."
Pronounce as two syllables with primary stress on the first: /ˈnaʊ.dəˌzeɪz/. Start with the diphthong /aʊ/ as in 'now', then a light schwa /ə/ in the second syllable, and finish with /zeɪz/. In fluent speech, the final 'days' is reduced to /zeɪz/ with the second syllable linked. Audio reference: listen to native speech on Pronounce or Forvo by searching ‘nowadays’.
Common errors include: 1) splitting into three syllables with a sharp pause: now-a-days; 2) misplacing the stress, giving too much weight to the second syllable; 3) reducing /ˌzeɪz/ to a quick /ziz/ or /zez/. Correction tips: keep a clean /ˈnaʊ.dəˌzeɪz/ rhythm, fuse the second and third phonemes smoothly, and practice the diphthong /aʊ/ without over-articulation.
US: /ˈnaʊ.dəˌzeɪz/ with rhoticity not affecting r-color; UK: /ˈnaʊ.dəˌzeɪz/ similar; AU: /ˈnaʊ.dəˌzeɪz/ with slightly flatter vowel quality and less pronounced vowel height in some speakers. Across accents, the /aʊ/ in ‘now’ remains a tense diphthong; /ˌzeɪz/ tends to be glide-heavy in fast speech. Pay attention to the final /z/ and avoid voicing changes in casual speech.
The difficulty lies in maintaining two unstressed syllables around a stressed first syllable while preserving a clear /aʊ/ diphthong and a final /zeɪz/ cluster. Many learners compress the middle /də/ or misplace the stress, producing ‘nowadays’ with awkward timing. Focus on smooth syllable transitions, sustain the /aʊ/ diphthong, and articulate /z/ clearly without elongating into a vowel.
The word packs a subtle rhythm: the first syllable carries primary stress, but the second syllable /də/ is a short, quick schwa that acts as a bridge to the long /zeɪz/. It’s easy to over-articulate /də/ or compress /ˌzeɪz/ into /əz/. Emphasize even timing: /ˈnaʊ.dəˌzeɪz/ with a gentle, non-emphatic middle syllable and a crisp final diphthong.
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- US: stress on the first syllable; keep rhoticity neutral; lean into crisp /zeɪz/ with a bright /eɪ/. - UK: similar to US, but some speakers reduce vowel length a touch; ensure non-rhoticity doesn’t affect the /r/ none present. - AU: more relaxed vowel quality; keep the /aʊ/ intact, and let the /zeɪz/ glide smoothly with a slightly lighter touch on the aɪ/eɪ. IPA references: /ˈnaʊ.dəˌzeɪz/ across variants. - General tip: practice with minimal pairs: now vs know; day vs dye; zayz vs zips to sharpen final cluster.
Nowadays derives from the phrase now a days, which originated in Middle English as a way to express the current period or time. The word now existed as a temporal signal in Old English, but the compound form today gained traction in the Early Modern period as English syntax evolved to create adverbial phrases indicating the contemporary era. The transition from two words to a single compound occurred as printing and standardization advanced, consolidating pronunciation and spelling. The semantic core centers on immediacy: “at the present time.” In usage, it often places contrast with past states, reinforcing shifts in culture, technology, or behavior. First attested in written English by the 15th–16th centuries, the term was increasingly common in everyday speech by the 18th–19th centuries and remains a staple in modern prose and dialogue, signaling contemporary relevance. As with many time-expressions, its frequency of use expanded with increased media and global communication, making it a versatile, nearly universal adverb in English discourse.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "Nowadays" and can often be used interchangeably.
🔄 These words have opposite meanings to "Nowadays" and show contrast in usage.
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Words that rhyme with "Nowadays"
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