English has many words that sound similar and can be used interchangeably without altering the meaning of a sentence. Sometimes, or in some cases, using words interchangeably changes the sentence’s meaning.
‘Nowadays’ and ‘These days’ are similar words with very few differences.
Key Takeaways
- Nowadays refers to the present time, while these days also refer to the present time but with a slight implication that things have changed from before.
- Nowadays is used to talk about something that is currently happening or is true in the present time, while these days are often used to suggest a shift or change in a situation or behavior.
- While nowadays and these days are often used interchangeably, these days tend to have a more casual and conversational tone compared to nowadays.
Nowadays vs These Days
The term ‘nowadays’ can be used for comparison between two situations. One can be a past situation and the other can be present. When the term ‘nowadays’ is used at the start of the sentence a comma is always used after that. The term ‘these days’ is used to define a situation of the present time. A single space is always given between ‘these’ and ‘days’. ‘Thesedays’ is a wrong word.
‘Nowadays’ is made of two words, ‘Now’ and ‘adayes,’ meaning these times. It is an adverb used to tell what is happening in the current time compared to what was happening in the past.
It is used with present simple tense and sometimes with present continuous tense.
‘These days’ is an adverb used for describing a situation that is not permanent or is used for some temporary action or temporary situation. It is only used with the present continuous tense.
It can be used sometimes in a less formal way at the place of Nowadays.
Comparison Table
| Parameters of Comparison | Nowadays | These Days |
|---|---|---|
| Meaning | Comparing to the past situation of the present time. | Temporary condition of recent time. |
| Tense | Both present continuous tense and present simple tense. | Present simple tense. |
| Condition for Same Usage | It is more formal if used in the same sentence. | It is less formal if used in the same sentence. |
| Uses | It is used to compare the condition of the past to the condition of the present. | It is used to describe a temporary situation or a temporary action. |
| Example | When he was young, he used to eat 5 times a day. But he eats two times nowadays. | He is eating two times a day these days. |
What is Nowadays?
Nowadays means in these times contrast to the past. It is an adverb with present simple tense and sometimes with present continuous tense.
It is easy to use, but some people get confused with the word ‘now a days,’ which is wrong.
It has evolved from the Middle English word nowadays, but it is now used as one word. It is wrong to spell it like nowadays, now a days or nowadays.
It is used interchangeably with many words like ‘these days,’ but it is more formal to use ‘nowadays.’
It should never be used as an adjective. For example, we can not say, ‘My mobile phone is nowadays phone.’
If a sentence is started with the word ‘Nowadays,’ we should always put a comma after it and then write the whole sentence.
Some examples of ‘Nowadays’ in sentences are:-
- We have a wide range of different mobile brands to choose from nowadays.
- Nowadays, she prefers to eat outside with friends.
- I used to play cricket, but I prefer football nowadays.
As we can infer from the above examples, how the term ‘nowadays’ is used to compare the past to the present condition, we can also read and understand its uses to use it daily without making any mistakes.
What is These Days?
These Days mean at ‘present time.’ It is used as an adverb in a sentence to show a present temporary situation or a quick action by the subject.
Its correct form is ‘these days,’ but people sometimes misspell it as ‘thesedays’, which is wrong.
As ‘These Days’ comprises two basic English words, its origin is as old as English. It is used with the present continuous tense to show the temporary condition in an extended time.
It can be interchangeably used with words like ‘nowadays,’ but the difference in using this particular word is that it is informal.
Some examples of ‘These Days’ in sentences are:-
- These days girls score higher in board exams.
- I am drinking far too much these days.
- I am doing two jobs these days.
- These days no one initiates to give a helping hand to the person in need.
As we infer from the above examples, how to use ‘these days’ in sentences to show temporary situations or actions of the present time. We can also read and understand it to use it in our sentences without making any mistakes.
Main Differences Between Nowadays and These Days
- ‘Nowadays’ is used to compare past conditions to the present; on the other hand ‘, These Days’ is used to show temporary situations or quick actions of the present.
- Nowadays and These Days can be used interchangeably, but the first is used to make sentences more formal, and the latter is used informally.
- ‘Nowadays’ is used with present simple and continuous tense, whereas ‘These days’ is used with present continuous tense.
- ‘Nowadays’ is mainly used comparatively. On the other hand, ‘These days’ is primarily used to show a degree of temporariness in the sentence.
- ‘Nowadays’ evolved from the word Now adays to form a single word while ‘These days’ is just a conjunction of two words.
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Emma Smith holds an MA degree in English from Irvine Valley College. She has been a Journalist since 2002, writing articles on the English language, Sports, and Law. Read more about me on her bio page.
