Where does “nou” come from?
nou (Afrikaans) comes from Dutch nou, from Middle Dutch nou, from Old Dutch nū, from Proto-Germanic nu, from Proto-Indo-European nū — now.
nou (Afrikaans): narrow; now
Ancestry of “nou”, step by step
| Step | Language | Word | Meaning |
|---|
| 1 | Dutch | nou | now; alternative form of nu; come on; so, well |
| 2 | Middle Dutch | nou | — |
| 3 | Old Dutch | nū | — |
| 4 | Proto-Germanic | nu | now |
| 5 | Proto-Indo-European | nū | now |