# I just paid rent, and now I have no money



## kyrintethron

안녕하세요!

Most of the words in this sentence, I just learned today, so I wanted to be sure that this sentence I constructed makes sense. Google Translate is usually pretty helpful with this, but in this instance, I'm afraid it might be inaccurate. Here's my sentence:

(난) 방금 임대료를 지불했고 이제 돈이 없어요. - I just paid rent, and now I have no money.

고마워요!
-K


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## DaBIG

That's correct and nothing to change at all. Good job!


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## kyrintethron

That's awesome! Thanks!

-K


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## chemnerd

방금 월세를 내서 지금은/이제 돈이 없어요 (I have no money since I just paid the rent) would be a more authentic expression unless you run a shop.


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## kyrintethron

Thanks chemnerd. I just spent like the last 2 hours deciphering the difference between 지금 and 이제. It seems to me that 지금 tends to focus on the "nowness" (which I think is indicated by the 은 topic marker you used with it), emphasizing what's happening in the present moment, whereas 이제 tends to focus on what's being discussed, and only indicates that it is happening now. E.g.:

지금은 돈이 없어요 - (Right) now, I have no money. 
   Perhaps in response to a friend asking to borrow ₩5000
이제 돈이 없어요 - I have no money now.
   Perhaps explaining that you lost it in Vegas

I know that in many cases they are interchangeable, but is my assessment here correct? And if it is, would I be correct in assuming that 이제 would be the more natural choice in the original "paying the rent" example?

고마워요,
-K

edit: Actually, let me amend my question, because I think I can see how each choice would give the sentence a different meaning. Are these "understandings" correct:

방금 월세를 내서 지금은 돈이 없어요 - Right now, I don't have any money, because I just paid the rent.
   This might be in response to someone asking if you want to go see a movie.

방금 월세를 내서 이제 돈이 없어요 - Since I just paid my rent, I don't have any money now.
   This might be in response to someone asking why you look so sad.


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## stevesjlee

If you want to know the difference between 지금 and 이제... It really depends on the situation. They might be the same or slighly different.
In this case, if you use 지금(은), it truely means now! (for now or right now)
Using 이제 adds some meaning of consequence. ~, therefore, I have no money now.
In this case, I think using 지금 is better. By using 지금, you can just express your situation only (the fact) to your friend.

"Are you finished with that? Let's go now, then." 그거 다 끝냈어? 그럼 이제 가자.
Since you're finished with it, (therefore) we can go now. You can use 이제 for this kind of situation.
Paying the rent can only be one of many reasons why I don't have money now... Unless the situation is a direct consequence from other situations, you'd better use 지금.
Well, even if you use 이제, it still sounds OK. 
However, it can also means that you have expected this situation as a consequence of something. (이제 also has meaning of "finally or from now on".)
From your friend's point of view who wants to borrow some money from you, he might take it personally thinking that you're teasing him.

You last two sample sentences are perfect ones!


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## kyrintethron

stevesjlee said:
			
		

> "Are you finished with that? Let's go now, then." 그거 다 끝냈어? 그럼 이제 가자.



Thanks for your response, stevesjlee. I just have a few more questions make sure that I'm understanding this fully.

1) If you used 지금 in your example, it seems like it would give a sense of urgency. "Then let's go right now!" Am I right about this?
2) If I'm right, 끝냈어 is 해체 "style", and 가자 is written in 해라체. Is it common to switch up politeness levels mid-speech? or is this specific to constructions like 가자 (hortative) and 가라 (imperative) because their 해체 forms are all the same (가 could be hortative, imperative, or simply present tense)?

-K


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## chemnerd

Hi kyrintethron

Basically all expressions you mentioned including the very first sentence(임대료..) are understandable.


As 지금은 or 이제 is used for emphatic adverbs, 방금 월세를 내서 돈이 없어요 is perfectly correct.


1.방금 월세를 내서 지금은 돈이 없어요.
지금은 just means 'now'.

2.방금 월세를 내서 이제 돈이 없어요.
I would say 이제 is an adversative adverb, which means it emphasises the change in situation. Simply saying 이제 돈이 없다 implies that I don't have money even though I had money. e.g. 컴퓨터가 이제 되네요 (This computer works now) means it didn't work though, for some reason, it works now.




> 1) If you used 지금 in your example, it seems like it would give a sense of urgency. "Then let's go right now!" Am I right about this?
> 2) If I'm right, 끝냈어 is 해체 "style", and 가자 is written in 해라체. Is it common to switch up politeness levels mid-speech? or is this specific to constructions like 가자 (hortative) and 가라 (imperative) because their 해체 forms are all the same (가 could be hortative, imperative, or simply present tense)?



1) 지금 doesn't indicate a sense of urgency. As I said above, it means 'now'.
2) Don't think comlicated. Consider only two groups (1. an acquaintances who is younger than you or the same age, 2. an acquaintances who is older than you or a stranger). Both 해체 and 해라체 are used when we say to friends or the listener who is younger than us.


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## stevesjlee

그럼 지금 가자 vs. 그럼 이제 가자
In this situation, these two have no difference: simply meaing "now".  Of course, you're right, 지금 can add extra meaning of urgency and 이제 can add extra meaning of "finally or then." 
By just saying these two sentences, both would mean "Let's go now."  
If you're in a hurry and your friend knows that you are in a hurry, he or she would sense some urgency by hearing 지금. (but not that serious...)
It depends on the situation.

끝냈어? is a question and 가자 is "let's go".  You can use both expressions to someone close to you and youger than you or at the same age.
You can't say these to someone older than you or in a formal situation. 

가라 is an imperative form. However, never used in a practical conversation.  It's very literary stye...  Only used in a poetic expression or lyrics of songs. 
The only common situation I can think of is when an army general is yelling at his solders during 1800's.....

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Thanks for your response, stevesjlee. I just have a few more questions make sure that I'm understanding this fully.

1) If you used 지금 in your example, it seems like it would give a sense of urgency. "Then let's go right now!" Am I right about this?
2) If I'm right, 끝냈어 is 해체 "style", and 가자 is written in 해라체. Is it common to switch up politeness levels mid-speech? or is this specific to constructions like 가자 (hortative) and 가라 (imperative) because their 해체 forms are all the same (가 could be hortative, imperative, or simply present tense)?


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## chemnerd

A girlfriend said to her boyfriend "I like to go to the beach". Her boyfriend would say "All right. Let's go now" (그럼 지금 가자.) but would never say '그럼 이제 가자'. Strictly speaking, they are not the same.


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## stevesjlee

Good point, Chemnerd!
As I talked about on my earlier posting, 이제 includes some meaning of 'as a consequence of the previous event'.  
If a situation just happens without any reason (no relationship with the previous event), 지금 is the only right word.


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## kyrintethron

This is very interesting to me. I like both of your explanations about the nature of 이제: a consequential or an adversative "now". I think these two ideas help to make it very clear when to use 이제, and I'll stick to 지금 for all other instances. 

대단히 고맙습니다!
-K


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