The interjection "Now"

[whitelighter]

In English, the word "now" can sometimes be used just as a lead-in, for instance:

"Now I'm not here to sell you something - just to raise money for charity".

Is there a similar utterance in Spanish. I'm guessing that "ahora" wouldn't have the same meaning.

[AngelicaDeAlquezar]

Right, it wouldn't mean the same thing.

If you want to make a pause to get your listener's attention, you may use the verb "mirar", the same way "look" works sometimes in English:

-Mire/mira no quiero venderle/venderte nada; estoy recolectando dinero para caridad".

[aleCcowaN]

"Ahora bien" another way to say it.

But I don't understand the function of "now" in the original English version. If the conversation is starting with that we wouldn't use anything.

[Rusty]

'Now' is a filler (es una muletilla).

[aleCcowaN]

Then, I'd favour using "ahora bien" which gives focus to whatever follows it and promotes it to be taken for granted (in the sense of accepting it as true). Using the imperative of "mirar" plays a similar role, but it focuses more on the person and not the fact. It's like a "set aside any other consideration and concentrate in what follows". If you are doubted, you certainly should use "mir-a/e/en/ad".

[whitelighter]

Gracias, me ayuda mucho.

[Aprendo]

"Ahora bien" another way to say it.

But I don't understand the function of "now" in the original English version. If the conversation is starting with that we wouldn't use anything.

Rusty notes "now" is a filler, but I think it's very rarely used.

I've lived in 4 cities / regions of the US and using 'now' like this is rare, IME.

[poli]

Now is used much the same way well is used. It's a little less common, though.
Now can have more meaning. Example: Well, let's see if he lasts four years, and now, let's see if he lasts four years. They can have identical meaning, but the sentence beginning with now may indicate that the latest gaffe may be the spoiler.

[pjt33]

My impression is that the most common introductory filler word I hear in Spain is bueno.

[poli]

Pues tambien

[JPablo]

Bueno, estoy de acuerdo con pjt33, en que "bueno", sería lo más común.

Ahora, hay que tener en cuenta que "ahora", tiene, en su definición 7 de la Real Academia el sentido de "ahora bien".

Lo copio del DRAE.

7. adv. ahora bien. Su libro ganó el premio. Ahora, eso no significa que me guste.

Ahora bien, eso no quiere decir que se use en todo el ámbito hispánico, o que ese uso se haya perdido hasta en España.

Ahora, recuerdo a mi padre usando "ahora" de esta forma.

Pero reconozco que este "ahora" ha dejado de ser "natural", puede sonar forzado o hasta pedante.

Sin embargo es un uso que equivale en buena medida a un "Now," (con coma) en inglés, usado como "filler" o muletilla.

Aunque volviendo a lo de la muletilla..., bueno..., "bueno" sería lo más coloquial y natural.

Dicho lo cual, debo decir que en mis años de experiencia traduciendo, estos "now"s, en muchos casos he usado "Ahora bien" y "ahora", y me he quedado tan ancho.

Ahora, eso no quiere decir que se tenga que usar o que se use así de forma generalizada.

Saludos cordiales..., ahora sí, ya me despido... :-))