Questions & Answers about Nun ist alles fertig.
Both nun and jetzt mean "now". Why use nun here?
While jetzt simply means "right at this moment," nun often connects to what just happened. In a sequence of events, nun acts a bit like "So, now..." or "Finally..." indicating the result of previous steps. It implies "After doing all those things, now everything is ready."
Why is the verb ist before the subject alles?
Because German has a strict "verb second" rule. The sentence starts with the time adverb Nun in the first position, so the verb ist must take the second position. The subject alles gets pushed to the third spot.
Could I say alle instead of alles?
No, because they mean different things! alles means "everything" and is treated as a single concept (which is why it uses the singular verb ist). alle means "everyone" or "all of them," which is plural (and would instead need the plural verb sind).
I thought fertig meant "finished". Does it mean "ready" here?
It can mean both! In German, being "finished" with a preparation task means the thing is "ready." Whether a meal is finally prepared or a project is done, you describe it as fertig.
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