después

/des-PWESS/

A person looking at a slice of cake on a plate, having just finished their main meal.

First you eat your meal, and 'después' (afterwards), you can have dessert.

después (Adverb)

afterwards?General, referring to a later time.,later?e.g., 'See you later.',then?Indicating the next event in a sequence.

Also:next?As in 'What shall we do next?'

📝 In Action

Primero cenamos y después vemos una película.

First we'll have dinner and then we'll watch a movie.

Llámame después, ahora estoy ocupado.

Call me later, I'm busy now.

¿Y qué pasó después?

And what happened afterwards?

Word Connections

Synonyms

luego (then, later)
más tarde (later)

Antonyms

antes (before)
ahora (now)

Common Collocations

un rato después – a little while later
poco después – shortly after
años después – years later

💡 Grammar Points

Using 'Después' By Itself

'Después' on its own usually comes at the beginning or end of a thought to mean 'afterwards' or 'later'. It tells you when the main action happens relative to something already mentioned.

❌ Common Pitfalls

'Después' vs. 'Luego'

Mistake: "'Comimos y después fuimos al cine.' vs. 'Comimos y luego fuimos al cine.'"

Correction: Both are correct and mean 'then'. However, 'después' can suggest a slightly longer pause or a more distinct separation between events than 'luego', which often implies 'right after'.

⭐ Usage Tips

Answering 'When?'

'Después' is a perfect one-word answer to the question '¿Cuándo?' (When?). For example: '¿Cuándo lo hacemos?' (When are we doing it?) 'Después.' (Later.)

A person walking out of a movie theater into the daylight, looking happy.

This person is happy 'después de la película' (after the movie).

después (Phrase)

after?Used before a noun or thing, as in 'after the party'.

📝 In Action

Vamos al parque después de la clase.

We're going to the park after class.

Lávate las manos después del trabajo.

Wash your hands after work.

Todo cambió después de ese día.

Everything changed after that day.

Word Connections

Antonyms

antes de (before)

Common Collocations

después del almuerzo – after lunch
después de la fiesta – after the party
después de todo – after all

💡 Grammar Points

The 'Después de' Combo

To say 'after something,' you almost always need the little word 'de'. Think of 'después de' as a single unit meaning 'after'. It is followed by the thing that happened first.

Contraction 'del'

Remember that 'de + el' becomes 'del'. So you say 'después del trabajo' (after the work), not 'después de el trabajo'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Forgetting 'de'

Mistake: "Voy a casa después la escuela."

Correction: Always remember to include 'de'. The correct sentence is: 'Voy a casa después de la escuela.'

⭐ Usage Tips

Connecting Events to Nouns

Use 'después de' + a noun (like 'la clase', 'el partido') to link a new action to a previous event.

A person is drying their hands with a towel, having just washed them at a sink.

You dry your hands 'después de lavarlas' (after washing them).

después (Phrase)

after doing [something]?Used before a verb, as in 'after running'.

📝 In Action

Después de comer, me gusta descansar.

After eating, I like to rest.

Llámame después de llegar a casa.

Call me after arriving home.

Se sintió mejor después de hablar con ella.

He felt better after talking with her.

Word Connections

Antonyms

antes de + [verb] (before doing [something])

Common Collocations

después de terminar – after finishing
después de salir – after leaving

💡 Grammar Points

'Después de' + Action Word

When you want to say 'after doing something,' you use 'después de' followed by the original '-ar', '-er', or '-ir' form of the verb. This original form is called the infinitive.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Changing the Verb Form

Mistake: "Me relajo después de trabajo."

Correction: The verb after 'después de' should not be changed. The correct form is: 'Me relajo después de trabajar' (I relax after working).

⭐ Usage Tips

Sequencing Your Actions

This structure is perfect for telling stories or giving instructions. For example: 'Después de estudiar, mira la tele.' (After studying, watch TV).

A person receiving a text message on their phone, which makes them smile with relief.

She felt relieved 'después de que él le escribió' (after he wrote to her).

después (Phrase)

after?Connecting two full sentences or ideas.

📝 In Action

Me fui después de que llegaste.

I left after you arrived.

Limpiamos la cocina después de que todos se fueron.

We cleaned the kitchen after everyone left.

Lo entendí mucho después de que me lo explicara.

I understood it long after he had explained it to me.

Word Connections

Antonyms

antes de que (before)

💡 Grammar Points

Connecting Full Ideas

Use 'después de que' to connect two complete ideas where each one has its own action (verb). For example, 'I left' and 'you arrived'. The 'que' acts as a bridge.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Forgetting 'que'

Mistake: "Llegué a casa después mi hermano salió."

Correction: When you are connecting two full ideas with different actors, you need the 'que'. It should be: 'Llegué a casa después de que mi hermano salió.'

⭐ Usage Tips

The Optional 'de'

You will sometimes hear native speakers say 'después que' instead of 'después de que'. While 'después de que' is often considered more grammatically correct, both are widely used in conversation.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: después

Question 1 of 3

Which sentence correctly says 'I'm going to read after eating'?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

posterior(later, subsequent) - adjective

posteriormente(subsequently, later on) - adverb

Frequently Asked Questions

What's the difference between 'después', 'luego', and 'entonces'?

They can all mean 'then', but with slight differences. 'Después' means 'afterwards' and often implies a clear separation in time. 'Luego' means 'then' or 'later' and often suggests the very next action. 'Entonces' is more like 'so then' or 'at that moment', often showing a consequence or a shift in the story.

Do I always need 'de' after 'después'?

Not always! If you mean 'afterwards' or 'later' in a general sense, you use 'después' alone (e.g., 'Lo haré después' - I'll do it later). You need 'de' when you are specifying what you are after (e.g., 'después de la clase' - after the class; 'después de comer' - after eating).

Is it 'después que' or 'después de que'?

This is a tricky one! When connecting two full sentences (like 'I left after you arrived'), the most formally correct way is 'después de que'. However, in everyday speech, many people drop the 'de' and just say 'después que'. Both are widely understood.