tras
“tras” means “after” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
after
📝 In Action
Llegaron uno tras otro.
A2They arrived one after another.
Día tras día, la situación mejoraba.
A2Day after day, the situation improved.
Año tras año, visitamos la misma playa.
B1Year after year, we visit the same beach.
behind
📝 In Action
El niño se escondió tras la puerta.
B1The child hid behind the door.
El sol desapareció tras las montañas.
B1The sun disappeared behind the mountains.
Dejó las llaves tras el jarrón.
B2He left the keys behind the vase.
after
Also: in search of
📝 In Action
La policía corría tras el ladrón.
B1The police were running after the thief.
El equipo va tras el campeonato.
B2The team is going after the championship.
Pasó su vida tras la fama y la fortuna.
C1He spent his life in pursuit of fame and fortune.
🔀 Commonly Confused With
Translate to Spanish
🗣️ Practice in a Tongue Twister
✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: tras
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence uses 'tras' to mean 'in pursuit of' a goal?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
🎵 Rhymes▼
📚 Etymology▼
Comes from the Latin word 'trans', which meant 'across', 'beyond', or 'on the other side of'. Over time, its meaning shifted in Spanish to focus more on the idea of being 'behind' or 'following after' something.
First recorded: Around the 10th century
Cognates (Related words)
💡 Master Spanish
Take your Spanish to the next level. Read 200+ illustrated and narrated Spanish stories tailored to your level with the Inklingo app!
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'tras', 'detrás de', and 'después de'?
'Tras' and 'detrás de' can both mean 'behind' a location, but 'detrás de' is much more common in daily speech. 'Después de' always means 'after' in time. While 'tras' can also mean 'after', it's often used for sequences ('uno tras otro') or goals ('ir tras un sueño'), whereas 'después de' is for general time ('después de la clase').
Can I say 'tras de mí'?
You should avoid it. The correct and standard way to say 'behind me' is 'detrás de mí'. While you might occasionally hear 'tras de mí' in some regions or older texts, it's best to stick with 'tras mí' or, even better, 'detrás de mí' for clarity.