Inklingo

How to Say "afterwards" in Spanish

English → Spanish

después

adverbA1General
Use 'después' for a general sense of 'later' or 'after' when indicating a time sequence, often following a previous action.

Examples

Primero cenamos y después vemos una película.

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

luego

lwe-goˈlwe.ɣo

adverbA1General
Use 'luego' to indicate what happens immediately or shortly after something else, often implying a direct consequence or next step in a sequence.
A visual sequence showing a person first putting on socks, and then putting on shoes, to illustrate the concept of 'afterwards' or 'next'.

Examples

Primero vamos a cenar y luego al cine.

First we're going to have dinner and then to the movies.

Termino el trabajo y luego te llamo.

I'll finish work and then I'll call you.

Nos vemos luego.

See you later.

Showing What's Next

'Luego' is a simple way to connect actions in time. It's like a signpost that says, 'Okay, after the first thing is done, this second thing happens.'

Confusing with 'Después'

Mistake: “'Luego' and 'después' are very similar, but 'después' is often followed by 'de' ('después de la clase'). 'Luego' usually stands on its own.”

Correction: Use 'luego' to simply connect two actions in a sentence ('Como y luego duermo'). Use 'después de' to say 'after something' ('Duermo después de comer').

posteriormente

pos-te-ryor-MEN-teposteɾjoɾˈmente

adverbB1Formal
Use 'posteriormente' to formally indicate that something occurred at a later time, often used in more structured narratives or slightly more formal contexts.
A child eating a main meal and then happily eating a bowl of ice cream.

Examples

Primero visitamos la catedral y posteriormente fuimos al museo.

First we visited the cathedral and afterwards we went to the museum.

El plan fue aprobado y, posteriormente, ejecutado por el equipo.

The plan was approved and, subsequently, executed by the team.

Se graduó en medicina y posteriormente se especializó en pediatría.

She graduated in medicine and later on specialized in pediatrics.

The '-mente' Ending

In Spanish, adding '-mente' to the end of a word is just like adding '-ly' in English. It turns a description into a word that tells us when or how something happens.

Placement in a Sentence

You can place this word at the beginning of a sentence to set the scene, or after a verb to show when that action took place.

Overusing it in Casual Speech

Mistake: “Using 'posteriormente' while chatting with friends about dinner.”

Correction: Use 'después' or 'luego' for everyday talking. 'Posteriormente' is better for emails, essays, or formal storytelling.

Choosing between 'después' and 'luego'

The most common confusion is between 'después' and 'luego', as they are often interchangeable in everyday speech. For most simple sequences, either will work, but 'luego' can sometimes imply a more immediate or direct next step than 'después'.

Related Translations

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