JLPT N5Everyday

あとでafter; later

あとで is "after": 食たべたあとで, after eating. By itself it is "later": あとで電でん話わします, I'll call you later.

after doing

買かい物ものをしたあとで、家いえに帰かえりました。

I went home after shopping.

after a noun

仕し事ごとのあとで、友とも達だちと食しょく事じをします。

I will have a meal with a friend after work.

later

あとで電でん話わします。

I'll call you later.

After doing

Verb in the た-form + あとで

食たべたあとで, 行いったあとで. Always the た-form, even when the sentence is about the future.

After a noun

Noun + の + あとで

授じゅ業ぎょうのあとで, 食しょく事じのあとで.

Later

あとで

Nothing in front. Also written 後あとで.

After doing something

The half with あとで happens first. The rest comes at some time after it, soon or not.

この本ほんを読よんだあとで、弟おとうとに貸かします。

After I read this book, I will lend it to my younger brother.

雨あめがやんだあとで、出でかけましょう。

Let's go out after the rain stops.

The first half can have its own subject, marked with が.

Always the た-form

The thing before あとで is already done when the other one happens. So its verb is in the た-form, even in a sentence about the future.

宿しゅく題だいが終おわったあとで、ゲームをします。

I will play a game after I finish my homework.

Not said: 宿しゅく題だいが終おわるあとで、ゲームをします。

(I will play a game after I finish my homework.)

前まえに, "before", is the other way around.

ご飯はんを食たべる前まえに、手てを洗あらいます。

I wash my hands before eating.

Before: the meal is still ahead. Dictionary form.

ご飯はんを食たべたあとで、歯はを磨みがきます。

I brush my teeth after eating.

After: the meal is over. た-form.

After a noun

A noun needs の. A verb never takes it.

授じゅ業ぎょうのあとで、先せん生せいに質しつ問もんしてもいいですか。

May I ask the teacher a question after class?

Later

With nothing in front, あとで is "later": not now, but before long.

A

今いま、ちょっといいですか。

Do you have a moment now?

B

すみません、あとでもいいですか。

Sorry, would later be all right?

じゃ、またあとで。

See you later.

Said when you really will meet again soon, usually the same day. A general goodbye is じゃ、また.

後あとで, but 三みっ日か後ご

後あとで is this word in kanji. After an amount of time the same kanji is read ご: 三みっ日か後ご, three days later.

一いち時じ間かん後ごに、また来きます。

I'll come back in an hour.

あとで or てから?

Both are "after", and often either will do. てから lines the two up: first this, then that. あとで says when: at some time after.

ご飯はんを食たべてから、薬くすりを飲のみます。

I eat first, and then take my medicine.

The order: the meal comes first.

ご飯はんを食たべたあとで、薬くすりを飲のみます。

I take my medicine after eating.

The time: at some point after the meal.

"Since" is only てから. Only あとで follows a noun (仕し事ごとのあとで) or stands alone as "later" (あとで電でん話わします).

Close neighbours

てからN5

"After doing", with the order in plain view. It is also "since".

日本にほんに来きてから、三さん年ねんになります。

It has been three years since I came to Japan.

前まえにN5

"Before", and after an amount of time "ago". A verb before it is in the dictionary form.

一いち時じ間かん前まえに昼ひるご飯はんを食たべました。

I had lunch an hour ago.

たらN4

"When" or "once": the first thing happening is the cue for the second.

駅えきに着ついたら、電でん話わしてください。

Please call when you arrive at the station.

あとN4

Before an amount, あと says how much is left: あと五ご分ふんで is "in five minutes", not "later". At the start of a sentence it is "oh, and".

あと五ご分ふんで着つきます。

I'll be there in five minutes.

Check yourself

1Which one fits?

明日あした、昼ひるご飯はんを（　　）あとで、買かい物ものに行いきます。

Choose an answer to see why.

2Which one fits?

映えい画が（　　）、コーヒーを飲のみました。

Choose an answer to see why.

3Which one fits?

結けっ婚こん（　　）、五ご年ねんになります。

Choose an answer to see why.

More detail

Without で

After a verb or a noun you will also hear あと with no で.

ご飯はんを食たべたあと、少すこし散さん歩ぽしました。

I took a short walk after eating.

More sentences

映えい画がを見みたあとで、感かん想そうを話はなしました。

After watching the movie, we talked about our impressions.

食しょく事じをしたあとで、公こう園えんを散さん歩ぽしました。

After the meal, I took a walk in the park.

この本ほんは後あとで読よみます。

I'll read this book later.

Compared with similar forms

When, while, before, after