Translation guide
The English word "later" can refer to a point in the future, after some event, or a casual goodbye. Japanese uses different words and grammar depending on the nuance.
I'll call you later.
I'll eat later.
Often used as a casual farewell, like "see you later" or "talk to you later".
See you later!
A more formal version of 後で, often used in business settings or polite speech.
I will contact you later.
To indicate that something happens after a specific event or point in time.
Attach to a noun or event to mean "after ~".
How about going for a drink after work?
Let's have a meal after the movie.
Used after a verb in て-form to mean "after doing ~". Emphasizes the sequence of actions.
I'll play after doing my homework.
Used after a verb in past plain form to mean "after doing ~". Similar to 〜てから but slightly more formal or written.
I brush my teeth after eating.
To refer to something that comes after in a series, like "later chapters" or "later that day".
Used as a short, informal way to say goodbye, like "Later!" or "See ya!".
A very common casual goodbye, equivalent to "See you" or "Later".
Later! See you tomorrow!
Another casual goodbye, literally "again, right?" but used like "Later!".
Bye, later!
Kansai dialect equivalent of じゃあね, used in western Japan.
Later, goodbye.
To express that something will inevitably happen at some point in the future.
The English word "later" is sometimes borrowed as レイター in very casual slang among young people, but it's not standard and can sound unnatural. Stick to the Japanese expressions above.
後で (あとで) is the standard adverbial form meaning "later". 後に (あとに) is used more in temporal sequences (e.g., Aの後にB) or in written language. For simple "I'll do it later", always use 後で.
I'll do it later.
See you later!
試合の後半に点を入れました。
They scored in the later part of the game.
You'll find out sooner or later.