後で: saying what happens after

The idea

Put 後あとで after the verb’s plain た-form: 読よんだ後あとで means “after reading”. With a noun, insert の: 食た事の後あとで means “after the meal”.

Examples

• ご飯はんを食たべた後あとで、手てを洗あらいます。I wash my hands after eating.
• 学校がっこうへ行いった後あとで、本ほんを読よみます。I read a book after going to school.
• 出でかけた後あとで、友達ともだちに会あいます。I meet a friend after going out.
• 本ほんを読よんだ後あとで、寝ねます。I go to bed after reading a book.
• 会議かいぎの後あとで、水みずを飲のみます。I drink water after the meeting.
• 昨日きのう、家いえに帰かえった後あとで、電話でんわをしました。Yesterday I called after getting home.

Watch out

The た-form marks completion before the main action; it does not force the whole sentence into the past. For “before”, use dictionary form plus 前まえに.

Try it yourself

1. Complete the transformation using this lesson’s pattern: 「読よむ」→＿＿

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   読んだ後で

   読よむ → 読よんだ → 読よんだ後あとで — Put 後あとで after the verb’s plain た-form: 読よんだ後あとで means “after reading”. With a noun, insert の: 食た事の後あとで means “after the meal”.

2. Complete the transformation using this lesson’s pattern: 「食たべる」→＿＿

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   食べた後で

   食たべる → 食たべた → 食たべた後あとで — Put 後あとで after the verb’s plain た-form: 読よんだ後あとで means “after reading”. With a noun, insert の: 食た事の後あとで means “after the meal”.

3. Complete the transformation using this lesson’s pattern: 「会議かいぎ」→＿＿

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   会議の後で

   会議かいぎ → 会議かいぎの後あとで — Put 後あとで after the verb’s plain た-form: 読よんだ後あとで means “after reading”. With a noun, insert の: 食た事の後あとで means “after the meal”.

Use it today

Cover the table, then make two sentences of your own and check both the form and meaning.