Vocabulary

Level: A1
Accent: 1 accent
Time: 15 min

Learn Spanish: Antes de vs. Después de for Sequencing Actions

By MicroSpanish editorial team Published 6 Nov 2026

The short answer

Use antes de before an infinitive verb or a noun to say that something happens before that action or event. Use después de before an infinitive verb or a noun to say that something happens after that action or event.

Key points

To order events accurately, identify the anchor point: choose antes de when an action precedes the reference activity, and choose después de when an action follows it.
Place an infinitive verb or a noun directly after de, or use standalone después without de when no following activity is linked.
Both phrases stay invariable: use antes de and después de unchanged before the stated infinitive or noun.

Start the lesson

This lesson has 5 stages. You can stop at any time and continue later.

Stage 1 of 5

Understand

What it means, when to use it, and mistakes to avoid.

Examples

Lavo los platos después de comer.

I wash the plates after eating.

Why it works: Después de points to the completed meal as the prior event.

2 more examples

Apago la computadora antes de salir de la oficina.

I turn off the computer before leaving the office.

Antes de marks the departure as the later event.
Descansamos un rato después del viaje.

We rest a while after the trip.

The contracted form del connects después directly to the masculine noun viaje.

Read the full guide

7 short steps, one check each

Ordering actions with infinitive verbs

Beginners often try to conjugate the verb after de or look for a continuous form that does not belong here.

The problem: Beginners often try to conjugate the verb after de or look for a continuous form that does not belong here.

When you want to say what you do before or after another activity, place the basic infinitive verb directly after antes de or después de. The preposition de requires the infinitive when the same person performs both actions.

Tomo un vaso de agua antes de correr.

I drink a glass of water before running.

Why it works: Antes de introduces the upcoming run as the chronological anchor.
Descanso un poco después de correr.

I rest a little after running.

Why it works: Después de marks the resting action as happening after the completed run.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that correctly says: 'We prepare dinner before studying.'

Show the answer

Answer: Preparamos la cena antes de estudiar.

Antes de correctly indicates that preparing dinner takes place prior to studying, and de is followed by the infinitive estudiar.

Specifying time intervals before the connector

Learners often place time amounts like ten minutes or one hour after de instead of before antes de or después de.

The problem: Learners often place time amounts like ten minutes or one hour after de instead of before antes de or después de.

When you want to state how much time passes before or after an activity, place the time amount directly in front of antes de or después de. Spanish puts the duration first: quince minutos antes de or una hora después de.

Tomo café quince minutos antes de salir.

I drink coffee fifteen minutes before leaving.

Why it works: The time interval quince minutos sits directly before antes de to specify when the drink happens.
Salimos a caminar una hora después de comer.

We go for a walk an hour after eating.

Why it works: The duration una hora goes in front of después de to show the delay after the meal.

You can practise this again in Learn Spanish: antes vs. después for earlier and later time and Learn Spanish: Primero vs. Antes for First Steps and Earlier Time.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that correctly says: 'We prepare the table twenty minutes before eating.'

Show the answer

Answer: Preparamos la mesa veinte minutos antes de comer.

The time amount veinte minutos goes directly in front of antes de to state the interval before the action.

Using scheduled events and nouns as anchors

Learners sometimes wonder whether antes de and después de can link directly to noun events such as classes or meals.

The problem: Learners sometimes wonder whether antes de and después de can link directly to noun events such as classes or meals.

You can connect antes de and después de directly to noun events such as a class, a meeting, or a meal. When the following noun is masculine singular and uses el, combine de and el into del.

Llegamos a la oficina antes de la reunión.

We arrive at the office before the meeting.

Why it works: Antes de pairs directly with the feminine noun la reunión.
Hablamos con el profesor después del examen.

We speak with the teacher after the exam.

Why it works: De and el combine naturally into del before the masculine noun examen.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that correctly states: 'They drink coffee after lunch.'

Show the answer

Answer: Toman café después del almuerzo.

Después del almuerzo accurately expresses subsequent time and applies the required contraction del (de + el).

Placing the time phrase at the start or end

Learners may think the time phrase can only appear at the end of a sentence.

The problem: Learners may think the time phrase can only appear at the end of a sentence.

You can place the phrase with antes de or después de at the start of your sentence or at the end. When you put the time connector at the beginning, you can separate it with a comma for visual clarity, especially with longer introductory phrases.

Antes de salir de casa, apago la luz.

Before leaving the house, I turn off the light.

Why it works: Placing the time frame first sets the condition before the main action.
Después de la clase, voy a la biblioteca.

After the class, I go to the library.

Why it works: Leading with the time phrase clarifies the subsequent plan.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that correctly places the time phrase at the beginning to describe reviewing before an exam.

Show the answer

Answer: Antes del examen, repaso mis notas.

Antes del examen, repaso mis notas correctly places the entire time phrase at the start of the sentence before the main clause.

Connecting an action versus using standalone después

Learners sometimes add de when después appears alone, or drop de before an infinitive when linking two actions.

The problem: Learners sometimes add de when después appears alone, or drop de before an infinitive when linking two actions.

When you introduce a following action, you must include de: después de cenar. When you simply state that something happens afterward without naming a following activity, use standalone después without de. When de directly links an action by the same person, use the infinitive form of the verb.

Cenamos juntos y después descansamos.

We eat dinner together and afterward we rest.

Why it works: Después stands alone as an adverb because no following noun or infinitive is linked.
Descansamos un poco después de cenar.

We rest a little after eating dinner.

Why it works: Después de connects directly to the infinitive action cenar.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that correctly says: 'First we eat, and afterward we talk.'

Show the answer

Answer: Primero comemos y después conversamos.

Después stands alone without de because it describes what happens afterward without linking to a following noun or infinitive.

Attaching reflexive pronouns to the infinitive

Learners sometimes place reflexive pronouns before the connector or forget to match the pronoun to the subject.

The problem: Learners sometimes place reflexive pronouns before the connector or forget to match the pronoun to the subject.

When you sequence routine actions using a reflexive verb after antes de or después de, attach the reflexive pronoun directly to the end of the infinitive. Make sure the pronoun agrees with the person performing the action: use -me for yo, -te for tú, or -nos for nosotros.

Me quito los zapatos antes de sentarme.

I take off my shoes before sitting down.

Why it works: The reflexive pronoun me attaches directly to the infinitive to form sentarme to match yo.
Nos lavamos las manos después de vestirnos.

We wash our hands after getting dressed.

Why it works: The pronoun nos attaches directly to the infinitive to form vestirnos to match the subject nosotros.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that correctly says: 'I wash my face before going to bed.'

Show the answer

Answer: Me lavo la cara antes de acostarme.

Antes de requires the infinitive acostar, and the reflexive pronoun me attaches to the end to agree with yo.

Using specific clock hours as anchors

Learners sometimes drop de before hours or mistakenly contract de with feminine hour articles.

The problem: Learners sometimes drop de before hours or mistakenly contract de with feminine hour articles.

When you anchor an action to a specific clock time, use antes de or después de followed by the feminine article for hours: la for one o'clock, and las for all other hours. Unlike masculine singular nouns, the feminine article las never contracts with de.

Llego a la oficina antes de las ocho.

I arrive at the office before eight o'clock.

Why it works: Antes de pairs directly with the feminine plural hour las ocho without contracting.
Cenamos con amigos después de las nueve.

We have dinner with friends after nine o'clock.

Why it works: Después de introduces the scheduled hour las nueve as the time reference.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that correctly says: 'We arrive at the station before seven o'clock.'

Show the answer

Answer: Llegamos a la estación antes de las siete.

Antes de las siete correctly retains the preposition de before the feminine article las, with no contraction.

Before you go

Remember this

To order events accurately, identify the anchor point: choose antes de when an action precedes the reference activity, and choose después de when an action follows it. Place an infinitive verb or a noun directly after de, or use standalone después without de when no following activity is linked.

Stage 2 of 5