Vocabulary

Level: A1
Accent: 1 accent
Time: 15 min

Learn Spanish: antes vs. después for earlier and later time

By MicroSpanish editorial team Published 6 Nov 2026

The short answer

Antes expresses earlier timing, prior occurrences, or doing something beforehand. Después expresses subsequent timing, later events, or doing something afterward. Both are invariable adverbs that do not change for gender or number. When specifying an exact reference point like a noun or another activity, each adds the preposition de.

Key points

Remember this rule: use antes for what happens earlier, and use después for what happens later.
Add de whenever you introduce the specific reference event, meal, or action.
Use standalone antes to mean beforehand or earlier without naming the reference event.

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

Reviso el documento antes de firmar.

I review the document before signing.

Why it works: Antes de pairs with the infinitive firmar to show the review comes first.

2 more examples

Salimos al cine después de cenar.

We go out to the cinema after having dinner.

Después de connects the outing to the preceding dinner.
Llegamos al museo después de la una.

We arrive at the museum after one o'clock.

Después de introduces a specific clock time reference.

Read the full guide

8 short steps, one check each

Use standalone antes to mean earlier or beforehand

How do you say that an action happened earlier without naming a specific second event?

The problem: How do you say that an action happened earlier without naming a specific second event?

When you want to state that something occurred beforehand, use antes alone. In this role, it acts as an invariable adverb describing the timing of the verb.

Nosotros llegamos antes.

We arrived earlier.

Why it works: Antes stands alone after the verb to indicate earlier arrival.
Yo hablé con el doctor antes.

I spoke with the doctor beforehand.

Why it works: Antes appears at the end of the clause to show the conversation took place beforehand.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that correctly states you bought tickets beforehand.

Show the answer

Answer: Yo compré los boletos antes.

Antes correctly communicates that the purchase took place earlier or beforehand.

Use standalone después to mean later or afterward

How do you explain that you will do something later without adding a second clause?

The problem: How do you explain that you will do something later without adding a second clause?

When an action is postponed or happens at a subsequent time, use después on its own. Like antes, it does not change its ending.

Nosotros comemos después.

We will eat later.

Why it works: Después stands alone to indicate that eating will take place at a later time.
Ellos pagan la cuenta después.

They will pay the bill afterward.

Why it works: Después follows the object to state that payment happens later.

You can practise this again in Learn Spanish: Antes de vs. Después de for Sequencing Actions and Learn Spanish: Encender vs. Apagar for Turning On and Turning Off.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that expresses you will call your friend later.

Show the answer

Answer: Yo llamo a mi amigo después.

Después indicates an action that will take place later in time.

Use antes de followed by an infinitive for actions done prior

How do you connect earlier timing to a specific action you perform next?

The problem: How do you connect earlier timing to a specific action you perform next?

When you specify an activity that comes next, pair antes with de and follow it directly with an unconjugated verb. Do not conjugate the verb that immediately follows the preposition.

Yo bebo agua antes de correr.

I drink water before running.

Why it works: Antes de is followed directly by the infinitive correr.
Ella apaga la luz antes de salir.

She turns off the light before leaving.

Why it works: Antes de links the prior action of turning off the light to the departure.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that correctly describes washing hands before eating.

Show the answer

Answer: Nos lavamos las manos antes de comer.

Antes de comer means before eating, indicating hygiene prior to the meal.

Use después de followed by an infinitive for subsequent actions

How do you express doing something after completing an activity?

The problem: How do you express doing something after completing an activity?

To state what happens following a particular activity, use después de followed directly by an infinitive verb. This structure links the finished action to the next step.

Nosotros descansamos después de caminar.

We rest after walking.

Why it works: Después de introduces the completed activity using the infinitive caminar.
Ellos limpian la mesa después de cenar.

They clean the table after having dinner.

Why it works: Después de cenar specifies that table cleaning follows dinner.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that states someone studies after working.

Show the answer

Answer: Él estudia después de trabajar.

Después de trabajar specifies that the studying takes place after the work is finished.

Pair antes de with scheduled events and noun phrases

How do you say something happens prior to a calendar event, class, or meeting?

The problem: How do you say something happens prior to a calendar event, class, or meeting?

Antes de can also take a noun phrase as its reference point. When introducing a scheduled event, keep the appropriate article with the noun.

El tren llega antes de la noche.

The train arrives before nightfall.

Why it works: Antes de is followed by the feminine noun phrase la noche.
Tomamos un café antes de la reunión.

We have a coffee before the meeting.

Why it works: Antes de la reunión sets the coffee break prior to the business meeting.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that indicates preparing lunch before the class begins.

Show the answer

Answer: Preparo el almuerzo antes de la clase.

Antes de la clase places the preparation ahead of the scheduled lesson.

Pair después de with events and time points

How do you place an activity following a specific scheduled event or hour?

The problem: How do you place an activity following a specific scheduled event or hour?

When an action occurs following a specific event or milestone, use después de followed by the noun phrase. This clearly anchors the timing.

Regresamos a casa después del concierto.

We return home after the concert.

Why it works: De and el combine into del before the masculine singular noun concierto.
La tienda abre después de las diez.

The shop opens after ten o'clock.

Why it works: Después de connects directly to the time expression las diez.

Your turn

Choose the sentence that describes visiting the park after the movie.

Show the answer

Answer: Caminamos por el parque después de la película.

Después de la película specifies that the walk occurs subsequent to the film.

Combine de and el into del with masculine nouns

What happens when antes de or después de meets a masculine noun with el?

The problem: What happens when antes de or después de meets a masculine noun with el?

In Spanish, the preposition de and the definite article el must merge into the mandatory contraction del. This applies equally to antes de and después de.

Leemos las notas antes del examen.

We read the notes before the exam.

Why it works: De and el merge into del before the masculine noun examen.
Cenamos juntos después del trabajo.

We have dinner together after work.

Why it works: De and el contract into del before the masculine noun trabajo.

Your turn

Choose the grammatically correct sentence using the masculine noun el almuerzo.

Show the answer

Answer: Paseamos por el jardín después del almuerzo.

De and el must form the contraction del before masculine singular nouns.

Choose between antes and después based on sequence

How do you select the right word when comparing two steps in a routine?

The problem: How do you select the right word when comparing two steps in a routine?

To choose accurately, look at which action is the anchor and whether your main verb happens earlier or later relative to that anchor. Think of antes as looking backward to what precedes, and después as looking forward to what follows.

Compro el pan antes de desayunar.

I buy bread before having breakfast.

Why it works: Buying bread happens first, so antes de precedes the breakfast anchor.
Lavo los platos después de desayunar.

I wash the dishes after having breakfast.

Why it works: Washing dishes happens subsequent to breakfast, requiring después de.

Your turn

You need to show you organize your suitcase prior to your trip. Which sentence is correct?

Show the answer

Answer: Organizo la maleta antes del viaje.

Organizing happens prior to departure, so antes del viaje is the logical choice.

Before you go

Remember this

Remember this rule: use antes for what happens earlier, and use después for what happens later. Add de whenever you introduce the specific reference event, meal, or action.

Stage 2 of 5