後で
🃏 Flashcard
後で
ato de
Tap to reveal usage
after ~; later
N4
Tap to test your recall · +10 XP
📊 Pattern Stats
JLPT Level
N4
Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences
Reading
ato de
Post ID
50685
Patterns today
0
0 / 10 daily goal
📝 Usage Notes
after ~; later
📖 How to use it
This pattern expresses that something happens after a certain time or event, or simply 'later'.
Attaches to
Attach 後で to the plain past form of a verb (e.g., 食べた後で) or to a noun with の (e.g., 仕事の後で). For time expressions, use の後で as well (e.g., 5時の後で). 後で can also be used adverbially to mean 'later.'
後で is used to say that something will happen after a particular time or after another action. It is a common, everyday expression. When attached to a verb, use the past tense (た-form) to say 'after doing something.' For example, ご飯を食べた後で means 'after eating.' When attached to a noun, you say の後で, as in 仕事の後で. 後で also means 'later' when used alone, like 'I'll do it later.'
仕事の後で、映画を見に行きます。
Shigoto no ato de, eiga o mi ni ikimasu.
After work, I will go to see a movie.
ご飯を食べた後で、散歩しましょう。
Gohan o tabeta ato de, sanpo shimashou.
Let's take a walk after eating.
後で電話します。
Ato de denwa shimasu.
I will call you later.
Not 後で vs 前に (mae ni) meaning 'before'.
後で indicates a following action, 前に indicates a preceding action. For example, 食べた後で = after eating, 食べる前に = before eating.
Register
This pattern is neutral and used in both spoken and written Japanese, suitable for all levels of formality.
🎯 Quick Quiz
What does this grammar pattern mean or do?
後で
📚 How to Master This Pattern
Say It Aloud
Press Hear it and repeat 後で three times. Feel the rhythm — grammar patterns have a natural flow.
Flip Before Reading
Always try to recall the usage before flipping the card. Struggle = learning. Every failed recall makes the next one stick harder.
Write Two Sentences
Compose two original sentences using 後で. One about yourself, one about something you see right now.
Spaced Review
Save this pattern and revisit at 10 min, 1 day, 3 days. Production (writing) beats recognition for grammar.
🔗 More JLPT N4 Patterns
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
What does the grammar pattern 後で mean?
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After ~; later
What JLPT level is 後で?
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Nihoner currently groups this pattern under JLPT N4 — Upper-Beginner · Forming complex sentences. Use the level label as study guidance rather than a prediction of what will appear on an exam.
How do you use 後で in a sentence?
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Attach 後で (ato de) to the appropriate verb or noun form as described in the usage notes. Then try writing two original sentences — one about yourself and one about something around you.
Is 後で formal or casual Japanese?
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後で is used in both casual and polite contexts. It appears frequently in everyday conversation, textbooks, and simple written materials.
How can I remember 後で long-term?
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Use the flashcard on this page for active recall — see the pattern, reconstruct the usage from memory, then flip. Follow with the 4-choice quiz to distinguish it from similar patterns. Review later the same day and again over the following days. Writing original sentences can help you practise using the pattern in context.