What's the difference between después and luego?

Después emphasizes after, in sequence (primero, después, luego, finalmente). Luego often means then or later with a slight time-passing flavor (te llamo luego, I'll call you later). Both can stand for after in many contexts, with después slightly more common in spoken Spanish.

When do I use después de vs después?

Use después de before a noun or infinitive: después del partido (after the game), después de comer (after eating). Use después alone when nothing follows it directly: terminé el trabajo y después descansé (I finished the work and afterward I rested).

How do I remember after in Spanish?

Hear después, después de, and luego in real native sentences about plans, routines, and stories. Parrot's videos surface them in everyday context (after lunch, then we go, see you later) so the right form picks itself when you talk.

Spanish vocabulary · Beginner

After in Spanish: Después, Después De, Luego, and When to Use Each

Written by Sofia Ramirez, Lead Spanish Curriculum Editor · Reviewed May 2026

Después · adverb / preposition · dehs-PWEHS

After in Spanish is después when used alone (vamos después, we'll go after) and después de before a noun or infinitive (después del almuerzo, after lunch; después de comer, after eating). Luego is the slightly different then-or-afterward synonym. Tras is the formal alternative.

Después is dehs-PWEHS, two syllables, stress on PWEHS. The accent on é marks the stress. Luego is loo-EH-goh. Tras is trahs.

Después de comer, vamos al parque.

After eating, we go to the park.

After in Spanish: Quick Reference

Below are the most common Spanish words for after, with pronunciation and regional usage notes.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation	Region / Register
después	after	dehs-PWEHS	Default, widely understood
después de	after		before a noun or infinitive: after lunch = después del almuerzo
luego	after		afterward, then
tras	after		literary or formal after (tras la reunión)
pasado(a)	after		after as in past: pasada la medianoche, after midnight

How Native Speakers Use Después

Real example sentences across three contexts you'll actually run into.

Adverb: after / afterward

Primero estudio, después descanso.

First I study, then I rest.

Después by itself works as an adverb meaning afterward or then, when no specific noun follows.

Preposition: after lunch / after eating

Después del almuerzo, fuimos al cine.

After lunch, we went to the movies.

Before a noun or an infinitive, you need después de. Note the contraction: de + el = del (después del almuerzo).

Future plans (synonym luego)

Te llamo luego.

I'll call you later.

Luego often stands in for después when the meaning leans toward later, in a bit. Hasta luego (see you later) is one of the most common Spanish goodbyes.

Avoid These Mistakes When Using Después

Forgetting de after después

Incorrect: Después la cena, vamos al cine.

Correct: Después de la cena, vamos al cine.

Before a noun, you always need después de (with de). Después la cena is incomplete grammar. Same applies before infinitives: después de comer, not después comer.

Using after as a verb tense (pasado)

Incorrect: Después del 2020, todo cambió.

Correct: Después del 2020, todo cambió. (correct, but for pasada la medianoche, use pasada, not después)

When after means past (pasada la medianoche, after midnight), Spanish prefers pasada/o. Después de la medianoche also works, but pasada la medianoche sounds more natural for the just-past sense.

Lock in After Vocabulary with the Parrot Method

Why word lists alone don't stick

Memorizing a translation feels productive, but most learners forget 70% of what they studied within 48 hours. Vocabulary needs spaced repetition AND real-world exposure to transfer to long-term memory.

See Después used by native speakers

Parrot's short-form videos feature native speakers using después in real situations. Context-based exposure beats flashcards, you hear Después de comer, vamos al parque. while watching someone live the moment, connecting meaning, sound, and rhythm at once.

Save, review, repeat, stay consistent

Tap any word to save it. Parrot's spaced-repetition system surfaces it right before you'd forget, no manual flashcard creation. The watch, parrot back, save, review cycle turns recognition into fluency at 2.7x the speed of traditional study.

Common Questions About After in Spanish

How do you say after in Spanish?: After in Spanish is después by itself (vamos después, we'll go after) and después de before a noun or infinitive (después del almuerzo, after lunch; después de comer, after eating). Luego is a synonym leaning toward later or then. Tras is the more formal or literary option.
What's the difference between después and luego?: Después emphasizes after, in sequence (primero, después, luego, finalmente). Luego often means then or later with a slight time-passing flavor (te llamo luego, I'll call you later). Both can stand for after in many contexts, with después slightly more common in spoken Spanish.
When do I use después de vs después?: Use después de before a noun or infinitive: después del partido (after the game), después de comer (after eating). Use después alone when nothing follows it directly: terminé el trabajo y después descansé (I finished the work and afterward I rested).
How do I remember after in Spanish?: Hear después, después de, and luego in real native sentences about plans, routines, and stories. Parrot's videos surface them in everyday context (after lunch, then we go, see you later) so the right form picks itself when you talk.