あとで — After (with a time gap)

Expresses that one action follows another, allowing a vague gap in between. Looser and less immediate than てから.

Structure

[Verb plain-past (た) / Noun + の] + あとで

食べたあとで、歯を磨きます。

Tabeta ato de, ha o migakimasu.

I'll brush my teeth after eating.

食べた (past-tense verb, action completed) + あとで.

仕事のあとで、飲みに行きましょう。

Shigoto no ato de, nomi ni ikimashou.

Let's go for a drink after work.

Noun + の + あとで (仕事のあとで).

宿題をしたあとで、テレビを見ます。

Shukudai o shita ato de, terebi o mimasu.

I watch TV after doing my homework.

した (past-tense verb, action completed) + あとで.

• Past-tense rule: The verb before あとで must be た-form (食べたあとで), never 食べるあとで — the first action must be complete. • Nouns connect with の: 授業のあとで.

The JLPT rarely asks whether you recognise a pattern — it asks which of several similar patterns fits. These are the ones あとで is tested against.

食べてから磨く = brush right after eating (tight sequence, emphasis on order); 食べたあとで磨く = brush at some vague point after eating (looser gap).

前に is the opposite ('before') and takes the DICTIONARY form (食べる前に), whereas あとで takes the PAST form (食べたあとで).

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