Después without the "de"

Question

Can I use después without the "de". For example, after the movie: después la película. Is this okay or do you ALWAYS have to use "después de" ? Gracias por su ayuda.

Answer 1

Después de _______ means "after ________" in the sense that you are going to say something happens after the first thing.

For example:

After we watch the movie, we'll read the book = Después de ver la película, vamos a leer el libro

After that day I never returned = Después de alquel día, nunca volví

However, you can use "Después, ______" to mean "After that, _______" or "Afterwards, _____".

I came home. After that, I slept = Regresé a casa. Después, me dormí.

I made him dance. Afterwards he slept = Le hice bailar. Después, se durmió

Good, Hacker! - annierats, Nov 26, 2013

Thanks! The subjunctive is starting to make sense to me. Now time to tackle the monster that is "se" - HackerKing, Nov 27, 2013

Answer 2

Can I use después without the "de"

Yes, but not in the way that you have indicated.

1. after the movie: después de la película.
2. after he watched the movie: después que vio la película
3. after watching the movie: después de ver la película
4. We're going to watch the movie a little later: Vamos a ver la película un poco después.

I wasn't sure about "después que vio..." but I looked it up and it is acceptable along with "después de que vio..." - Jubilado, Nov 26, 2013

Interesting. I would have wondered about that too. 2 still sounds odd to me. So much to learn. I need to find more examples like that one and an explanation to internalize it better. - rogspax, Nov 26, 2013

In speech I've heard the "de" dropped in "de que" . I've never seen it written though - HackerKing, Nov 26, 2013

Answer 3

after he watched the movie: después que vio la película

I have never heard this sentence structure without de, so maybe it is regional.

It is regional, however, to say this expression with indicative or subjunctive while using de. Mexico: .... después de que viera la peli ....... (the most common form, also "después de ver .....")

Interesante - 00a50c57, Nov 26, 2013

Interesting. The more common form is more familiar to me, but slowly, I am starting to notice the other, and that Mexicans use the imperfect subjunctive a LoT. Including in places where we are taught to use infinitive or conditional. - rogspax, Nov 26, 2013

Answer 4

Hacker:

What about the following?

"Siempre me ducho después de que él regrese a casa" In this sentence, I know he's going to return home (he always does) so I use indicative.

If I use the subjunctive, what would it mean?

Edit: 11-27-13

Hacker:

Sorry, I made a mistake there:

Siempre me ducho después de que él regresa. (Indicative)

The subjunctive does not fit there, at all. You are right. I had my mind fixed on something else.

Me ducho después de que él regrese/regresa. (is used with both indicative and subjunctive) (there is a slight diff in there, in case you want to continue the discussion)

I'd say that it means "I always shower after he comes home". However, the subjunctive means that you are anticipating him coming home. However since you used "siempre" this is a habitual action. I'd say that the subjucntive should just not be used. - HackerKing, Nov 27, 2013

What about I always shower after he comes home, thing is he comes in at different time of the evening.... ;D - chileno, Nov 27, 2013

See my edit, please - chileno, Nov 27, 2013

Then I'd say the new sentence is good. - HackerKing, Nov 28, 2013

Answer 5

In terms of using subjunctive or indicative, I've learned that it depends on context.

"Siempre me ducho después de que él regresa a casa" In this sentence, I know he's going to return home (he always does) so I use indicative.

"Me duché despues de que regresara él a casa". Here, there was no habitual action, so I use the subjunctive.

The above is how I learned it. Interestingly enough, I have never actually heard the indicative after "después de que". I always hear subjunctive. I would agree that it's probably regional then.

Excellent! One wonders about "never actually heard..." I suppose one could hear it in more academic settings. - Jubilado, Nov 26, 2013

Or perhaps the indicative use occurs in literature? - Jubilado, Nov 26, 2013

Answer 6

It is, like Julian states:

después de que veamos la película iremos a comer helados.

después (de la película) iremos a comer helados.

both are correct, but the construction is a bit diff..

See?