Luego and Entonces

Question

I have a question regarding the word "then" in Spanish. When would you use entonces vs luego?

Welcome to the forum , we want to help you so fill out your profile If you have a problem PM a mod Bienvenido al foro. Queremos ayudarle, entonces hay que llenar su perfil. Si hay un problema, envíe un mensaje personal (PM) - ray76, Feb 3, 2016

Write out some example sentences and we can correct them , that is the best way to learn . What is your level of Spanish ? - - ray76, Feb 3, 2016

http://spanish.about.com/od/translationsfromenglish/a/then.htm - bosquederoble, Feb 3, 2016

Answer 1

This is a good question. To start the ball rolling,

Entonces vamos a hablar sobre las palabras entonces y luego. (Well then, now we are going to talk about..)

¡Hasta luego! ( See you later!)

This doesn't help at all, but it is quite amusing. - annierats, Feb 4, 2016

Agreed. :) - Daniela2041, Feb 4, 2016

Entonces; cheers! - annierats, Feb 5, 2016

Answer 2

Both "luego" and "entonces" can be used as a sequence word "--"then" in English.

But "entonces" also has an additional meaning.

"Enl aquel entonces" "A that time"

The other usage is as Winkfish indicated. "in that case"

Another word you can use (as in Winkfish's sentence) is "después"

Primero fui al correo, después (fui) a la tienda.

If you ever hear a Mexican say "loo" that's "luego." Their hard "g" is inaudible at times.

Here's one example of both used together (in the first paragraph) that you don't see or hear very often.

Ceci est pour toi, mon amie: La bonne est philosophe parce qu'elle dit "Je pense donc j'essuie." C'est rigolo, n'est-ce pas? - Jubilado, Feb 3, 2016

En aquel entonces, once upon a time, is more poetic.. - annierats, Feb 3, 2016

Absoluement!! ♥ - Daniela2041, Feb 3, 2016

sometimes if you listen to us we say "logo" - Rey_Mysterio, Feb 4, 2016

Answer 3

The way it was explained in the Pimsleur course I took, "entonces" is used more like "in that case," as in "If the post office is closed, then you should go to the store." "Entonces" would be used there. "Luego" is used when there is a series of actions - "First I went to the post office, then I went to the store." "Luego" would be used there.

With that in mind, the Pimsleur man said that you would be easily understood using either one.

I'd love to hear from a native Spanish speaker.

typo--"hear" My post on this is somewhere below. - Daniela2041, Feb 3, 2016

Oooops!! - Winkfish, Feb 3, 2016

:) - FELIZ77, Feb 4, 2016

Answer 4

Luego = then and also later

Entonces = then.

Ergo = por lo tanto = therefore (or that's how I understand it)

interesting..the way that I have found helpful in remembering is that luego has an element of time. The same can be said for other words like the differing 'as' (ie como, cuando, asi que) - cuando is in this concerned with time as, at the same, through - hughbadou, Feb 23, 2017

Answer 5

Also

I think, therefore I am. Pienso, luego existo.

Answer 6

Thanks for your help. Hasta luego!

No hay de que. - annierats, Feb 5, 2016