When to use "nach," "nachdem" and "danach" in German
If you're learning German, it's essential to familiarise yourself with the proper use of "nach," "nachdem," and "danach." This article will equip you with all the necessary knowledge to select the appropriate term. Don't miss out!
What makes it so confusing?
The trio of terms all contain "nach" which can be interpreted as "after," which may understandably lead to confusion. It's not shocking that many people often mix them up.
But once you grasp the nuances of each term, everything will become much simpler for you. So let's delve deeper and familiarise ourselves with these words.
Recommended study materials on the topic:
A-Grammar: Practice German grammar German (incl. answers)
German self-study book for A1-B1 (incl. answers)
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1. The German "nach"
The German word "nach" is a preposition, and when used in the sense of "after".
For example:
Nach dem Aufstehen putze ich meine Zähne. = After getting up I brush my teeth.
Wir trinken einen Kaffee nach dem Test. = We'll have a coffee after the test.
Sie bürstet sich die Haare nach dem Duschen. = She brushes her hair after showering.
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2. The German "nachdem"
If you want to connect two sentences in German, the word "nachdem" is a great option. It works as a conjunction and introduces a subordinate clause. Remember that when using "nachdem," the conjugated verb should always come last for proper sentence structure.
For example:
Ich putze meine Zähne, nachdem ich aufstehe. = I brush my teeth after I get up.
Wir trinken einen Kaffee, nachdem wir den Test geschrieben haben. = We'll have a coffee after we write the test.
Sie bürstet sich die Haare, nachdem sie duscht. = She brushes her hair after she takes a shower.
3. The German "danach"
The third word of this article is "danach". This adverb gives an idea of time and can be translated with "after it / that," or "afterward".
For example:
Ich stehe auf, danach putze ich meine Zähne. = I get up, then I brush my teeth.
Wir schreiben einen Test, danach trinken wir einen Kaffee. = We'll write a test, then we'll have a coffee.
Sie duscht und danach bürstet sie sich die Haare. = She takes a shower and after that she brushes her hair.
Getting things in order
Now that you know the meaning of each word, you can act more confidently the next time you want to use them. Besides, you can always remind yourself:
nach + nouns
nachdem + for verbs and whole sentences
danach (Adverb) + adds time
If you liked this article, you also might want to check out when to use "vor", "bevor" and "davor" in German.
Bis bald!
Steffie
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