If want to express “time” or the order of events then we have three words in German language: nach, nachdem, and danach. Being a german language student, it is essential for you to be familiar with correct meaning of these terms.
Nach is a preposition that takes dative case while nachdem and danach are connectors. Let’s understand the difference between use of nach, nachdem, and danach in German
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Why is nach, nachdem, and danach is confusing?
One of the main reasons behind this confusion is the usage of the word “nach” among these three words. If this is confusing for you as well, then don’t worry you are not alone.
Let me help you to vanish this confusion of meaning of nach, nachdem, and danach for you.
Use Of Nach In German
It is a preposition and “Nach” simply means “after. It is used to indicate the chronological sequence of events.
For example:
- Ich gehe nach der Arbeit ins Fitnessstudio. (I go to the gym after work.)
- Wir treffen uns nach der Arbeit (We meet after work).
- Nach der Prüfung esse ich zu Abend. (After the exam, I eat dinner.)
Use of Nachdem In German
Nachdem is a great option for connecting two sentences. It is used as a conjunction.
It is a subordinating conjunction that is used to indicate that one event happens after another event has occurred.
When you use “nachdem,” the conjugated verb should always come at the end for proper sentence structure.
For example:
- Nachdem ich von der Arbeit komme, gehe ich ins Fitnessstudio. (After I get home from work, I go to the gym.)
- Wir treffen uns, nachdem wir von der Arbeit kommen. (We meet after we get home from work.)
- Nachdem die Prüfungen beendet sind, esse ich zu Abend. (After the exams are over, I have dinner.)
Use of Danach In German
Danach is an adverb that gives an idea of time. It can be translated with “after it / that,” or “afterward” in English.
For example:
- Danach gehe ich ins Fitnessstudio, wenn ich von der Arbeit komme./ W enn ich von der Arbeit komme, danach gehe ich ins Fitnessstudio. (when I get home from work, then I go to the gym)
- Wir machen die Arbeit fertig, danach treffen wir uns. (We finish the work, then we will meet.)
- Danach werde ich zu Abend essen, wenn die Prüfung vorbei ist. (After that I will have dinner when the exam is over.)
Conclusion
If you still feel confused, just remind yourself of these lines:
- nach + nouns
- nachdem + for verbs and whole sentences
- danach (Adverb) + adds time
Hope you have understood the difference between “nach,” “nachdem,” and “danach”. If you have any queries or suggestions, do ask them in the comments below. Make sure to support us on our Social Media Handles
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