If you’re learning European Portuguese, you may have already come across the words “depois” and “após”.
Both can mean “after” in English, so at first they might seem interchangeable. However, there is an important grammatical difference between them – and it leads to a very common mistake among Portuguese learners.
Take a look at these two sentences:
❌ Depois jantar, ele vai ao cinema.
❌ Após de jantar, ele vai ao cinema.
Do you think they are correct?
Actually, both sentences are wrong.
So, why? Let’s look at the difference between depois and após, how to use each one correctly, and which one you’re more likely to hear in everyday European Portuguese.
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What do DEPOIS and APÓS mean?
In terms of meaning, depois and após are very similar. Both can express the idea of “after” or “then” in English.
The important difference is not so much their meaning, but the grammatical structure that comes after them.
With depois, you need to use the preposition de.
With após, you do not use de.
This is exactly where many Portuguese learners get confused.
How to use DEPOIS correctly
Let’s start with depois.
When depois is followed by something, you normally need the preposition de:
depois + de
For example:
depois de jantar – after dinner / after eating dinner
depois de trabalhar – after work / after working
depois de estudar – after studying
Now let’s go back to our incorrect sentence:
❌ Depois jantar, ele vai ao cinema.
The problem here is that the preposition de is missing.
The correct sentence is:
✅ Depois de jantar, ele vai ao cinema.
After dinner, he goes to the cinema.
Here are a few more examples:
Depois de trabalhar, gosto de descansar.
After work, I like to relax.
Ela telefonou depois da reunião.
She called after the meeting.
Depois do almoço, vamos à praia.
After lunch, we’re going to the beach.
Notice that de can combine with an article:
de + o = do → depois do almoço
de + a = da → depois da reunião
The important thing to remember is:
DEPOIS → DEPOIS DE
How to use APÓS correctly
Now let’s look at após.
Após can also mean “after”, but unlike depois, we do not add the preposition de.
Let’s return to our second incorrect sentence:
❌ Após de jantar, ele vai ao cinema.
The problem is de.
With após, you would instead say:
✅ Após o jantar, ele vai ao cinema.
After dinner, he goes to the cinema.
Not:
❌ Após de jantar…
Here are some more examples:
Após o jantar, fomos passear.
After dinner, we went for a walk.
Após a reunião, ela foi para casa.
After the meeting, she went home.
Após o curso, senti-me muito mais confiante.
After the course, I felt much more confident.
So this gives us a simple distinction:
DEPOIS → depois de
APÓS → no de
DEPOIS vs APÓS: Which sounds more natural?
There is another important difference between depois and após: register.
If you want to sound natural when speaking European Portuguese, this is useful to know.
In everyday conversations in Portugal, native speakers use depois much more frequently. It sounds more natural and conversational.
Após, on the other hand, tends to sound more formal.
You are more likely to hear or see após in:
- formal language
- official documents
- newspapers
- television news
- written Portuguese
For example, in a more formal context, you might see:
Após análise do processo,…
After reviewing the case,…
In an everyday conversation, a Portuguese speaker would be more likely to say:
Depois de analisar o processo,…
After analysing the case,…
The meaning is very similar, but the register is different.
A more conversational vs a more formal example
Compare these two sentences:
Depois do trabalho, vou ao cinema.
After work, I’m going to the cinema.
Após o trabalho, vou ao cinema.
After work, I’m going to the cinema.
Both sentences are grammatically correct.
However, the first sentence with depois sounds more natural in an everyday conversation, while the version with após sounds more formal.
So even though depois and após can express the same idea, they won’t always sound equally natural in every situation.
An easy rule to remember
If you’re ever unsure whether you should use depois or após, my advice is simple:
Use “depois de”.
It is extremely common, natural, and perfect for everyday European Portuguese.
As your Portuguese improves and you become more comfortable with different registers, you can start using após in more formal contexts.
Just remember the main grammatical difference:
depois de ✅
após ✅
depois + no preposition ❌
após de ❌
Now it’s your turn!
Can you write a sentence using depois de or após?
Try creating your own example. This is a great way to make sure you remember the difference the next time you need to use one of these words.
And if you want to improve your European Portuguese and feel more confident using the language, you can also check out my 5-Day European Portuguese Challenge.
You’ll learn how to introduce yourself in European Portuguese and start building your confidence with the language.
Join the 5-Day European Portuguese Challenge here
Beijinhos,
Mia