以后 (yǐhòu): How to Say “After…” and “In the Future”
以后 (yǐhòu) does two jobs: attached to a time or event it means “after” (下班以后 = “after work”), and on its own it means “in the future / from now on” (以后我想去中国). The catch — 以后 comes AFTER the time, not before.
Why this trips learners up
To say after a time or event in Chinese, you tack 以后 (yǐhòu) onto the END of it — the reverse of English. It's [Time / Event] + 以后: 三点以后 (“after three o'clock”), 下班以后 (“after work”), 吃完饭以后 (“after eating”). Where English puts “after” in front, Chinese parks 以后 behind. The time can be a clock time, a date, or a whole event — and it can be past or future (来中国以后 = “after coming to China”).
以后 has a second life: on its own, with nothing in front of it, it means “in the future / from now on / later.” 以后我想学中文 = “in the future I want to study Chinese.” Standing alone it goes at the front of the clause, or right after the subject (我以后…) — never at the very end. So the slot in front of 以后 is the tell: something there → “after that”; nothing there → “from now on.” (In writing and set phrases it often shortens to just 后: 下课后, 三个月后.)
The structure
Colour key
Each colour marks one grammatical role — and the same colour means the same role on every page in the Lab.
Examples in context
Real-world sentences, easiest first. Toggle pinyin or the translation, tap any word to see its role, or play the audio.
Tap a word to see its grammatical role.
wǔ diǎn 五点 Time yǐhòu 以后 Pattern wǒ 我 Subject yǒu kòng 有空 Verb
After 5 o'clock I'm free.
yǐhòu 以后 Pattern wǒ 我 Subject xiǎng 想 Function word xué 学 Verb kāichē 开车 Object
In the future I want to learn to drive.
xiàkè 下课 Verb yǐhòu 以后 Pattern wǒmen 我们 Subject qù 去 Verb chīfàn 吃饭 Verb ba 吧 Function word
After class, let's go eat.
zhège wèntí 这个问题 Subject yǐhòu 以后 Pattern zài 再 Adverb shuō 说 Verb ba 吧 Function word
Let's talk about this later.
chī wán 吃完 Verb wǎnfàn 晚饭 Object yǐhòu 以后 Pattern tā 他 Subject jiù 就 Adverb qù 去 Verb sànbù 散步 Verb le 了 Function word
After finishing dinner, he went out for a walk.
bìyè 毕业 Verb yǐhòu 以后 Pattern wǒ 我 Subject dǎsuàn 打算 Function word qù 去 Verb nánfāng 南方 Place gōngzuò 工作 Verb
After I graduate, I plan to work in the south.
sān gè yuè 三个月 Time hòu 后 Pattern zhèlǐ 这里 Subject huì 会 Function word biànchéng 变成 Verb yí gè 一个 Measure word gōngyuán 公园 Object
In three months, this place will become a park.
bāndào 搬到 Verb xīn jiā 新家 Object yǐhòu 以后 Pattern háizimen 孩子们 Subject měitiān 每天 Time dōu 都 Adverb hěn 很 Adverb kāixīn 开心 Adjective
After moving into the new house, the kids are happy every day.
Common mistakes
Why it happens: 以后 follows the time or event — it doesn't lead it like English “after”. “After work we'll play ball” is 下班以后我们去打球, not 以后下班…. Put the time or event first, then 以后.
Why it happens: For sequencing two actions — “first this, then that” — you want 然后, not 以后. “First I shower, then I sleep” is 我先洗澡，然后睡觉. 以后 marks “after a time/event”; 然后 is the “and then” that links what you do next.
Why it happens: Standalone 以后 (“in the future”) sits at the front or just after the subject — never at the end. “From now on I won't smoke” is 我以后不抽烟了, not 我不抽烟以后了.
Compare & contrast
| X + 以后 — “after X” (something in front) | 以后 (alone) — “in the future / from now on” | The difference |
|---|---|---|
| 下班以后xiàbān yǐhòu | 以后我想换工作。yǐhòu wǒ xiǎng huàn gōngzuò. | 下班以后 = “after work” — 以后 attaches to the event. 以后我想换工作 = “in the future I want to change jobs” — 以后 stands alone, nothing in front. |
| 三点以后sān diǎn yǐhòu | 以后再说吧。yǐhòu zài shuō ba. | 三点以后 = “after 3 o'clock”. 以后再说吧 = “let's talk about it later” — 以后 on its own means “some time ahead”. |
Try it yourself
Say “After work, I want to sleep” (…以后…) — tap the words into order.
Related patterns
Quick reference card
以后 (yǐhòu): How to Say “After…” and “In the Future” grammar.merrymandarin.com A pocket summary — print it and keep it by your desk.