前に means before, てから means after doing something or since then, and あとで means afterward. 寝る前に uses the nonpast verb form even when the whole sentence refers to the past. 手を洗ってから食べる links the actions in sequence and often suggests the first prepares for the second. 食べたあとで simply locates an event later.
also written maeni / tekara / atode / 後で / 〜てから
前に — before doing it · てから — after doing it, and because it was done first · あとで — after it, with the two events merely in order
Sentences
6 sentences, word by word
前に · dictionary form, past sentence
polite
。
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寝る
ねる ［0］
to sleep
ichidan verb · dictionary form, required by 前に even in a past sentence
前にN4before doing
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前
まえ ［1］
before
noun · the time in front of the event, which is why it takes に
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に
に
to; at; into
particle · a point something reaches — a place, a time, a person, or a state
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歯
は ［1］
teeth
noun · read は, not the は particle
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を
を
marks the direct object
particle · pronounced お
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磨きました
みがきました
brushed
polite past of 磨く · this verb carries the tense for the whole sentence
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I brushed my teeth before bed.
noun ＋ の前に
polite
。
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食事
しょくじ ［0］
meal
noun · a meal as an occasion, so の links it to 前
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の
の
links noun to noun
particle · A の B = B belonging to A
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前
まえ ［1］
before
noun · the same 前, reached from a noun instead of a verb
の前にN4before (a noun)
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に
に
to; at; into
particle · a point something reaches — a place, a time, a person, or a state
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手
て ［1］
hands
noun · unmarked for number, so it covers both
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を
を
marks the direct object
particle · pronounced お
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洗って
あらって
wash
て-form of 洗う · a request when ください follows
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ください
ください
please (do)
polite request · from くださる
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Please wash your hands before the meal.
てから · the first act is a prerequisite
polite
。
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手
て ［1］
hands
noun · the object of the washing
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を
を
marks the direct object
particle · pronounced お
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洗って
あらって
having washed
て-form of 洗う · the て is what から attaches to
てからN4after — and only then
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から
から
after; only then
particle · the washing has to be finished for the eating to be right
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食べます
たべます
eat
polite of 食べる · the second act, made conditional on the first
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I wash my hands, and then I eat.
あとで · order, and nothing more
polite
。
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仕事
しごと ［0］
work
noun · reaching あと through の, as nouns do
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の
の
links noun to noun
particle · A の B = B belonging to A
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あと
あと
after
noun · the time following, with で marking it as the point
あとでN4after — order only
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で
で
in; at — where it happens
particle · where the action happens, or the manner it happens in
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映画
えいが ［1］
film
noun · the object of the watching
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を
を
marks the direct object
particle · pronounced お
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見ました
みました
watched
polite past of 見る · the two events are merely in order
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After work I watched a film.
てから · marking a starting point
polite
。
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日本
にほん ［2］
Japan
noun · the destination, marked に
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に
に
to; at; into
particle · a point something reaches — a place, a time, a person, or a state
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来て
きて
having come
て-form of 来る · irregular, and read きて not らいて
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から
から
since
particle · the starting point of a stretch of time, not an 'after'
てからN4since — a starting point
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三年
さんねん
three years
counter · 年 counts years, and 三年 is read さんねん
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に
に
to; at; into
particle · a point something reaches — a place, a time, a person, or a state
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なります
なります
it comes to
polite of なる · the standard way to state elapsed time
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It's been three years since I came to Japan.
前に · a warning about form
polite
。
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会議
かいぎ ［1］
meeting
noun · the subject of 始まる, so it takes が
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が
が
marks the subject
particle · what the sentence is about — with 好き, 分かる and potentials, the object
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始まる
はじまる ［0］
starts
godan verb · intransitive, and in dictionary form because 前に demands it
前にN4before
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前
まえ ［1］
before
noun · the point in time ahead of the start
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に
に
to; at; into
particle · a point something reaches — a place, a time, a person, or a state
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確認して
かくにんして
check
て-form of 確認する · a request once ください follows
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ください
ください
please (do)
polite request · from くださる
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Please check before the meeting starts.
Structure
What each one attaches to
寝る / 出かける＋前に
寝る前に. Never 寝た前に — the form is fixed even when the sentence is in the past.
食事 / 会議＋の前に
食事の前に. A noun needs の to reach 前に, the same as with あと.
洗って / 終わって＋から
手を洗ってから. The first act is a condition for the second, not just earlier than it.
食べた / 帰った＋あとで
食べたあとで. Past form here, dictionary form with 前に — the mirror image, and the pair is worth memorising together.
Meaning
てから vs あとで — what the difference actually is
前に is a form rule before it is a meaning rule. The verb in front of it is always the dictionary form. 寝る前に歯を磨きました is past at the end of the sentence and still 寝る, not 寝た. The tense is carried by the final verb; 前に just marks which event came first.
てから puts one action before another.手を洗ってから食べます may also suggest washing prepares for eating. あとで emphasizes the later time; neither form alone proves that the first action caused the second.
あとで primarily locates a later event.仕事のあとで映画を見た says the film came after work. 仕事をしてから映画を見た is also possible when finishing work sets up the outing.
てから also marks a starting point.日本に来てから三年になります — since coming to Japan. あとで cannot do this at all, and it is common in everyday speech.
Watch out
Where these three go wrong
Putting 前に after a past-tense verb
寝た前に is the single most common error here. 前に always takes the dictionary form; the tense of the sentence lives on the final verb.
Using てから where あとで was meant
てから links actions in sequence and may suggest preparation or a prerequisite. あとで emphasizes the later time; it does not by itself say why the first action matters.
Attaching あとで to a dictionary form
It takes the plain past: 食べたあとで, never 食べるあとで. It is the exact mirror of 前に, which is why the two are worth learning as a pair.
Forgetting の after a noun
A noun needs の to reach either: 食事の前に, 仕事のあとで. Verbs attach directly.
Also asked
Questions people ask about 前に, てから and あとで
Why is it 寝る前に when the sentence is in the past?
Japanese marks tense once, at the end of the sentence. 前に is only saying which event came first, so the verb in front of it stays in the dictionary form regardless.
Is there any real difference between てから and あとで?
てから links two actions in order and can suggest that the first prepares for the second. あとで places the second later. 手を洗ってから食べる and 手を洗ったあとで食べる can both work, with different emphasis.
Can てから mean “since”?
Yes, and this is very common: 日本に来てから三年になります. Here it marks the start of a stretch of time, and あとで cannot be used this way at all.
あと or あとで — does the で matter?
Barely. で puts slightly more weight on the point in time. Both are correct and both are common; the choice is not something anyone will mark you down for.
