بعد
baʕda
In Arabic, 'after' is expressed as بعد (baʕda).
The word بعد is primarily used to indicate temporal sequence, meaning 'later in time' or 'following'. It can also function as a preposition meaning 'behind' in certain contexts.
Meaning: behind, later in time, following (adv)
Which one should you use?
While بعد is used for temporal sequences (after in time), خَلْفَ is specifically used to denote physical position (behind).
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Egyptian Arabic, the word بعدين is commonly used to mean 'after'. In Gulf Arabic, بعد is used to express 'after'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When followed directly by a noun or a pronoun-suffix, بعد functions as a preposition. If you are following 'after' with a conjugated verb rather than a noun, it is common to use the construction بَعْدَ أَنْ. To say 'afterwards' or 'after that' in a temporal sense, you can use the phrase بَعْدَ ذٰلِكَ. To signify that the action of its clause takes place before the action of the other clause, use the conjunction بَعْدَمَا.
How do you pronounce it?
baʕda
Did you know?
- The word بعد shares a linguistic root with the word for 'far' or 'distance', بَعِيد, suggesting an original conceptual link between distance in space and distance in time.
- The word بَعْد can also mean 'also' or 'too' in many spoken dialects, such as in Gulf Arabic. This creates a situation where a listener might hear 'after' but understand 'also' depending on the sentence structure.
- In some dialects, بعدين is used not just to mean 'later', but as a polite way to procrastinate or avoid giving a direct 'no' to a request.
Examples in context
- لم يجب بول بعد ذلك.Paul didn't respond after that.This sentence shows how to use بعد to mean 'after that'.Tatoeba #12000381 by dididodo, translation #11656168 by Amastan
- بعد البرق جاء الرعد.After the lightning, came the thunder.This sentence demonstrates using بعد to show a temporal sequence between two natural events.Tatoeba #385637 by saeb, translation #27167 by CK
- دخل الغرفة بعد خروجك.He entered the room after you left.This sentence illustrates the use of بعد when followed by a noun phrase to indicate a sequence of events.Tatoeba #371569 by saeb, translation #371570 by saeb
- بَعْدَ الظهرAfternoon
- بَعْدَ المدرسةAfter school
- بَعْدَ العشاءAfter dinner
- 96 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Maryam and Ahmed are discussing their plans for the day.
- مريم Maryamهل تريد الذهاب إلى السوق الآن؟Hal tureed al-dhahab ila al-souq al-an?Do you want to go to the market now?
- أحمد Ahmedلا، لنذهب بعد الغداء.La, linadhhab ba'd al-ghada'.No, let's go after lunch.
- مريم Maryamحسناً، سأجهز أغراضي الآن.Hasanan, sa-ujahiz aghradi al-an.Okay, I will get my things ready now.
- أحمد Ahmedاتفقنا، نلتقي بعد ساعة.Ittafaqna, naltaqi ba'd sa'ah.Agreed, we'll meet after an hour.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “after” translations and entries بعد, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
