nach Ihnen
The German phrase for "after you" is nach Ihnen.
This phrase is used as a polite invitation for another person to go first. It can also be used in a temporal or spatial sense to indicate a sequence of events.
Meaning: polite invitation for another to go first (phrase)
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase nach Ihnen literally means "after you".
Which one should you use?
Use nach dir instead of nach Ihnen if you are speaking to a friend or someone you address with du.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Austria, one might say Gehen's voran to mean "Go ahead."
Did you know?
- The word nach can also mean 'according to', so saying nach Ihnen can, in a very specific context, mean 'according to you' rather than 'after you'.
- The word nach shares a common ancestor with the English word 'nigh', meaning 'near'.
- While nach Ihnen is used for physical movement, if you want someone to speak first, you would more likely say Bitte, fangen Sie an.
Examples in context
- Er fragte nach Ihnen.He asked after you.This sentence shows how nach Ihnen can be used when someone is asking about your well-being.Tatoeba #2743236 by Zaghawa, translation #295645 by CK
- Sie kann es nach Ihnen lesen.She can read it after you.This sentence demonstrates the temporal use of nach Ihnen regarding an action.Tatoeba #12605312 by Waldelfe, translation #8988902 by AlanF_US
- Darf ich bitte die Zeitung nach Ihnen haben?May I have the paper after you, please?This sentence illustrates a polite request using nach Ihnen in a sequence of actions.Tatoeba #11539114 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #269438 by sundown
- 3 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Julian and Laura are entering a building together.
- JulianBitte, nach Ihnen.Please, after you.
- LauraOh, vielen Dank, Julian.Oh, thank you very much, Julian.
- JulianGern geschehen, Laura.You're welcome, Laura.
- LauraDas ist sehr höflich.That is very polite.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “after you” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries nach, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
