How to Say “After You” in Spanish

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después de usted
/despwes de usted/from spelling rules
The Spanish phrase for "after you" is después de usted.
después de usted is a polite way to invite someone else to go first.
Meaning: polite invitation for another to go first (phrase)

What does it mean word for word?

The phrase is composed of después (after), de (of) and usted (you formal).

Which one should you use?

después de usted is the formal version used to show respect to strangers, elders or superiors, whereas después de ti is the informal version.

Did you know?

  • While usted is formal, some regions in Latin America use it with family members to show a specific kind of traditional respect and emotional distance.
  • The word usted actually began as a phrase meaning 'your mercy', a way of addressing someone with extreme deference.

Examples in context

  • Después de usted.
    After you.
    This sentence is useful for practicing the phrase después de usted.
    Tatoeba #1976176 by Shishir, translation #505870 by wma
  • Después de usted, señora.
    After you, ma'am.

Example conversation

Lucía and Javier are standing at a doorway.

  1. Lucía

    Pase, después de usted.
    Go ahead, after you.
  2. Javier

    Gracias, Lucía.
    Thank you, Lucía.
  3. Lucía

    De nada, Javier.
    You're welcome, Javier.
  4. Javier

    Vamos adentro.
    Let's go inside.

Sources

  • IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
  • Word origins: Wiktionary entries de, después, usted, CC BY-SA 4.0.
  • Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
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Steven Timothy
Steven TimothyHelp make this guide better. Spot a mistake, know another way to say it, or have an example from real life? Share it below.
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