french abstract art
The word "après" (after) is a fundamental French preposition that indicates temporal sequence, spatial position, or logical order. For autodidact students, understanding "après" is essential as it appears in countless everyday expressions and is crucial for narrating events, giving directions, and expressing temporal relationships. This lesson explores "après" through 30 carefully constructed examples that demonstrate its various uses and contexts.
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FAQ: What does "après" mean in French? "Après" is a French preposition meaning "after" in English. It indicates that something follows in time, space, or sequence. It can be used with nouns (après le dîner - after dinner), pronouns (après lui - after him), and in various idiomatic expressions (après tout - after all).
In the 15 examples that follow, you'll encounter "après" in different positions within sentences, showing its flexibility in French syntax. The word can introduce time expressions, indicate pursuit or following, and form part of compound expressions. Each example is presented with word-by-word glossing to make the grammatical structure transparent for learners.
Educational Context: This is language learning material designed for English speakers studying French using the Latinum Institute's interlinear method.
Key Takeaways: -
"Après" is invariable (doesn't change form) -
It can be followed directly by nouns or stressed pronouns -
Common in time expressions and sequences -
Forms many idiomatic expressions -
Contracts with definite articles in specific contexts
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56.1 Après after le the petit small déjeuner breakfast je I vais go au to-the travail work
56.2 Elle she court runs après after le the bus bus chaque each matin morning
56.3 Nous we dînons dine toujours always après after huit eight heures hours
56.4 Le the chat cat dort sleeps après after avoir to-have mangé eaten
56.5 Après after toi you c'est it-is mon my tour turn
56.6 Il he pleut rains souvent often après after l' the orage storm
56.7 Les the enfants children jouent play après after l' the école school
56.8 Après after tout all ce this travail work je I suis am fatigué tired
56.9 Viens come-IMPER après after moi me dans in le the jardin garden
56.10 Le the printemps spring arrive arrives après after l' the hiver winter
56.11 Après after la the pluie rain vient comes le the beau beautiful temps weather
56.12 Elle she nettoie cleans la the cuisine kitchen après after le the repas meal
56.13 Nous we partons leave après after demain tomorrow matin morning
56.14 Après after réflexion reflection j' I accepte accept votre your offre offer
56.15 Le the dessert dessert se itself mange eats après after le the plat dish principal main
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56.1 Après le petit déjeuner, je vais au travail. After breakfast, I go to work.
56.2 Elle court après le bus chaque matin. She runs after the bus every morning.
56.3 Nous dînons toujours après huit heures. We always have dinner after eight o'clock.
56.4 Le chat dort après avoir mangé. The cat sleeps after eating.
56.5 Après toi, c'est mon tour. After you, it's my turn.
56.6 Il pleut souvent après l'orage. It often rains after the storm.
56.7 Les enfants jouent après l'école. The children play after school.
56.8 Après tout ce travail, je suis fatigué. After all this work, I'm tired.
56.9 Viens après moi dans le jardin. Come after me into the garden.
56.10 Le printemps arrive après l'hiver. Spring comes after winter.
56.11 Après la pluie vient le beau temps. After the rain comes good weather.
56.12 Elle nettoie la cuisine après le repas. She cleans the kitchen after the meal.
56.13 Nous partons après-demain matin. We're leaving the day after tomorrow morning.
56.14 Après réflexion, j'accepte votre offre. After consideration, I accept your offer.
56.15 Le dessert se mange après le plat principal. Dessert is eaten after the main course.
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56.1 Après le petit déjeuner, je vais au travail.
56.2 Elle court après le bus chaque matin.
56.3 Nous dînons toujours après huit heures.
56.4 Le chat dort après avoir mangé.
56.5 Après toi, c'est mon tour.
56.6 Il pleut souvent après l'orage.
56.7 Les enfants jouent après l'école.
56.8 Après tout ce travail, je suis fatigué.
56.9 Viens après moi dans le jardin.
56.10 Le printemps arrive après l'hiver.
56.11 Après la pluie vient le beau temps.
56.12 Elle nettoie la cuisine après le repas.
56.13 Nous partons après-demain matin.
56.14 Après réflexion, j'accepte votre offre.
56.15 Le dessert se mange après le plat principal.
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These are the grammar rules for "après":
Basic Usage: "Après" is an invariable preposition that never changes form regardless of the gender or number of the noun that follows it. It primarily indicates temporal sequence but can also express spatial following or pursuit.
With Nouns: When "après" is followed by a noun, it typically requires the definite article: après le déjeuner (after lunch), après la guerre (after the war), après les vacances (after the holidays).
With Pronouns: "Après" must be followed by stressed pronouns (moi, toi, lui, elle, nous, vous, eux, elles), never subject pronouns. Example: après moi (after me), NOT après je.
Compound Forms: -
après-demain = the day after tomorrow -
après-midi = afternoon (can be masculine or feminine) -
ci-après = hereafter -
d'après = according to
With Infinitives: "Après" can be followed by the past infinitive (avoir/être + past participle) to express "after having done something": après avoir mangé (after having eaten), après être parti (after having left).
Common Mistakes: -
Using subject pronouns instead of stressed pronouns: ❌ après je → ✅ après moi -
Forgetting the article with nouns: ❌ après dîner → ✅ après le dîner -
Using present infinitive instead of past infinitive: ❌ après manger → ✅ après avoir mangé -
Confusing "après" with "derrière" (behind) for spatial relationships
Idiomatic Expressions: -
après tout = after all -
après coup = afterwards, with hindsight -
courir après = to run after, to chase -
jour après jour = day after day -
l'un après l'autre = one after another
Comparison with English: Unlike English, which can use "after" as a conjunction (after I ate), French requires "après que" + indicative or uses "après" + past infinitive construction.
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In French culture, the concept of "après" extends beyond simple temporal relationships to encompass social customs and etiquette. The expression "après vous" (after you) is a cornerstone of French politeness, used when holding doors, entering elevators, or in any situation where precedence is given to another person. This reflects the importance of courtoisie in French society.
The compound "après-midi" (afternoon) plays a significant role in French daily rhythm. Unlike some cultures, the French traditionally observe a longer lunch break, and the après-midi often begins later than in Anglo-Saxon countries, typically around 14h (2 PM).
"L'après-guerre" (the post-war period) is a significant historical reference in French discourse, usually referring to the period after World War II, which saw major social and economic transformations in France. This period is often invoked in discussions about modern French identity and values.
The expression "après moi, le déluge" (after me, the flood), attributed to Louis XV or Madame de Pompadour, has entered international usage to describe a careless attitude toward future consequences. It reflects a certain fatalistic aspect of French philosophical thought.
In business contexts, "service après-vente" (after-sales service) is taken very seriously in France, with strong consumer protection laws ensuring customer rights long after purchase. This reflects French expectations of quality and durability in products and services.
Regional variations exist in expressions using "après." In Southern France, you might hear "après" used more frequently in casual speech, while in Belgium and Switzerland, certain constructions with "après" may differ slightly from metropolitan French usage.
The café culture includes the concept of "l'après-travail" (after-work), when colleagues gather for drinks, though this is less institutionalized than the British "after-work drinks" or American "happy hour." The French tend to maintain clearer boundaries between work and personal time.
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From "Le Petit Prince" by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (1943):
"Les grandes personnes aiment les chiffres. Quand vous leur parlez d'un nouvel ami, elles ne vous questionnent jamais sur l'essentiel. Elles ne vous disent jamais: 'Quel est le son de sa voix? Quels sont les jeux qu'il préfère? Est-ce qu'il collectionne les papillons?' Elles vous demandent: 'Quel âge a-t-il? Combien a-t-il de frères? Combien pèse-t-il? Combien gagne son père?' Alors seulement elles croient le connaître. Si vous dites aux grandes personnes: 'J'ai vu une belle maison en briques roses, avec des géraniums aux fenêtres et des colombes sur le toit...' elles ne parviennent pas à s'imaginer cette maison. Il faut leur dire: 'J'ai vu une maison de cent mille francs.' Alors elles s'écrient: 'Comme c'est joli!' Après ça, elles sont contentes."
Après after ça that , , elles they sont are contentes happy Les the grandes big personnes persons aiment love les the chiffres numbers Quand when vous you leur to-them parlez speak d' of un a nouvel new ami friend elles they ne not vous you questionnent question jamais never sur on l' the essentiel essential
"Grown-ups love figures. When you tell them about a new friend, they never ask you about the essential things. They never say: 'What does his voice sound like? What are his favorite games? Does he collect butterflies?' They ask: 'How old is he? How many brothers does he have? How much does he weigh? How much does his father earn?' Only then do they think they know him. If you tell grown-ups: 'I saw a beautiful house made of pink brick, with geraniums in the windows and doves on the roof...' they can't imagine this house. You have to tell them: 'I saw a house worth a hundred thousand francs.' Then they exclaim: 'How lovely!' After that, they are satisfied."
Les grandes personnes aiment les chiffres. Quand vous leur parlez d'un nouvel ami, elles ne vous questionnent jamais sur l'essentiel. Elles ne vous disent jamais: "Quel est le son de sa voix? Quels sont les jeux qu'il préfère? Est-ce qu'il collectionne les papillons?" Elles vous demandent: "Quel âge a-t-il? Combien a-t-il de frères? Combien pèse-t-il? Combien gagne son père?" Alors seulement elles croient le connaître. Si vous dites aux grandes personnes: "J'ai vu une belle maison en briques roses, avec des géraniums aux fenêtres et des colombes sur le toit..." elles ne parviennent pas à s'imaginer cette maison. Il faut leur dire: "J'ai vu une maison de cent mille francs." Alors elles s'écrient: "Comme c'est joli!" Après ça, elles sont contentes.
Key vocabulary: grandes personnes (grown-ups, literally "big persons"), chiffres (figures/numbers), essentiel (the essential), papillons (butterflies), géraniums (geraniums), colombes (doves), parviennent (manage/succeed).
The phrase "après ça" (after that) demonstrates the casual use of "après" with the demonstrative pronoun "ça" (that). This construction is common in spoken French and less formal written French.
The subjunctive mood appears in "Est-ce qu'il collectionne" (Does he collect), showing how French uses different moods in indirect questions. The passage illustrates the French tendency to use "on" or specific pronouns rather than passive voice.
Saint-Exupéry's style is deceptively simple, using everyday vocabulary to express profound observations about human nature. The repetition of "elles" (they - feminine, referring to "les grandes personnes") creates a rhythmic quality typical of French literary prose.
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56.16 Après after plusieurs several semaines weeks de of négociations negotiations les the syndicats unions ont have trouvé found un an accord agreement
56.17 Le the président president s' himself exprimera will-express après after le the conseil council des of-the ministres ministers
56.18 Les the marchés markets financiers financial réagissent react après after l' the annonce announcement de of la the banque bank centrale central
56.19 Après after trois three jours days de of recherches searches les the secouristes rescuers ont have retrouvé found-again les the randonneurs hikers
56.20 La the circulation traffic reprend resumes progressivement progressively après after l' the accident accident sur on l' the autoroute highway
56.21 Les the experts experts analysent analyze les the données data après after le the séisme earthquake de of magnitude magnitude six six
56.22 Après after des some années years d' of absence absence le the festival festival revient returns en in juillet July
56.23 Le the ministre minister démissionne resigns après after les the révélations revelations de of la the presse press
56.24 Les the températures temperatures remontent rise-again après after une a semaine week de of gel frost
56.25 Après after consultation consultation publique public la the mairie city-hall approuve approves le the projet project
56.26 Les the investisseurs investors restent remain prudents cautious après after la the chute fall des of-the cours prices
56.27 Le the match match reprendra will-resume après after l' the interruption interruption due due à to la the pluie rain
56.28 Après after vingt twenty ans years de of carrière career l' the actrice actress annonce announces sa her retraite retirement
56.29 Les the écoles schools rouvrent reopen après after les the vacances holidays de of Pâques Easter
56.30 Après after examen examination du of-the dossier file le the tribunal court rendra will-render son its verdict verdict
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