बाद (baad)
postposition/conjunction
Mainly used in the postposition-like frame X के बाद (ke baad, 'after X'), and in a couple of common fixed conjunctive phrases built on the same root.
Sense
1
:
after (in time)
postposition Always follows the oblique of a noun/pronoun/verbal noun plus के: X के बाद (ke baad, 'after X').
Synonyms: उपरांत (upraant, formal)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: This is one of the first 'after' words learners meet, and it pairs naturally with पहले (pahle, 'before') in comparisons like स्कूल के बाद (skool ke baad, 'after school') vs स्कूल के पहले (skool ke pahle, 'before school'). Once you have यह (yah) + के बाद down, you'll hear it constantly in daily planning talk -- खाने के बाद (khaane ke baad, 'after eating') is a classic.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners often drop के (ke) and say just X बाद (X baad), which sounds wrong -- the के is required: दो घंटे के बाद (do ghante ke baad, 'after two hours'), not दो घंटे बाद alone in careful speech (though this shorter form is also heard colloquially, it's not the safe default to produce). 2) Confusing बाद (baad) with पीछे (piichhe) -- पीछे is about physical/spatial 'behind,' while बाद is strictly about time.
Sample Sentences:
खाने के बाद हम बाज़ार जाएँगे।
After eating, we will go to the market.
(khaane ke baad ham baazaar jaaenge।)
स्कूल के बाद बच्चे पार्क में खेलते हैं।
After school, the children play in the park.
(skool ke baad bachche paark men khelte hain।)
मीटिंग के बाद उसने मुझे फ़ोन किया।
After the meeting, he called me.
(miiting ke baad usne mujhe fon kiyaa।)
बारिश के बाद हवा में ठंडक फैल गई थी।
After the rain, coolness had spread through the air.
(baarish ke baad havaa men thandak phail gaii thii।)
इतनी मेहनत के बाद भी नतीजा अच्छा नहीं आया।
Even after so much hard work, the result wasn't good.
(itnii mehnat ke baad bhii natiijaa achchhaa nahiin aayaa।)
खाने के बाद दवा ले लेना, वरना फ़ायदा नहीं होगा।
Take the medicine after eating, or it won't help.
(khaane ke baad davaa le lenaa, varnaa faaydaa nahiin hogaa।)
अगर तुम काम के बाद आते, तो हम साथ खाना खा सकते थे।
If you had come after work, we could have eaten together.
(agar tum kaam ke baad aate, to ham saath khaanaa khaa sakte the।)
उसकी मृत्यु के बाद यह घर उसके बेटे को दे दिया गया।
After his death, this house was given to his son.
(uskii mrityu ke baad yah ghar uske bete ko de diyaa gayaa।)
शादी के बाद ज़िम्मेदारियाँ बढ़ जाती हैं।
After marriage, responsibilities increase.
(shaadii ke baad zimmedaariyaan badh jaatii hain।)
क्या तुम्हें लगता है कि रिटायरमेंट के बाद वह गाँव लौट जाएगा?
Do you think he will return to the village after retirement?
(kyaa tumhen lagtaa hai ki ritaayarment ke baad vah gaanv laut jaaegaa?)
परीक्षा के बाद हम सब पिक्चर देखने जाएँ, ऐसा प्रस्ताव है।
The proposal is that after the exam, we all go watch a movie.
(pariikshaa ke baad ham sab pikchar dekhne jaaen, aisaa prastaav hai।)
Sense
2
:
afterward, then, later (as a sentence-linking adverbial)
conjunction Used adverbially as बाद में (baad men) to mean 'later/afterward' without a following noun -- functions as a free-standing time adverb linking two clauses or events.
Synonyms: फिर (phir), बाद में (baad men)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: बाद में मिलते हैं (baad men milte hain, 'let's meet later') is something you'll hear constantly when plans get pushed -- a very Delhi way of politely postponing without committing to a time.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes use bare बाद (baad) where बाद में (baad men) is needed -- without में (men), बाद by itself cannot stand alone as 'afterward'; it needs either के बाद with a noun, or में to function adverbially on its own.
Sample Sentences:
पहले खाना खा लो, बाद में बात करते हैं।
Eat your food first, we'll talk afterward.
(pahle khaanaa khaa lo, baad men baat karte hain।)
अभी टाइम नहीं है, बाद में मिलते हैं।
I don't have time right now, let's meet later.
(abhii taaim nahiin hai, baad men milte hain।)
उसने पहले माफी माँगी, बाद में सारी बात समझाई।
He apologized first, and afterward explained the whole matter.
(usne pahle maaphii maangii, baad men saarii baat samjhaaii।)
आप अभी फॉर्म भर दीजिए, पैसे बाद में जमा कर देना।
Please fill out the form now, deposit the money afterward.
(aap abhii phorm bhar diijie, paise baad men jamaa kar denaa।)
पहले मीटिंग हो जाए, बाद में हम प्लान बनाएँगे।
Let the meeting happen first, we'll make the plan afterward.
(pahle miiting ho jaae, baad men ham plaan banaaenge।)
अगर तुम अभी नहीं बताते, तो बाद में पछताओगे।
If you don't tell me now, you'll regret it afterward.
(agar tum abhii nahiin bataate, to baad men pachhtaaoge।)
काश मैं पहले सोचता, बाद में इतनी परेशानी न होती।
If only I had thought first, there wouldn't have been so much trouble afterward.
(kaash main pahle sochtaa, baad men itnii pareshaanii n hotii।)
पहले साक्षात्कार हुआ, बाद में परिणाम घोषित किया गया।
The interview happened first, and the result was announced afterward.
(pahle saakshaatkaar huaa, baad men parinaam ghoshit kiyaa gayaa।)
बचपन में हम रोज़ खेलते थे, बाद में सब अपनी-अपनी ज़िंदगी में उलझ गए।
In childhood we used to play every day; afterward, everyone got caught up in their own lives.
(bachpan men ham roz khelte the, baad men sab apnii-apnii zindgii men ulajh gae।)
पहले चाय पी लीजिए, बाद में चलते हैं।
Please have your tea first, we'll head out afterward.
(pahle chaay pii liijie, baad men chalte hain।)
क्या हम बाद में इस बारे में बात कर सकते हैं?
Can we talk about this afterward?
(kyaa ham baad men is baare men baat kar sakte hain?)