के बाद (ke baad)
postposition
A compound postposition meaning 'after' -- used to sequence events or mark a point in time following something. Governs the oblique case on whatever precedes it.
Sense
1
:
after (in time or sequence)
postposition Attaches to a noun, pronoun, or verb stem + के (ke) construction (e.g. खाने के बाद (khaane ke baad, 'after eating')); the word before के बाद (ke baad) goes into the oblique case.
Synonyms: उपरांत (upraant, formal/literary), पश्चात (pashchaat, formal/literary)
Frequency: high
Cultural Note: You will hear के बाद (ke baad) constantly in daily narration -- खाना खाने के बाद (khaanaa khaane ke baad, 'after eating food'), स्कूल के बाद (skool ke baad, 'after school') -- it is the default way Hindi speakers sequence their day. Its opposite number, से पहले (se pahle, 'before'), is worth learning alongside it since the two form a natural pair in storytelling and instructions.
Common Mistakes: 1) Learners sometimes try to use बाद में (baad men, 'afterward') interchangeably with के बाद (ke baad), but बाद में (baad men) stands alone as 'later/afterward' and does not take an object the way के बाद (ke baad) does -- you cannot say 'खाने बाद में' when you mean 'after eating.' 2) With verbs, learners forget the infinitive must be marked with के (ke) before बाद (baad), e.g. आने के बाद (aane ke baad, 'after coming'), not just आना बाद (aanaa baad).
Sample Sentences:
खाना खाने के बाद मैं थोड़ी देर सोता हूँ।
After eating food, I sleep for a little while.
(khaanaa khaane ke baad main thodii der sotaa hoon।)
स्कूल के बाद बच्चे पार्क में खेलते थे।
After school, the children used to play in the park.
(skool ke baad bachche paark men khelte the।)
बारिश के बाद सड़कों पर पानी भर गया।
After the rain, the roads got flooded.
(baarish ke baad sadkon par paanii bhar gayaa।)
मीटिंग के बाद हम कॉफी पीने जाएँगे।
After the meeting, we will go to drink coffee.
(miiting ke baad ham kophii piine jaaenge।)
इस काम के बाद वह पैसा माँग रहा था।
After this work, he was asking for money.
(is kaam ke baad vah paisaa maang rahaa thaa।)
नहाने के बाद कपड़े पहन लो।
After bathing, put on your clothes.
(nahaane ke baad kapde pahan lo।)
अगर वह परीक्षा के बाद आराम करता तो बीमार न पड़ता।
If he had rested after the exam, he wouldn't have fallen ill.
(agar vah pariikshaa ke baad aaraam kartaa to biimaar n padtaa।)
स्वतंत्रता संग्राम के बाद देश की स्थिति बदल गई।
After the freedom struggle, the condition of the country changed.
(svatantrtaa sangraam ke baad desh kii sthiti badal gaii।)
शायद वह ऑफिस के बाद सीधे घर चला जाए।
Perhaps he will go straight home after office.
(shaayad vah ophis ke baad siidhe ghar chalaa jaae।)
शादी के बाद रिश्तेदारों को खाना परोसा गया।
After the wedding, food was served to the relatives.
(shaadii ke baad rishtedaaron ko khaanaa parosaa gayaa।)
काम के बाद और थकान से पहले, वह थोड़ी देर बैठता है।
After work and before exhaustion, he sits for a little while.
(kaam ke baad aur thakaan se pahle, vah thodii der baithtaa hai।)