Afterwards vs Then

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Afterwards

Top 2,000 (common) B2 adverb

Then

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 adverb

Most common: Then

	Afterwards	Then
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ˈɑːftəwədz/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈæftərwərdz/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ðen/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ðen/"]/
Meaning	After something happens, at a later time.	At that time; next in order.
Example	Afterwards she was sorry for what she'd said.	I finished my homework, and then I went outside to play.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	B2	A1
Part of speech	adverb	adverb
Collocations	arrive afterwards, meet afterwards, discuss afterwards, see each other afterwards, leave afterwards	then and there, back then, if... then, then again, more then
Antonyms	beforehand, previously	before, previously
Common mistakes	Confused with 'after' (not interchangeable)., Omitting 's' in 'afterwards' when using it in sentences., Using 'afterwards' too early in a sentence.	Confused with 'than' when comparing things., Used incorrectly at the beginning of a sentence without a connecting clause., Mixing 'then' with 'than' in conversations.
Usage notes	Used in both spoken and written English, 'afterwards' is appropriate for neutral contexts. Avoid in very formal writing where 'subsequently' may be preferred.	Used to indicate a time in the past or future. Often used in storytelling. Avoid using in formal writing; instead, use 'subsequently' or 'afterward'.

See it in real clips

The Lord Of The Rings › The return of the king

and made peace afterwards.

Someone else claims he heard the killing, saw the boy run out afterwards.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. › S1 E1

And I didn't feel good afterwards.

The Lord Of The Rings › The return of the king

and made peace afterwards.

Someone else claims he heard the killing, saw the boy run out afterwards.

Afterwards

Frequently asked questions: Afterwards vs Then

What's the difference between Afterwards and Then?

Afterwards: After something happens, at a later time. Then: At that time; next in order.

Which is more common: Afterwards and Then?

Then is the most common in everyday English.

Which is more advanced: Afterwards and Then?

Afterwards is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.

Are Afterwards and Then the same CEFR level?

Afterwards: B2, Then: A1 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Afterwards and Then?

Afterwards: adverb, Then: adverb.

Can you show an example of each?

Afterwards: Afterwards she was sorry for what she'd said. Then: I finished my homework, and then I went outside to play.

Can I use Afterwards and Then interchangeably?

Not always. Afterwards and Then are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.