Later vs Then

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

Later

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 adverb

Then

Top 1,000 (very common) A1 adverb

	Later	Then
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ˈleɪtə(r)/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈleɪtər/"]/ Hear Later	🇬🇧 /["/ðen/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ðen/"]/ Hear Then
Meaning	After a time or at a future time.	At that time; next in order.
Example	I will call you later when I finish my work.	I finished my homework, and then I went outside to play.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	A1	A1
Part of speech	adverb	adverb
Collocations	see you later, later than expected, talk about it later	then and there, back then, if... then, then again, more then
Antonyms	sooner, earlier	before, previously
Common mistakes	Confused with 'latter' - 'later' refers to time, while 'latter' refers to the second of two items., Misused in phrases where 'after' would be more appropriate., Misspelled as 'latter' when referring to time.	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 to indicate a time in the future. It is appropriate for casual conversations but can also be used in more formal contexts.	Used to indicate a time in the past or future. Often used in storytelling. Avoid using in formal writing; instead, use 'subsequently' or 'afterward'.

Frequently asked questions: Later vs Then

What's the difference between Later and Then?

Later: After a time or at a future time. Then: At that time; next in order.

Are Later and Then the same CEFR level?

Later: A1, Then: A1 on the CEFR scale.

Can I use Later and Then interchangeably?

Not always. Later 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.