Turn this distinction into automatic recall
Falando teaches Brazilian Portuguese through grammar, vocabulary, audio, examples, and spaced review, so confusing pairs stop feeling like guesses.
Quick answer
Depois locates something later in time; então advances the sequence or presents a consequence.
A reliable test is to identify the job of the word before translating from English.
What each word does
depois
after or later
Use depois for a later time or a position after another event.
então
then or so
Use então for the next step in a narrative or a consequence.
How to choose
- depois: Choose depois if the sentence points to a later time or a position after another event.
- então: Choose então if the sentence points to the next step in a narrative or a consequence.
Examples
Falamos depois do almoço.
We will talk after lunch.
Estava cansado, então fui embora.
I was tired, so I left.
Common trap
Both can translate “then,” but então fui embora tells the next result, while fui embora depois stresses timing.
Practice it in context
Pick one sentence from your real life and write it twice: once with depois, then once with então. If both versions feel possible, name the meaning shift.
Turn this distinction into automatic recall
Falando teaches Brazilian Portuguese through grammar, vocabulary, audio, examples, and spaced review, so confusing pairs stop feeling like guesses.