मग / नंतर

Then and Next

Level 2Sounds Like maga / nantara

मग follows on from what was just said, and नंतर means later.

How It Works

Use आधी for the first step and मग or नंतर for the next one.

WordUseExample
मगthe next step, or "in that case"आधी चहा, मग जेवण.
नंतरlater, afterwardsमी नंतर फोन करतो.

मग is the more natural choice in a chain of steps. It also reacts to what someone said: तुला भूक लागली आहे? मग जेव. (You're hungry? Then eat.)

नंतर stands where the time word fits: मी नंतर फोन करतो. (I'll call later.)

मग and नंतर are separate words. When नंतर follows a noun, it becomes an ending and joins it: जेवणानंतर (after the meal). Alone, as in तो नंतर आला, it stays a separate word.

To ask about the next event, use मग with काय: मग काय झाले? (And then what happened?)

Examples (5)

  1. आधी चहा, मग जेवण.

    First tea, then the meal.

    आधी gives the first step and मग gives the next.

  2. मी आधी हात धुतले, मग जेवले.

    I washed my hands first, and then I ate. A woman is speaking.

    मग joins the two steps, and जेवले shows a woman.

  3. आधी काम करा, नंतर खेळा.

    Do your work first, and play later.

    नंतर marks the later step.

  4. मी नंतर फोन करतो.

    I'll call later. A man is speaking.

    नंतर means later, and करतो shows a man.

  5. मग काय झाले?

    And then what happened?

    मग asks what came next.

Common Mistakes

  • Writing नंतर as a separate word after a noun.

    जेवण नंतर आम्ही गेलो.
    जेवणानंतर आम्ही गेलो.

    After a noun, नंतर becomes the ending -नंतर, and the noun takes its changed shape before it.

How It Connects

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मग / नंतरLevel 2Then and Next

Learn This First

Then and next join sentences in order.

Words in This Pattern

मगनंतर