Verb + 完 + 了以后
Reach for this when you want to say 'after finishing [verb]' — emphasizing that the first action is fully wrapped up before the next one starts. 完 nails down the completion, 了 marks it as actually done, and 以后 adds the time sequence. Useful for talking about routines, plans, and consequences: 'After I finish eating, I'll head out,' 'After he finished running, he felt sick.'
Structure
[VERB] 完 了以后 [NEXT CLAUSE]
[VERB] wán le yǐhòu
How to Think About It
Think of this as a three-piece lock: 完 is the door clicking shut on action one, 了 confirms the click happened, 以后 hands the timeline over to action two. Plain 以后 just means 'after,' but 完了以后 specifically promises the first thing is finished — not paused, not in progress. Skip 完 and the sentence becomes vaguer in time; skip 以后 and you lose the sequencing handoff.
Examples
我吃完饭了以后就去散步。
Wǒ chī wán fàn le yǐhòu jiù qù sànbù.
After I finish eating, I'll go for a walk.
她写完作业了以后看了一部电影。
Tā xiě wán zuòyè le yǐhòu kàn le yí bù diànyǐng.
After she finished her homework, she watched a movie.
考完试了以后他们去旅行了。
Kǎo wán shì le yǐhòu tāmen qù lǚxíng le.
After they finished the exam, they went traveling.
Common Mistake
Learners often forget 了 between 完 and 以后, writing '吃完以后' and hearing nothing wrong. That version is actually fine and common in speech — but the full '吃完了以后' adds extra finality and reads as more careful and complete in writing. The real mistake is mixing in 后 vs 以后 with no consistency, or putting 完 after the object.
我吃饭完了以后去公园。
我吃完饭了以后去公园。
Don't Confuse With
...以后
Plain 以后 just marks a later time, with no claim that action one is finished ('After I get to Beijing...'). Use it when completion isn't the point. Add 完了 only when 'fully done' matters.
Verb + 了 + 以后
Same sequence feel but no 完, so the action is marked as past but not necessarily wrapped up. '下了课以后' is 'after class started/ended' (context-dependent); '下完课了以后' specifically means 'after class is finished.'
Verb + 完
Without 了以后, 完 just marks resultative completion ('finished doing X'), no time link to the next clause. Use 完了以后 when you want both completion AND a 'then...' handoff.
Practice
我跑 ___ 步了以后去洗澡。 (fill in the completion marker)
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完
他下完班 ___ 以后回家了。 (fill in the missing marker)
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了
Put in order: [以后 / 喝 / 我 / 咖啡 / 完 / 了 / 工作]
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我喝完咖啡了以后工作。
Translate to Chinese: 'After he finished running, he felt uncomfortable.'
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他跑完步了以后觉得不舒服。
Write one sentence about what you'll do after finishing today's work, using 完了以后.
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Example answer: 我下完班了以后想去吃火锅。 (After I finish work, I want to go eat hot pot.)
Hear It in Real Episodes
This pattern appears in 1 Fluentide episode: