apres

PeterC1Kwiziq community member

apres

I will do this after I wash my hands. Will do is future, wash is present why do I need to use the past tense for wash. The sentence I am setting up future after present tense and the present tense is "past" relative to the future tense
Asked 5 years ago
ChrisC1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Hi peter,

What can I say, in French people think differently when it comes to tenses. The English correspondence (though not entirely correct) would be: 

I'll do this after having washed my hands. -- Je ferai ça après avoir lavé les mains. 

Aprés usually asks for some kind of past tense when using it with a verb. 

-- Chris (not a native speaker).

Stephanie C1Kwiziq Q&A regular contributor

Just curious, shouldn't it be "Je ferai ça après m'être lavé(e) les mains"? I didn't see any examples using reflexive verbs but that's what I would think.

apres

I will do this after I wash my hands. Will do is future, wash is present why do I need to use the past tense for wash. The sentence I am setting up future after present tense and the present tense is "past" relative to the future tense

Sign in to submit your answer

Don't have an account yet? Join today

Ask a question

Find your French level for FREE

Test your French to the CEFR standard

Find your French level
Clever stuff happening!