then

A1 Topic:Grammar & Function Words

US /ðɛn/ UK /ðɛn/ See IPA manual

Minimal pairs

Sounds like than /ɛ/ vs /æ/ Sounds like den /ð/ vs /d/

Freq #85

Meanings

1

adv
At that time; in the past or future being talked about.

I was much younger then and full of energy.
2

adv
After that; next in time.

We had lunch and then went for a walk.
3

adv
In that case; as a result.

If the door is locked, then we will need the key.
4

adv
Next in order or place.

There are three green ones, then a blue one.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 adv · at that time; in the past... at the time

2 adv · after that; next in time. and thensubsequently

3 adv · in that case; as a result. accordingly so

More ensuingly followingly hereafter simultaneouslysynetherefore therewhile

Opposites

before previously

Word family

Derived forms if-thenif-then-elsethen-and-now

Appears in

Tongue twisters (1)

See all

Sift the Thistles
Fill the sieve with thistles, then sift the thistles in the sieve.

Contrast /θ/ at the start of thistles with /s/ in sieve and sift. The written t in thistles is silent; sieve rhymes with give.

Etymology

* As a south German surname, from the personal name Thön, a form of Anthony. * Also as a German surname, a variant of Ten, occupational surname for a mintmaster, from obsolete Middle Low German ten, tene (“blank; disk from which a coin is made”), possibly related to Proto-Germanic *tainaz (“metal rod”), or perhaps otherwise from Proto-Indo-European *ten- (“to stretch”). * Also as a German name, from the noun Tenne (“threshing-floor”). * As a Chinese surname, a Romanization of 鄧 /邓 (dèng) (see Deng) and 田 (tián) (see Tian).

ten, tene gml *tainaz Proto-Germanic *ten- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Grammar & Function Words

External links

# then

**Type:** Word
**Level:** A1
**Part of speech:** adv
**IPA (US):** /ðɛn/
**IPA (UK):** /ðɛn/
**Frequency rank:** 85

## Meanings
1. At that time; in the past or future being talked about.
2. After that; next in time.
3. In that case; as a result.
4. Next in order or place.

## Examples
- I was much younger then and full of energy.
- We had lunch and then went for a walk.
- If the door is locked, then we will need the key.
- There are three green ones, then a blue one.

## Synonyms
- ensuingly
- followingly
- hereafter
- simultaneously
- syne
- therefore
- therewhile

## Antonyms
- before
- previously

## Derived Forms
- if-then
- if-then-else
- then-and-now

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: ten, tene
- Root: *tainaz
- Root: *ten-

## Etymology
* As a south German surname, from the personal name Thön, a form of Anthony. * Also as a German surname, a variant of Ten, occupational surname for a mintmaster, from obsolete Middle Low German ten, tene (“blank; disk from which a coin is made”), possibly related to Proto-Germanic *tainaz (“metal rod”), or perhaps otherwise from Proto-Indo-European *ten- (“to stretch”). * Also as a German name, from the noun Tenne (“threshing-floor”). * As a Chinese surname, a Romanization of 鄧 /邓 (dèng) (see Deng) and 田 (tián) (see Tian).

## Topics
- Grammar & Function Words

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