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Nach dem Essen sind alle zufrieden.

Nach dem Essen sind alle zufrieden.
After the meal everyone is satisfied.
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Questions & Answers about Nach dem Essen sind alle zufrieden.

Why is it dem Essen and not das Essen?

Because the preposition nach always takes the dative case.

  • Essen is a neuter noun (das Essen in the nominative).
  • In the dative singular, das becomes dem.

Definite article forms (singular):

  • Masculine: der → dem
  • Feminine: die → der
  • Neuter: das → dem

So after nach, neuter das Essen must become dem Essen:
nach dem Essen = after the meal / after eating.

Why is Essen capitalized here?

In German, all nouns are capitalized.

Here, Essen is not used as a verb (to eat), but as a noun meaning “(the) meal / eating / food”. This is a nominalized verb (an infinitive used as a noun).

  • Verb: essen (to eat) – lowercase
  • Noun: das Essen (the meal / food / the act of eating) – uppercase

Because it’s a noun in nach dem Essen, it must start with a capital E.

Can I say Nach Essen sind alle zufrieden without dem?

In normal, everyday German, you need the article here:

  • Correct: Nach dem Essen sind alle zufrieden.
  • Incorrect in this meaning: Nach Essen sind alle zufrieden.

Nach Essen without an article would sound odd or incomplete. It might be understood as something like “after food” in a very abstract sense, but it is not idiomatic German for “after the meal / after eating”.

To talk about specific meals/occasions, use:

  • Nach dem Frühstück / Mittagessen / Abendessen …
  • Nach dem Essen …
Why does the verb sind come before alle? Could I say Nach dem Essen alle sind zufrieden?

German has a strict verb-second rule in main clauses: the conjugated verb must be in second position.

In Nach dem Essen sind alle zufrieden:

  • First position: Nach dem Essen (a whole time phrase)
  • Second position: sind (the verb)
  • Then: alle zufrieden

So Nach dem Essen alle sind zufrieden is wrong, because the verb is no longer in second position.

You can change the order like this (both correct):

  • Nach dem Essen sind alle zufrieden.
  • Alle sind nach dem Essen zufrieden.

In both sentences, the verb is in second position.

Could I also say Alle sind nach dem Essen zufrieden? Is there a difference in meaning?

Yes, that sentence is correct, and the meaning is the same overall.

  • Nach dem Essen sind alle zufrieden.

    • Focus slightly more on the time: After the meal, everyone is satisfied.

  • Alle sind nach dem Essen zufrieden.

    • Focus slightly more on everyone: Everyone is satisfied after the meal.

Both are natural. German allows some flexibility in word order, as long as the verb stays in second position.

Why is it sind and not ist?

The verb must agree with the subject in number and person.

  • alle is plural (like they all / everyone in English)
  • Therefore we need the 3rd person plural: sie sind → alle sind

So:

  • Alle sind zufrieden. = They all are satisfied.
  • Alle ist zufrieden. is ungrammatical.
What exactly is alle here? Why doesn’t it have an ending?

Here alle is a pronoun meaning “everyone / all (of them)”. As a pronoun, in the nominative plural, it usually appears just as alle with no extra ending.

  • Alle sind zufrieden. – alle is the subject (nominative plural pronoun).

When alle is used as an adjective before a noun, it does take endings:

  • alle Leute (all people)
  • alle Kinder (all children)
  • mit allen Kindern (with all children – dative plural)

So:

  • Pronoun subject: Alle sind zufrieden.
  • Adjective + noun: Alle Kinder sind zufrieden.
What is zufrieden grammatically, and why doesn’t it have an ending?

Zufrieden is an adjective (often translated as happy, content, or satisfied).

Here it is used as a predicate adjective after the verb sein (sind):

  • Alle sind zufrieden.

Predicate adjectives in German do not take endings:

  • Er ist müde. (He is tired.)
  • Wir sind bereit. (We are ready.)
  • Sie sind zufrieden. (They are satisfied.)

Adjective endings appear when the adjective is in front of a noun:

  • zufriedene Leute (satisfied people)
  • ein zufriedener Kunde (a satisfied customer)
Can I replace nach dem Essen with danach?

Often yes, if the context is clear.

  • Nach dem Essen sind alle zufrieden.
  • Danach sind alle zufrieden.

Danach means “after that / afterwards” and refers to something mentioned earlier. If you’ve just talked about das Essen (the meal), danach is fine and natural.

However, nach dem Essen is more specific and explicit. If no context was given before, nach dem Essen is clearer than danach.

What tense is sind, and could we also say waren?

Sind is the present tense of sein (to be):

  • sind = are
  • waren = were (simple past)

So:

  • Nach dem Essen sind alle zufrieden.

    • Present tense: After the meal, everyone is (typically) satisfied.
    • Could be a general statement or about a situation happening now or regularly.

  • Nach dem Essen waren alle zufrieden.

    • Past tense: After the meal, everyone was satisfied (that time).

Use sind for current or general truths, waren for a completed past situation.

What is the difference between nach and nachdem? Could I use nachdem here?

No, you cannot just replace nach with nachdem in this sentence.

  • nach is a preposition and must be followed by a noun (or pronoun) in the dative:

    • nach dem Essen, nach der Arbeit, nach dem Unterricht

  • nachdem is a subordinating conjunction and must be followed by a clause with a verb:

    • Nachdem wir gegessen hatten, waren alle zufrieden.
      (After we had eaten, everyone was satisfied.)

So:

  • Nach dem Essen sind alle zufrieden. ✅
  • Nachdem dem Essen sind alle zufrieden. ❌
  • Nachdem wir gegessen haben, sind alle zufrieden. ✅ (different structure)
Can I move nach dem Essen to the end, like Alle sind zufrieden nach dem Essen?

Yes, that is grammatically correct:

  • Nach dem Essen sind alle zufrieden.
  • Alle sind nach dem Essen zufrieden.
  • Alle sind zufrieden nach dem Essen.

All three are possible. Differences:

  • Sentence-initial Nach dem Essen sounds a bit more structured and is very typical in written German.
  • … nach dem Essen at the end sounds a bit more informal/spoken and can add a slight emphasis at the end.

In all cases, the main rule holds: the finite verb stays in second position:

  • sind is the second element of the clause.