Después de un sorbo de agua, me siento más tranquilo.

After a sip of water, I feel calmer.

Breakdown of Después de un sorbo de agua, me siento más tranquilo.

• yo: I
• el agua: the water
• un: a
• después de: after

Questions & Answers about Después de un sorbo de agua, me siento más tranquilo.

Why is it después de and not just después?

Después often needs de when it is followed by a noun, pronoun, or infinitive.

• después de un sorbo de agua = after a sip of water
• después de comer = after eating

If después appears on its own, the rest is just understood from context:

• Nos vemos después. = See you later / See you afterwards.

So in this sentence, de is required because it is followed by the noun phrase un sorbo de agua.

What exactly does un sorbo mean?

Un sorbo means a sip.

It refers to a small amount of liquid taken into the mouth. It is a masculine noun, which is why it uses un:

• un sorbo
• el sorbo

A learner may also come across:

• un trago = a drink / a gulp / a swallow, depending on context
• beber un sorbo = to take a sip

In this sentence, un sorbo de agua is a very natural way to say a sip of water.

Why is it de agua and not del agua?