Using the Spanish Preposition Tras

The Spanish preposition tras, usually meaning behind or after, isnt a particularly common preposition. In fact, you could probably get by without even using it at all, as the prepositional phrases detrà ¡s de (behind in location) and despuà ©s de (after in time) can usually be used instead. Tras is more common in writing than in speech. Even so, tras has significant use in journalese (its a shorter word to use in headlines) and in a few phrases such as uno tras otro (one after the other) and dà ­a tras dà ­a (day after day). Here are the most common meanings of tras, along with examples of its use. Tras Meaning After (In Time) Tras is sometimes used to mean after (in time), as in the following examples: Se degradà ³ la libertad de prensa tras la eleccià ³n. (Freedom of the press was diminished after the election.) El restaurante abre de nuevo tras ser cerrado. (The restaurant is opening again after being closed.) Tras Meaning In Pursuit Of Tras can also mean after (in the sense of advancing toward or being in pursuit of), as in these cases: Iba  tras  las riquezas.  (He was after riches.)   El perro salià ³Ã‚  tras  ella.  (The dog went after her.) Tras Meaning Behind It can also be used to say behind (in location), as in these examples: Tras las puertas cerradas puede haber violencia. (Behind closed doors there can be violence.) Necesita contraseà ±a para participar en las conversaciones tras la pared de proteccià ³n corporativa. (You need a password in order to participate in conversations behind the corporate firewall.) Tras- as a Prefix Tras- also is commonly used as a prefix, where it is a shortened form of trans- and often the equivalent of the English prefix trans-, as in  trascendental (transcendental), trascribir (to transcribe), trascontinental (transcontinental).