# X minutes later

idiom · CEFR A1

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/x-minutes-later
Updated: 2026-04-22

## Meaning

This phrase shows that a certain amount of time has passed. You use it to connect events in a story and show what happened next.

## Examples

- Ten minutes later, the bus finally arrived.
- I put the pizza in the oven, and twenty minutes later, the kitchen smelled delicious.
- Five minutes later, the storm clouds cleared, revealing a bright rainbow over the quiet valley.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.