-느라고
because I was busy doing — and so something failed
A reason ending with a built-in outcome: the first action consumed your time or attention, and the second suffered for it. That negative result is part of the grammar, not just the context.
Build it
Pick a verb
When to use it
Attach -느라고 to an action verb stem; ㄹ drops, giving 만드느라고. The short form -느라 is common. No tense goes in front, and the two clauses must share a subject.
Three restrictions make it narrower than -아서/어서. It takes action verbs only — no adjectives, and nothing involuntary like 아프다. It requires the two events to overlap in time, competing for the same hours. And the second clause must be a negative or unwanted outcome.
That last point is where learners slip. 공부하느라고 합격했어요 is wrong, because passing is a good result. 공부하느라고 잠을 못 잤어요 is right.
Like -아서, it cannot be followed by a command or suggestion.
How to attach it
| Situation | Form | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Action verb | -느라고 | 공부하다 → 공부하느라고 |
| Ends in ㄹ | ㄹ drops | 만들다 → 만드느라고 |
| Short form | -느라 | 공부하느라 |
| Result must be | negative | 못 잤어요, 늦었어요, 못 갔어요 |
| Adjectives | impossible | 아프느라고 does not exist |
| Never takes tense | plain stem only | 공부했느라고 is wrong |
In use
시험 공부하느라고 한숨도 못 잤어요.
I was studying for the exam and didn’t sleep a wink.
전화 받느라고 못 들었어요.
I was on the phone, so I didn’t hear it.
저녁을 만드느라고 시간 가는 줄 몰랐어요.
I was making dinner and lost track of time.
일하느라고 연락을 못 드렸습니다.
I was tied up with work and couldn’t get in touch.
아이를 돌보느라 정신이 없었어요.
I was looking after the children and completely swamped.
발표 준비하느라 주말에도 못 쉬었어요.
I was busy preparing the presentation, so I could not rest even at the weekend.
Compared with
-아서/어서
-아서 gives any cause; -느라고 specifically says your time went elsewhere. For an involuntary reason like illness, only -아서 works.
아파서 못 갔어요. (I was ill) / 일하느라고 못 갔어요. (I was working)
-기 때문에
-기 때문에 is neutral and formal, and accepts adjectives and tense. -느라고 is narrower but more vivid about what occupied you.
시간이 없었기 때문에 (because there was no time) / 일하느라고 (because I was busy working)
-는 바람에
Also produces a negative result, but from something sudden and outside your control rather than from your own occupation.
공부하느라고 못 갔어요. (I was studying) / 비가 오는 바람에 못 갔어요. (it rained unexpectedly)
Watch out
열심히 공부하느라고 시험에 합격했어요.
열심히 공부해서 시험에 합격했어요.
-느라고 requires an unwanted outcome. For a good result, use -아서 or -(으)니까.
어제 아프느라고 못 갔어요.
어제 아파서 못 갔어요.
This ending takes action verbs only. 아프다 is an adjective describing a state you did not choose.
저녁을 만들느라고 늦었어요.
저녁을 만드느라고 늦었어요.
Stems ending in ㄹ drop it before -느라고, as they do before -는 and -(으)니까.
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