느라고 (because of doing - excuse)

This grammar is like a bridge. On one side, you have an action. This action takes time and effort. On the other side, you have a result. This result is usually negative. It could be a missed opportunity. It could be a mistake. It could be a physical state like being tired. The key is the 'time' factor. You were doing something for a while. Because of that, you couldn't do something else. Or something bad happened. It connects the 'why' to the 'bad result'. It’s like a grammar traffic light. It tells the listener: 'Stop! I have a reason.'

1. 1Find the verb stem of the action.
2. 2Do not worry about the past tense.
3. 3Attach 느라고 directly to the stem.
4. 4For ㄹ irregular verbs, drop the ㄹ.
5. 5먹다 (to eat) becomes 먹느라고.
6. 6자다 (to sleep) becomes 자느라고.
7. 7만들다 (to make) becomes 만드느라고.
8. 8공부하다 (to study) becomes 공부하느라고.
9. 9Remember, the tense is only in the second part. You never say 했느라고. That is a big mistake! Keep the first part simple. The ending of the sentence tells the time. If you were late yesterday, use 늦었어요 at the end. The 느라고 part stays the same.

Use this when you have an excuse. Use it for active verbs. These are things you do. Like studying, working, or cleaning. Use it when the result is negative. Maybe you are tired. Maybe you are late. Maybe you didn't finish something. Use it when the subject is the same. You were studying, so you are tired. It doesn't work if your friend was studying. Imagine a job interview. You might say you were busy working. That's why you couldn't take a course. It sounds very professional and logical. Or imagine ordering food. You were busy looking at the menu. That's why you didn't see the waiter. It fits perfectly there too.

Do not use this with adjectives. You cannot say 예쁘느라고. Being pretty is not an action. Do not use it for positive results. If you got an A because you studied, use 어서. 느라고 is for the 'oops' moments. Do not use it for things that happen instantly. Sneezing is too fast. Winning the lottery is too fast. It must be something that takes time. Also, do not use it for weather. The rain doesn't 'busy itself' to cause a flood. Finally, do not use it in commands. You cannot say 'Because I am eating, don't call me' using 느라고. Use 니까 for that.

Many people use the past tense. They say 공부했느라고. This sounds very strange to Koreans. Just say 공부하느라고. Another mistake is changing the subject. 'Because my brother played, I couldn't sleep.' You cannot use 느라고 here. Use 때문에 instead. Some people use it for good things. 'I am happy because I bought a car.' This is wrong. 느라고 is for the struggle! Think of it as the 'suffering' connector. If you aren't complaining a little bit, you might be using the wrong grammar. Yes, even native speakers mess this up sometimes when they are in a rush!

느라고 vs 어서: 어서 is the general 'because'. It works for everything. 느라고 is specific. It is for excuses and time-consuming actions.

느라고 vs 는 바람에: 는 바람에 is for sudden things. Like a car accident or a sudden rain shower. 느라고 is for things you chose to do. You chose to watch Netflix. You chose to study.

느라고 vs 기 때문에: 기 때문에 is very formal and logical. It can be used for anything. 느라고 feels more like a personal explanation. It’s more conversational.