느라고 (causal excuse) - Because of Doing

You attach 느라고 directly to the stem of a verb. It creates a causal link between a "busy" action and a "negative" result. One of the most important things to remember is the subject must be the same for both parts. If you were busy, and then you were the one who missed the bus, 느라고 works perfectly. You cannot use it if you were busy and then your friend missed the bus. It also implies a continuous action. You are talking about something that took some time or effort. It is not for quick, momentary actions like "sneezing" or "blinking." It is for things like "studying," "working," or "preparing." Think of it as a bridge where the first half is the effort and the second half is the unintended consequence. It is a very active grammar point. It focuses on what you were physically or mentally doing.

1. 1Take any verb stem. For example, 먹다 (to eat) becomes 먹.
2. 2Add 느라고 directly to that stem: 먹느라고.
3. 3For 하다 verbs like 공부하다 (to study), just drop 다 and add the ending: 공부하느라고.
4. 4Important Rule: Never use past tense markers like 았/었 before 느라고. Even if the whole event happened yesterday, the first verb stays in its base form. The past tense is only shown at the very end of the sentence.
5. 5Example: 숙제하느라고 잠을 못 잤어요. (I couldn't sleep because I was doing homework.) Notice 숙제하 is in the present form even though the sleeping part is past tense.

Use this when you have a genuine excuse for a negative situation. It is perfect for real-world scenarios like a job interview. If an interviewer asks why you have a gap in your resume, you might say, 아이를 키우느라고 일을 쉬었습니다 (I took a break from work because I was raising my child). It sounds much more natural than a simple "because." Use it when ordering food if you are late to the table: 메뉴를 고르느라고 늦었어요 (I am late because I was choosing from the menu). It is also great for explaining why you missed directions: 지도를 보느라고 길을 잘못 들었어요 (I took the wrong turn because I was looking at the map). It shows that you were occupied with a legitimate task. It adds a layer of "I was doing my best, but this happened."

Do not use 느라고 with adjectives. You cannot say "Because I was pretty, I was late." That makes no sense in this context! It only works with verbs. Also, avoid using it for things you cannot control, like the weather or natural disasters. You wouldn't say 비가 오느라고 못 갔어요. Instead, use 아/어서 for those situations. Another big "no-no" is using it for positive results. If you say "I studied hard, so I got an A," 느라고 is the wrong choice. It almost always leads to something you didn't want to happen, like being tired, being late, or failing to do something else. It is the grammar of "oops" and "sorry."

The biggest mistake is the "Past Tense Trap." Many people try to say 공부했느라고 because they are talking about yesterday. Don't do it! Keep it as 공부하느라고. Another mistake is switching subjects. 동생이 공부하느라고 제가 조용히 했어요 (Because my brother was studying, I stayed quiet) is incorrect using this grammar. Use 기 때문에 for that. Also, watch out for "Momentary Verbs." You can't really be "busy" waking up or "busy" falling down. These actions are too short. Stick to verbs that take at least a few minutes of your life. Think of it like a movie: if the scene is too short to have a montage, it probably doesn't fit 느라고.

How is it different from 아/어서? Well, 아/어서 is the general "because." It is neutral. 느라고 is specific to being busy with an action. If you say 아파서 못 갔어요 (I couldn't go because I was sick), that is a state. You can't use 느라고 there because being sick isn't an active task you are performing. What about 기 때문에? That is a very strong, logical reason. 느라고 is softer and feels more like a personal explanation. It is less about "Logic A leads to Result B" and more about "My focus on A caused B to be neglected." Finally, there is 느라, which is just the shortened version of 느라고. They are identical in meaning, but 느라고 feels a bit more complete in speech.