📘 Grammar 37: How to Use ~고 나서 – Saying After Doing Something in Korean

📘 How to Use ~고 나서 – Saying After Doing Something in Korean

Want to say “After I ate, I went out,” “After you finish work, call me,” or “I’ll rest after exercising” in Korean?

Then it’s time to learn ~고 나서, a natural and frequently used Korean grammar expression that means “after doing…”

This pattern is perfect for sequencing two actions, especially in narratives, conversations, and storytelling.

---

📌 What Does ~고 나서 Mean?

~고 나서 literally means “after doing (something)” and connects two sequential actions.

Structure:

• Verb stem + 고 나서 + second action

✔️ It emphasizes that one action is completed before the next one begins.

📘 Example Sentences

• 밥을 먹고 나서 산책했어요 – After eating, I took a walk
  bap-eul meok-go na-seo san-chaek-haet-seo-yo
• 운동하고 나서 샤워했어요 – After exercising, I took a shower
  un-dong-ha-go na-seo sya-wo-haet-seo-yo
• 숙제하고 나서 친구를 만났어요 – I met my friend after doing homework
  suk-je-ha-go na-seo chin-gu-reul man-nat-seo-yo
• 일 끝내고 나서 전화할게요 – I’ll call you after finishing work
  il kkeut-nae-go na-seo jeon-hwa-hal-ge-yo

📊 Grammar Table

Verb	~고 나서 Form	Meaning	Romanization
가다 (to go)	가고 나서	after going	ga-go na-seo
보다 (to see)	보고 나서	after seeing	bo-go na-seo
공부하다 (to study)	공부하고 나서	after studying	gong-bu-ha-go na-seo
일하다 (to work)	일하고 나서	after working	il-ha-go na-seo

💡 Difference: ~고 나서 vs ~고

Both ~고 나서 and ~고 connect two actions, but:

• ~고 나서 puts more emphasis on completing the first action before starting the next.
• ~고 simply connects actions, may or may not indicate strict order.

Examples:

• 밥 먹고 잤어요 → I ate and (then) slept (sequence implied)
• 밥 먹고 나서 잤어요 → I slept after I finished eating (clearly sequential)

❗ Common Mistakes

• ❌ 공부 나서 쉬었어요 → ✅ 공부하고 나서 쉬었어요
• ❌ 일 끝나서 밥 먹어요 → ✅ 일 끝내고 나서 밥 먹어요
• Always use “verb stem + 고 나서” together

🧪 Mini Quiz – Test Yourself!

1. How do you say “After exercising, I’ll shower” in Korean?
   a) 운동하고 샤워할 거예요
   b) 운동하고 나서 샤워할 거예요
   
   Click to Show Answer

   ✅ b) 운동하고 나서 샤워할 거예요

2. Translate: “I called after I arrived.”
   a) 도착하고 나서 전화했어요
   b) 도착해서 전화했어요
   
   Click to Show Answer

   ✅ a) 도착하고 나서 전화했어요

3. Which one is more formal and emphasizes sequence?
   a) 밥 먹고 잤어요
   b) 밥 먹고 나서 잤어요
   
   Click to Show Answer

   ✅ b) 밥 먹고 나서 잤어요

✅ Conclusion

Now you can clearly describe what happened after doing something using ~고 나서 in Korean!

• Attach it to any verb stem
• Shows clear order: Action 1 → Action 2
• Stronger than just using ~고

Try using:

• “After cleaning, I will rest” → 청소하고 나서 쉴 거예요
• “Call me after you arrive” → 도착하고 나서 전화해 주세요

📘 Coming Up Next

Next lesson: How to Use ~아/어 본 적이 있어요 – Talking About Experiences in Korean
Learn how to say “I’ve tried it,” “I’ve been there,” and more!

---

Related Keywords:
learn korean, korean grammar, sequential actions, 고 나서, after doing something, korean verb connectors, romanized korean