Korean ~고 나서: Saying “After Doing Something” Naturally
Korean ~고 나서: Saying “After Doing Something” Naturally
How would you say “I ate and then went out” or “After I finish work, I exercise” in Korean?
One of the most useful patterns is ~고 나서.
It connects two actions and makes their order clear: the first action happens, and then the next action or situation follows.
For example:
밥을 먹고 나서 커피를 마셨어요.
I drank coffee after eating.
The form itself is easy. The more useful question is how ~고 나서 differs from similar Korean expressions such as ~고 and ~(으)ㄴ 후에. Understanding those differences will help you use the pattern naturally instead of simply translating the English word “after.”
1. What Does ~고 나서 Mean?
The basic structure is:
~고 나서 shows that something happens after the first action has taken place.
- 숙제를 하고 나서 게임을 했어요.
I played games after doing my homework. - 샤워하고 나서 잤어요.
I went to sleep after taking a shower. - 한국에 오고 나서 한국어를 더 열심히 공부했어요.
After coming to Korea, I studied Korean more seriously.
The key idea is sequence: the first event happens, and the second action or situation follows it.
2. How to Form ~고 나서
This pattern is straightforward. You do not need to choose a different ending depending on whether the verb stem ends in a vowel or consonant.
Take the verb stem and add ~고 나서.
| Verb | Verb stem | With ~고 나서 | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 먹다 | 먹- | 먹고 나서 | after eating |
| 가다 | 가- | 가고 나서 | after going |
| 보다 | 보- | 보고 나서 | after seeing/watching |
| 공부하다 | 공부하- | 공부하고 나서 | after studying |
| 운동하다 | 운동하- | 운동하고 나서 | after exercising |
Normally, tense is expressed in the final clause:
밥을 먹고 나서 학교에 갔어요.
After eating, I went to school.
The past tense is carried by 갔어요, not by the verb before ~고 나서.
3. ~고 vs ~고 나서
This is one of the most useful distinctions to understand.
Compare these two sentences:
밥을 먹고 커피를 마셨어요.
I ate and drank coffee.
밥을 먹고 나서 커피를 마셨어요.
After eating, I drank coffee.
Both sentences can describe events in sequence. However, ~고 나서 makes the order more explicit: the first event happens, and the second one follows afterward.
| Pattern | Main idea | Example |
|---|---|---|
| ~고 | Connects actions or events | 밥을 먹고 공부했어요. |
| ~고 나서 | Makes “A first, then B” clearer | 밥을 먹고 나서 공부했어요. |
Important: ~고 나서 is not simply a more formal version of ~고. The useful difference is the relationship between the actions, not formality.
4. Natural Everyday Examples
Morning routine
아침을 먹고 나서 이를 닦아요.
I brush my teeth after breakfast.
Studying
수업이 끝나고 나서 도서관에 갔어요.
I went to the library after class ended.
Work
일을 끝내고 나서 운동할 거예요.
I’m going to exercise after finishing work.
Travel
호텔에 체크인하고 나서 저녁을 먹으러 갔어요.
After checking into the hotel, I went out for dinner.
Living in Korea
한국에 오고 나서 한국 음식에 더 관심이 생겼어요.
After coming to Korea, I became more interested in Korean food.
The last example is useful because the second part does not have to be another short physical action. It can describe a new situation or change that follows the first event.
5. Past, Present, and Future
~고 나서 itself stays the same. The final clause normally tells you when the event takes place.
Past
저녁을 먹고 나서 산책했어요.
I took a walk after dinner.
Habit or routine
운동하고 나서 샤워해요.
I shower after exercising.
Future
숙제를 하고 나서 영화를 볼 거예요.
I’ll watch a movie after doing my homework.
6. ~고 나서 vs ~(으)ㄴ 후에
Korean also commonly uses ~(으)ㄴ 후에 to express “after doing something.”
Compare:
밥을 먹고 나서 공부했어요.
I studied after eating.
밥을 먹은 후에 공부했어요.
I studied after eating.
Both express an after relationship.
~고 나서 is very natural when describing one event followed by another:
집에 가고 나서 전화할게요.
I’ll call you after I get home.
~(으)ㄴ 후에 is also common and works well in conversation as well as instructions and more structured explanations:
신청서를 작성한 후에 제출해 주세요.
Please submit the application after completing it.
For learners, it is better to recognize that both can express sequence than to memorize an overly rigid rule saying that one must always be used in conversation and the other in formal writing.
7. What About ~아/어서?
You may also see ~아/어서 connecting actions:
집에 가서 밥을 먹었어요.
I went home and ate.
This is not simply another interchangeable version of ~고 나서.
~아/어서 has several functions, including expressing cause and connecting closely related actions. With movement verbs, for example, it often connects going somewhere with what happens there.
~고 나서, by contrast, is useful when you want to make the before-and-after sequence clear.
8. A Natural Conversation
A: 오늘 퇴근하고 뭐 할 거예요?
What are you going to do after work today?
B: 퇴근하고 나서 친구를 만날 거예요.
I’m going to meet a friend after work.
A: 저녁도 같이 먹어요?
Are you going to have dinner together too?
B: 네. 저녁을 먹고 나서 카페에 갈 것 같아요.
Yes. I think we’ll go to a café after dinner.
Notice that this conversation naturally uses both ~고 and ~고 나서. You do not need to force ~고 나서 into every sequence of actions.
9. Common Mistakes
Mistake 1: Thinking ~고 나서 is simply more formal than ~고
This is not the key difference.
~고 나서 makes the sequence between the first and second event more explicit.
Mistake 2: Adding past tense before ~고 나서
❌ 밥을 먹었고 나서 학교에 갔어요.
For the ordinary construction:
✅ 밥을 먹고 나서 학교에 갔어요.
Mistake 3: Using ~고 나서 when there is no meaningful sequence
The construction works best when the second action or situation clearly follows the first.
✅ 숙제를 하고 나서 잤어요.
I went to sleep after doing my homework.
Mistake 4: Translating every English “after” as ~고 나서
Korean has several ways to express time relationships. ~고 나서 and ~(으)ㄴ 후에 are both important, and the best choice depends on context.
10. Quick Comparison
| Pattern | Main idea | Example | Natural meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| ~고 | Connects actions/events | 밥을 먹고 공부했어요. | I ate and studied. |
| ~고 나서 | A happens, then B follows | 밥을 먹고 나서 공부했어요. | I studied after eating. |
| ~(으)ㄴ 후에 | After doing something | 밥을 먹은 후에 공부했어요. | I studied after eating. |
| ~아/어서 | Cause or closely connected actions | 집에 가서 밥을 먹었어요. | I went home and ate. |
11. Quick Practice
1. Complete the sentence.
밥을 ______ 나서 커피를 마셨어요.
(I drank coffee after eating.)
Show answer
먹고
밥을 먹고 나서 커피를 마셨어요.
2. Translate into Korean.
“I’ll exercise after finishing work.”
Show answer
일을 끝내고 나서 운동할 거예요.
3. Which sentence makes the sequence clearer?
A. 숙제를 하고 게임했어요.
B. 숙제를 하고 나서 게임했어요.
Show answer
B. ~고 나서 makes the “homework first, game afterward” relationship more explicit.
4. Correct the sentence.
❌ 저녁을 먹었고 나서 산책했어요.
Show answer
✅ 저녁을 먹고 나서 산책했어요.
12. Keep Building Your Korean
This grammar becomes easier when you compare it with related patterns rather than memorizing each ending separately.
- Korean Time Expressions — explore related ways to talk about sequence, before, and after.
- ~(으)니까 vs ~아/어서 — understand how ~아/어서 can express cause or connect actions.
- Korean -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 / 없다: How to Say “Can” and “Cannot” — learn how Korean expresses ability and possibility.
- Korean -아/어야 돼요 — learn how to express necessity and obligation.
Final Takeaway
The easiest way to understand ~고 나서 is:
Remember these examples:
- 밥을 먹고 나서 커피를 마셨어요.
I drank coffee after eating. - 일을 끝내고 나서 운동할 거예요.
I’ll exercise after finishing work. - 한국에 오고 나서 한국 음식에 더 관심이 생겼어요.
After coming to Korea, I became more interested in Korean food.
Most importantly, do not memorize ~고 나서 as a “more formal ~고.” Its real value is making the relationship between what happened first and what followed afterward clearer.