Korean Grammar Verb 고 나서 – After (doing something) TOPIK GUIDE

Korean Grammar V+고 나서 – After (doing something)

May 2, 2022

Smriti

Today we'll be looking at the usage of "Verb ~고 나서" Korean grammar pattern with some examples.

Usage :

~고 나서 Korean grammar pattern is used when you want to say that you do/did/will do something after doing something else.

For example - I went to library after having lunch.

So basically you are completing action 1 and then starting action 2.

It can be equivalent to saying "After doing....." etc. in English to indicate any action finished and the next action in sequence.

Conjugation rule :

First, you should remember that ~고 나서 is used with verbs only and not with adjectives.

You simply have to remove the ~다 from the base form of the verb and add ~고 나서 to the verb stem.

For example 가다 :

Remove ~다 from 가다 and add ~고 나서 that makes 가고 나서.

Lets see some examples to understand the usage :

1) After finishing my homework I slept.

숙제를 끝내고 나서 잠을 잤어요.

2) After eating I always do my dishes.

밥을 먹고 나서 설거지를 했어요.

3) After going to school, I study.

학교에 가고 나서 공부를 해요.

4) We all meet at the farm, then separate.

우리 모두는 농장에서 만나고 나서 헤어져요.

5) Please eat after washing your hands.

손을 씻고 나서 식사하세요.

6) Let's eat first then think about it.

우선 밥을 먹고 나서 그 문제에 대해 생각해 보자.

7) He laughed after hearing the whole story

그는 자초지종을 듣고 웃었어요.

8) It suddenly turned cold after it rained.

비가 오고 나서 날씨가 갑자기 추워졌어요.

Smriti

Smriti Ekka graduated in Commerce and Library science, and currently she is working as a content writer at TOPIK Guide website. She is a Korean language and culture enthusiast and has been working across multiple disciplines which broadly addresses narratives of similarities between Korean and Indian culture. Apart from being a content writer at TOPIK Guide she manages Annyeong India website and has had her pieces published in Learn Korean in India website as well. In her other life, she is a singer, rising entrepreneur, life enthusiast and a learner.

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I slept, after finishing my homework.
Everyday,I do wash my dishes, after a meal.
It’s being cold, as soon as the rain stopped.

After having a meal,I do wash my dishes everyday.