Says you missed something or had a hard time because you were busy doing something else: 일하느라고 못 갔어요 (ilhaneurago mot gasseoyo), "I couldn't go because I was working".
Checked against the official learner dictionary from the National Institute of Korean Language
- Only after action verbs, with no past tense on it. The tense goes on the second verb.
- Stems ending in ㄹ drop it: 놀다 → 노느라고 noneurago. The short form is 느라 neura.
Build it
When to use it
Couldn't do something
Busy with one thing, missed another.
Late or tired
The cost of what you were doing.
Thanking for effort
Recognizing what it took someone.
Watch out
느라고 never takes 았/었. Put the past on the second verb.
바쁘다 is an adjective, and 느라고 only goes on action verbs.
In context
9 examples- 1
숙제하느라고 못 잤어요.
Sukjehaneurago mot jasseoyo.
I couldn't sleep because I was doing homework.
- 2
길을 찾느라고 늦었어요.
Gireul channeurago neujeosseoyo.
I was late because I was trying to find the way.
- 3
게임하느라고 시간 가는 줄 몰랐어요.
Geimhaneurago sigan ganeun jul mollasseoyo.
I was so busy gaming that I lost track of time.
- 4
영화 보느라고 숙제를 못 했어요.
Yeonghwa boneurago sukjereul mot haesseoyo.
I didn't do my homework because I was watching a movie.
- 5
이사하느라고 정신이 없었어요.
Isahaneurago jeongsini eopseosseoyo.
I was all over the place because I was moving house.
- 6
아기를 보느라고 잠을 못 자요.
Agireul boneurago jameul mot jayo.
I can't sleep because I'm looking after the baby.
- 7
돈을 모으느라고 여행을 못 가요.
Doneul moeuneurago yeohaengeul mot gayo.
I can't travel because I'm saving money.
- 8
노느라고 시간 가는 줄 몰랐어요.
Noneurago sigan ganeun jul mollasseoyo.
I was having so much fun I lost track of time.
- 9
먼 길 오느라 수고했어요.
Meon gil oneura sugohaesseoyo.
Thanks for coming all this way.
Practice
6 questions자다 + 느라고
느라고 or 아/어서?
아/어서 a/eoseo gives any kind of reason. 느라고 is narrower: you were busy doing something, and that's why something else didn't happen or was hard.
- 비가 와서 못 갔어요. "I couldn't go because it rained." Fine with 아/어서.
- 비가 오느라고 못 갔어요. Wrong, because rain isn't something you were busy doing.
- 일하느라고 못 갔어요. "I couldn't go because I was working." This is where 느라고 fits.
Look it up in the dictionary
The entry for 느라고 in two trusted Korean dictionaries.