Korean Language Learning Center

Topic for Today: -고 나서, -고, and -은 후에

🔹 1. -고 나서
Meaning: “after doing (something)”

Emphasizes that one action is completed before the next begins.

Example:

밥을 먹고 나서 산책했어요 → After eating, I went for a walk.

공부하고 나서 TV를 봤어요 → After studying, I watched TV.

👉 Stronger sense of sequence and completion than just -고.

🔹 2. -고
Meaning: “and” (simply connects actions).

Does not emphasize completion; actions can be simultaneous or just listed.

Example:

밥을 먹고 산책했어요 → I ate and then took a walk.

공부하고 TV를 봤어요 → I studied and watched TV.

👉 More casual, less strict about order. It could mean both happened, but not necessarily one after the other.

🔹 3. -은 후에
Meaning: “after (something)”

Very similar to -고 나서, but slightly more formal or literary.

Example:

밥을 먹은 후에 산책했어요 → After eating, I went for a walk.

공부한 후에 TV를 봤어요 → After studying, I watched TV.

👉 Often interchangeable with -고 나서, but feels a bit more formal or written.