-고 나서

-고 나서 means "after (fully) finishing A, then B" and stresses that the first action is completed before the next begins.

시간·순서Time & sequence

Han: -고 나서 does not take the past marker -았/었-; the past tense is expressed only in the final verb 마셨어요.

Examples

그 영화를 보고 나서 생각이 많이 바뀌었어요.After watching that movie, my thinking changed a lot.

밥을 먹고 나서 바로 누우면 소화가 잘 안 돼요.If you lie down right after eating, you don't digest well.

숙제를 다 하고 나서 게임을 해요.I play games after I finish all my homework.

졸업하고 나서 뭐 할 거예요?What are you going to do after you graduate?

Don’t mix up

-고 나서vs-고-고 simply lists actions in order; -고 나서 adds that the first one is completely finished: 손을 씻고 밥을 먹어요 vs 손을 다 씻고 나서 밥을 먹어요.-고 나서vs-(으)ㄴ 후에Meaning is very close, but -(으)ㄴ 후에 focuses on time order and also works with nouns (수업 후에), while -고 나서 attaches only to verbs: 수업이 끝난 후에 / 수업이 끝나고 나서.

-고 나서vs-아서/어서 (sequence)-아서/어서 links actions where the second depends on the first (same place, same object); -고 나서 marks separate, finished steps: 친구를 만나서 영화를 봤어요 (watched with the friend) vs 친구를 만나고 나서 영화를 봤어요 (watched after the meeting).

How to build it

V+고 나서

먹다 → 먹고 나서, 끝내다 → 끝내고 나서

Attach it to action verbs; it is not used with adjectives or 이다.
Do not put a tense marker before it (no 먹었고 나서); the tense is shown only at the end of the sentence.
With movement or posture verbs (가다, 오다, 앉다, 일어나다) when the next action happens in that place or state, Koreans usually use -아서/어서 instead: 학교에 가서 공부해요.

Classic mistake

Wrong: ~~밥을 먹었고 나서 커피를 마셨어요.~~

Right: 밥을 먹고 나서 커피를 마셨어요.

-고 나서 does not take the past marker -았/었-; the past tense is expressed only in the final verb 마셨어요.

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