-노라고

-노라고 (usually followed by 했는데 or 했지만) means "I really did try to do it," often said modestly when the result was not as good as hoped.

인용·전달Quoting & reporting

Han: Here studying is the cause of not sleeping, so -느라고 is needed; -노라고 expresses effort and normally comes with 했는데/했지만.

Examples

제 딴에는 열심히 하노라고 했는데 결과가 좋지 않네요.I tried my best in my own way, but the result isn't good.

손님 대접을 잘하노라고 했는데 부족한 점이 많았을 거예요.I tried to treat the guests well, but I'm sure there were many shortcomings.

조용히 하노라고 했는데 아기가 깨고 말았어요.I tried to be quiet, but the baby ended up waking up.

서두르노라고 서둘렀는데 결국 기차를 놓쳤어요.I hurried as much as I could, but I missed the train in the end.

Don’t mix up

-노라고vs-느라고-느라고 gives the reason (an activity) for a bad result; -노라고 stresses the effort made despite the result: 숙제하느라고 못 잤어요 vs 하노라고 했는데 틀렸어요.

-노라고vs-(으)려고 했는데-(으)려고 했는데 shows only an intention, often not carried out; -노라고 했는데 means you actually did it with effort: 가려고 했는데 못 갔어요 vs 하노라고 했는데 부족했어요.

How to build it

V+노라고 (하다/했다), often V+노라고+the same V in the past

하다 → 하노라고 했는데, 서두르다 → 서두르노라고 서둘렀는데

It is usually followed by 했는데/했지만 or the same verb in the past tense, and the next clause tells a disappointing or unexpected result.
Attach it to verbs only, with no past marker before it: 하노라고, not 했노라고 (했노라고 is a different, quoted-declaration form).
The person who made the effort is usually the speaker, often with 제 딴에는 or 나름대로.
It sounds somewhat literary; in casual speech Koreans often say 열심히 했는데 or 한다고 했는데 instead.

Classic mistake

Wrong: ~~어젯밤에 시험 공부를 하노라고 잠을 못 잤어요.~~

Right: 어젯밤에 시험 공부를 하느라고 잠을 못 잤어요.

Here studying is the cause of not sleeping, so -느라고 is needed; -노라고 expresses effort and normally comes with 했는데/했지만.

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