目錄
Korean “-느라고” expresses that someone is busy doing one action, causing another action or situation to be delayed or affected. In a sentence like “숙제하느라고 전화를 못 받았어요,” the point is not simply “because I was doing homework, I didn’t answer the phone.” The homework was occupying the speaker’s time and attention at that moment, which is why the call was missed.
This is also where “-느라고” is most easily confused with “-아/어서.” Both may be translated as “because,” but Korean is looking at different types of cause. “-아/어서” can simply state a reason, while “-느라고” requires an action that someone is actively engaged in. Usually, the same person is busy with the first action and then experiences the effect described in the second clause. Not replying to a message, being too busy with work to eat, or getting lost and arriving late are all typical situations where this grammar appears.
What Does Korean “-느라고” Mean? Being Busy with One Action and Affecting Another
“-느라고” attaches to a verb stem and indicates that the action in the first clause takes up time, energy, or attention, thereby affecting the second clause. A typical sentence feels as though one person has two things to deal with at the same time, but the first activity takes up so much of their attention that the second is delayed, poorly handled, or not completed at all.
For example, in “숙제하느라고 전화를 못 받았어요,” the person doing the homework and the person who failed to answer the phone are the same. While the homework was in progress, the speaker’s attention was occupied, so the phone call went unanswered. This sense that “the first activity kept the person occupied” is what “-느라고” adds.
The second clause often describes an undesirable result, but it is too restrictive to memorize the rule as “the second clause must always be something bad.” Korean commonly uses expressions such as “일하느라 바빠요” and “이사하느라 고생했어요,” where the second clause describes the busyness, difficulty, or burden caused by the first action rather than one specific failure.
- Example: 숙제하느라고 전화를 못 받았어요.
Romanization: suk-je-ha-neu-ra-go jeon-hwa-reul mot ba-da-sseo-yo.
Translation: I was busy doing homework, so I couldn’t answer the phone.
Doing homework occupied the speaker’s attention at that moment, while “못 받았어요” describes the action they were consequently unable to complete. - Example: 길을 찾느라고 약속 시간에 늦었어요.
Romanization: gil-eul chat-neu-ra-go yak-sok si-gan-e neu-jeo-sseo-yo.
Translation: I was busy trying to find the way, so I was late for the appointment.
Looking for the way took up time, and being late was the undesirable result. The same person is involved in both clauses. - Example: 아이를 돌보느라고 점심을 못 먹었어요.
Romanization: a-i-reul dol-bo-neu-ra-go jeom-sim-eul mot meo-geo-sseo-yo.
Translation: I was busy taking care of the child, so I couldn’t eat lunch.
Taking care of the child occupied the speaker’s time, causing lunch to be delayed. This is a typical “-느라고” situation.
Korean “-느라고” Conjugation Rules: Attach It to a Verb Stem, and the Subject Is Usually the Same
“-느라고” mainly attaches directly to a verb stem in the form “verb stem＋느라고.” In conversation, the shorter form “-느라” is also very common, as in “일하느라 바빴어요.” The two forms have essentially the same meaning.
The first clause normally does not take tense markers such as “-았/었-” or “-겠-.” The time of the entire situation is usually determined by the second clause or the surrounding context. Even when describing something that happened in the past, Korean says “공부하느라고 못 잤어요,” not “공부했느라고 못 잤어요.”
| Form | Usage | Example | Nuance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verb stem＋느라고 | Full form | 공부하느라고 | Busy doing the first action, affecting the second |
| Verb stem＋느라 | Common shorter form | 일하느라 | Essentially the same meaning as “-느라고” |
| Same subject in both clauses | The same person performs the first action and experiences the result | 제가 준비하느라고 늦었어요 | Typical structural restriction |
| Second clause often shows interference | 못, 늦다, 놓치다, 실수하다, etc. | 전화를 못 받았어요 | Failure, delay, or mistake |
Restriction ① of “-느라고”｜It Does Not Directly Attach to Adjectives or Nouns
“-느라고” is most natural with actions that someone can actually be engaged in, such as “공부하다,” “운전하다,” “청소하다,” “준비하다,” and “찾다.”
Adjectives simply describe qualities or states and usually lack the sense of someone actively being occupied with an action, so they cannot normally be used with “-느라고” in the same way as general causal grammar.
❌ 날씨가 춥느라고 집에 있었어요.
Because the weather was cold, I stayed home.
✅ 날씨가 추워서 집에 있었어요.
Because the weather was cold, I stayed home.
“춥다” simply describes the state of the weather. It is not an action that someone is actively engaged in, so “-아/어서” is more natural.
Restriction ② of “-느라고”｜The Subject of Both Clauses Is Generally the Same
This is one of the most important restrictions of “-느라고.” The first clause describes someone being busy doing something, while the second clause describes how that same person is affected.
✅ 제가 회의 준비하느라고 이메일을 못 봤어요.
I was busy preparing for the meeting, so I didn’t see the email.
The subject is the same in both clauses.
❌ 엄마가 요리하느라고 아이가 학교에 늦었어요.
The mother was busy cooking, so the child was late for school.
The subject of the first clause is the mother, while the subject of the second is the child, so this does not fit the basic structure of “-느라고.”
If you simply want to express a general cause-and-effect relationship, you can say:
✅ 엄마가 바빠서 아이가 혼자 학교에 갔어요.
Because the mother was busy, the child went to school alone.
Restriction ③ of “-느라고”｜Do Not Add “-았/었-” or “-겠-” to the First Clause
Even when the entire event happened in the past, “-느라고” attaches directly to the verb stem.
❌ 어제 공부했느라고 늦게 잤어요.
✅ 어제 공부하느라고 늦게 잤어요.
I was busy studying yesterday, so I went to bed late.
The past time is already expressed through “어제” and “잤어요,” so the first clause does not need to become “공부했느라고.”
Three Common Uses of Korean “-느라고”: Failing to Do Something, Being Late, and Describing Burden
The common image behind all uses of “-느라고” is that one activity occupies a person. The result may be that another action is not completed, something is delayed, or the person simply ends up extremely busy or exhausted. The second clause determines how strongly the sense of burden comes through.
Use ① of “-느라고”｜Being Busy with One Thing and Failing to Complete Another
This is the most typical use of “-느라고.” A person may originally have had something else to do, but the first activity takes up their time or attention, so the second clause often contains forms such as “못,” “-지 못하다,” or “안.”
Compared with ordinary “-아/어서,” “-느라고” makes the first action feel ongoing. The second action is delayed or prevented precisely because the person is occupied with the first one.
- Example: 회의 준비하느라고 이메일을 확인하지 못했어요.
Romanization: hoe-ui jun-bi-ha-neu-ra-go i-me-il-eul hwak-in-ha-ji mot-hae-sseo-yo.
Translation: I was busy preparing for the meeting, so I couldn’t check my email.
Meeting preparation took up the person’s working time, so the emails that should have been checked were left unattended. - Example: 청소하느라고 친구가 보낸 메시지를 못 봤어요.
Romanization: cheong-so-ha-neu-ra-go chin-gu-ga bo-naen me-si-ji-reul mot bwat-sseo-yo.
Translation: I was busy cleaning, so I didn’t see the message my friend sent.
The speaker’s attention was elsewhere while cleaning, and “못 봤어요” clearly shows that another action was affected. - Example: 보고서를 쓰느라고 저녁을 못 먹었어요.
Romanization: bo-go-seo-reul sseu-neu-ra-go jeo-nyeok-eul mot meo-geo-sseo-yo.
Translation: I was busy writing a report, so I didn’t eat dinner.
Writing the report used up the time that would otherwise have been spent eating dinner, a very common workplace use of “-느라고.”
Use ② of “-느라고”｜Being Busy with Something and Ending Up Late, Missing Something, or Making a Mistake
The second clause does not necessarily need “못.” As long as the first action takes up time or attention and causes the speaker to be late, miss a bus, pass their stop, or overlook something, “-느라고” can be used naturally.
These sentences are often used to explain mistakes, but explaining the reason and apologizing are two different things. Especially at work or when another person has been inconvenienced, using only “-느라고” can sound like an explanation or excuse. Adding an apology usually makes the interaction more complete.
- Example: 짐을 싸느라고 버스를 놓쳤어요.
Romanization: jim-eul ssa-neu-ra-go beo-seu-reul no-chyeo-sseo-yo.
Translation: I was busy packing, so I missed the bus.
Packing took too much time, and “놓쳤어요” describes the result of failing to catch the bus. - Example: 손님을 응대하느라고 회의에 늦었어요.
Romanization: son-nim-eul eung-dae-ha-neu-ra-go hoe-ui-e neu-jeo-sseo-yo.
Translation: I was busy assisting a customer, so I was late for the meeting.
The same person handled the customer and arrived late, so the subject relationship fits “-느라고.” - Example: 전화하느라고 내려야 할 정류장을 지나쳤어요.
Romanization: jeon-hwa-ha-neu-ra-go nae-ryeo-ya hal jeong-nyu-jang-eul ji-na-chyeo-sseo-yo.
Translation: I was busy talking on the phone, so I missed the stop where I was supposed to get off.
The problem here is not a lack of time but that the phone call occupied the speaker’s attention, causing them to miss the right moment to get off.
Use ③ of “-느라고”｜The First Action Requires a Lot of Time or Energy, and the Second Clause Describes Busyness, Difficulty, or Burden
“-느라고” is not limited to cases where something “failed” or “could not be done.” Expressions such as “요즘 일하느라 바빠요” and “이사하느라 고생했어요” are very common in actual Korean. Here, the second clause does not describe one specific failure. Instead, it evaluates how busy, tiring, or demanding the first activity has been.
For this reason, memorizing “-느라고＝the second clause must be negative” is too rigid. A more practical way to judge the grammar is to ask whether the first action consumes a significant amount of time or energy and whether the second clause describes the effect of that investment.
- Example: 요즘 프로젝트 준비하느라고 너무 바빠요.
Romanization: yo-jeum peu-ro-jek-teu jun-bi-ha-neu-ra-go neo-mu ba-ppa-yo.
Translation: I’ve been extremely busy preparing for a project lately.
The second clause does not describe a failure. It describes the state of busyness caused by preparing the project. - Example: 이사하느라고 정말 고생했어요.
Romanization: i-sa-ha-neu-ra-go jeong-mal go-saeng-hae-sseo-yo.
Translation: Moving was really exhausting.
Moving required a great deal of physical effort and time, and “고생했어요” directly evaluates how difficult the process was. - Example: 시험 준비하느라고 며칠 동안 잠을 제대로 못 잤어요.
Romanization: si-heom jun-bi-ha-neu-ra-go mye-chil dong-an jam-eul je-dae-ro mot ja-sseo-yo.
Translation: I was busy preparing for the exam, so I couldn’t sleep properly for several days.
The first activity disrupted the person’s routine over an extended period, and the second clause describes the effect on sleep and physical condition.
What Is the Difference Between Korean “-느라고,” “-아/어서,” and “-는 바람에”?
“-느라고,” “-아/어서,” and “-는 바람에” can all express causes, but they select different types of causes. “-느라고” requires someone to be actively occupied with the first action. “-아/어서” handles the broadest range of general causes. “-는 바람에” is often used when an unexpected event or external circumstance causes an undesirable result.
| Point of Comparison | “-느라고” | “-아/어서” | “-는 바람에” |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core meaning | Busy doing A, so B is affected | Because A, B | Because a situation occurred, something went wrong |
| First clause | An action being performed by the subject | Actions or states | Events, actions, unexpected situations |
| Subject of both clauses | Generally the same | Can be different | Can be different |
| Second clause | Often interference, busyness, or hardship | Positive, negative, or neutral | Usually unexpected or negative result |
| Sense of being occupied | Strong | None | None |
| Common situations | Missing messages, being late, failing to do something | General explanations of cause | Weather, traffic, accidents, unexpected events |
Difference Between “-느라고” and “-아/어서”｜Being Busy Doing Something vs. General Cause
“-아/어서” simply connects a cause with its result. The reason may be cold weather, something being too expensive, feeling sick, or an action. It does not require someone to be actively occupied with the first clause.
비가 와서 집에 있었어요.
I stayed home because it was raining.
Rain is simply a general cause. No one is actively engaged in the action of raining.
“-느라고,” on the other hand, requires an action with a sense of ongoing involvement. The first clause makes you picture someone actively dealing with something, while another action is consequently affected.
집을 청소하느라고 약속에 늦었어요.
I was busy cleaning the house, so I was late for my appointment.
Cleaning took up the speaker’s time, and the same person experienced the resulting delay.
Difference Between “-느라고” and “-는 바람에”｜Being Busy Doing Something vs. an Unexpected Situation
“-는 바람에” also commonly leads to negative results, but it does not require the same subject in both clauses, nor does the first clause need to be an intentional activity in which the subject is actively engaged. Sudden rain, a traffic accident, or someone unexpectedly changing plans can all become causes with “-는 바람에.”
비가 오는 바람에 경기가 취소됐어요.
The game was canceled because it suddenly started raining.
Rain is not anyone’s intentional action, and there is no same-subject requirement between the rain and the canceled game.
“-느라고” is closer to “I was so busy with something that it kept me occupied,” while “-는 바람에” is closer to “something happened and ended up disrupting the result.”
자료를 찾느라고 경기를 못 봤어요.
I was busy looking for materials, so I couldn’t watch the game.
The same person was looking for the materials and failed to watch the game. The first activity directly occupied the time needed for the second.
Why Can’t You Use “-느라고” When the Subjects Are Different?
A “-느라고” sentence describes “someone being busy doing A, causing that same person’s B to be affected.” If the person changes between the clauses, this causal structure breaks.
❌ 엄마가 일하느라고 아이가 학교에 늦었어요.
The mother was busy working, so the child was late for school.
The subject of the first clause is the mother, while the child is the one who is late in the second clause. This does not fit the typical “-느라고” structure.
✅ 엄마가 늦게 일어나서 아이도 학교에 늦었어요.
Because the mother woke up late, the child was late for school too.
If one event simply causes a result affecting another person, “-아/어서” can handle that causal relationship.
How Do You Choose Between “-느라고,” “-아/어서,” and “-는 바람에”?
If the sentence is simply answering “why,” first consider “-아/어서.” If the cause is an unexpected event or outside interference and something goes wrong afterward, consider “-는 바람에.”
“-느라고” is really necessary only when the situation is “the same person was busy doing A, so B was delayed or affected.”
- 숙제하느라고 전화를 못 받았어요.
I was busy doing homework, so I couldn’t answer the phone. - 비가 와서 전화를 안 했어요.
I didn’t call because it was raining. - 휴대폰이 고장 나는 바람에 연락을 못 했어요.
I couldn’t get in touch because my phone suddenly broke.
All three may contain “because” in English, but Korean distinguishes three completely different types of cause.
How Can’t You Use Korean “-느라고”? Three Common Mistakes
The most common mistakes with “-느라고” are usually not spelling errors but problems with what appears in the first clause. Checking the verb, subject, and result eliminates most errors.
Mistake ①｜Putting an Adjective or State Directly Before “-느라고”
❌ 날씨가 덥느라고 밖에 안 나갔어요.
I didn’t go outside because the weather was hot.
✅ 날씨가 더워서 밖에 안 나갔어요.
I didn’t go outside because the weather was hot.
“덥다” describes a state rather than an action that someone is actively engaged in, so “-아/어서” is more natural.
Mistake ②｜Using Different Subjects in the Two Clauses
❌ 제가 일하느라고 친구가 기다렸어요.
I was busy working, so my friend waited.
✅ 제가 일하느라고 약속 장소에 늦게 갔어요.
I was busy working, so I arrived late at the meeting place.
In the first sentence, the actual subject of the second clause is the friend. In the second, the same person is working and then arriving late, so “-느라고” works.
If you want to preserve the meaning “my friend waited”:
✅ 제가 일이 늦게 끝나는 바람에 친구가 오래 기다렸어요.
My work ended late, so my friend had to wait a long time.
Mistake ③｜Using a Purely Positive Result in the Second Clause
△ 열심히 공부하느라고 시험에 합격했어요.
I studied hard, so I passed the exam.
If the intended meaning is simply “because I studied hard, I passed the exam,” “-느라고” sounds unnatural because the second clause is entirely a positive achievement.
✅ 열심히 공부해서 시험에 합격했어요.
I passed the exam because I studied hard.
If you still want to use “-느라고,” the second clause should preferably describe the burden caused by studying:
✅ 시험 공부하느라고 한 달 동안 거의 쉬지 못했어요.
I was busy studying for the exam, so I barely had any time to rest for a month.
Everyday Examples of Korean “-느라고”: Missing Calls, Being Late, and Overlooking Emails
In real conversation, “-느라고” is often used to explain why someone failed to do something moments earlier. Missing a call, not replying to a message, arriving late, or overlooking an email are all situations where this pattern commonly appears.
This also means that it can sometimes sound like an explanation or excuse. If the other person has actually been inconvenienced, especially at work, simply saying “회의하느라고 못 봤어요” is not the same as apologizing. Adding “죄송해요” or “미안해요” before or after the explanation is more natural in actual interaction.
Scenario ①｜Missing a Phone Call While Driving
A：아까 왜 전화를 못 받았어요?
a-kka wae jeon-hwa-reul mot ba-da-sseo-yo?
Why didn’t you answer the phone earlier?
B：운전하느라고 못 받았어요. 미안해요.
un-jeon-ha-neu-ra-go mot ba-da-sseo-yo. mi-an-hae-yo.
I was driving, so I couldn’t answer. Sorry.
📌 Grammar Point: Driving and failing to answer the phone involve the same person, and driving genuinely occupied the person’s attention, so “-느라고” sounds natural.
Scenario ②｜Not Checking an Email in Time at Work
A：아까 보낸 메일 확인하셨어요?
a-kka bo-naen me-il hwak-in-ha-syeo-sseo-yo?
Did you check the email I sent earlier?
B：죄송해요. 회의 준비하느라고 아직 못 봤어요.
joe-song-hae-yo. hoe-ui jun-bi-ha-neu-ra-go a-jik mot bwat-sseo-yo.
Sorry. I’ve been busy preparing for the meeting, so I haven’t seen it yet.
📌 Grammar Point: “회의 준비하다” occupied the speaker’s working time, while “아직 못 봤어요” explains that the email still has not been checked. The preceding “죄송해요” also prevents the sentence from sounding like nothing more than an excuse.
Scenario ③｜Arriving Late Because the Restaurant Was Hard to Find
A：많이 기다렸어요. 길 찾기 어려웠어요?
ma-ni gi-da-ryeo-sseo-yo. gil chat-gi eo-ryeo-wo-sseo-yo?
I’ve been waiting for a while. Was it hard to find the place?
B：네, 길을 찾느라고 늦었어요. 정말 미안해요.
ne, gil-eul chat-neu-ra-go neu-jeo-sseo-yo. jeong-mal mi-an-hae-yo.
Yes, I was trying to find the way, so I was late. I’m really sorry.
📌 Grammar Point: Looking for the way delayed the speaker’s arrival, making this a very typical “-느라고” situation. When the delay makes someone else wait, the apology still needs to be expressed separately.
Cultural Notes:
- “-느라” is not an incorrect abbreviation. It is a standard Korean form with essentially the same meaning as “-느라고.” Expressions such as “요즘 일하느라 바빠요” and “육아하느라 정신이 없어요” are extremely common in everyday conversation, so learners may actually encounter “-느라” even more often than the full form.
- “-느라고” is useful for explaining why someone did not reply, missed a phone call, or arrived late, but giving a reason and apologizing are not the same thing. “바쁘느라고 못 했어요” merely explains the circumstances. If another person was inconvenienced, Korean speakers will often add “미안해요” or “죄송해요.”
- The second clause of “-느라고” does not need to contain “못” every time. Sentences such as “요즘 이사하느라 바빠요” and “아이를 돌보느라 정신이 없어요” are completely natural. Rather than looking only for a negative expression, it is more accurate to ask whether the first action consumed significant time, attention, or energy.
How Does Korean “-느라고” Compare with Japanese “〜ていて” and “〜ので”?
Korean “-느라고” does not have one fixed Japanese grammar pattern that can replace it in every sentence. When expressing “someone was busy doing something and therefore could not complete another action,” Japanese often uses “〜ていて” followed by forms such as “〜できなかった” or “〜られなかった,” or simply uses “〜ので” or “〜ため” depending on context.
“〜ていて” is similar to “-느라고” in that it can preserve the image of an action being in progress. However, Japanese “〜ていて” itself does not require the second clause to be negatively affected, nor does it have the same fixed same-subject and burden-related tendencies as Korean “-느라고.”
◆ Similar Grammar ①: Japanese “〜ていて”
Japanese “〜ていて” can present an ongoing action as the background or cause of what follows. When the second clause happens to contain results such as “できなかった” or “遅れた,” the whole sentence becomes very close to Korean “-느라고.”
- Example: 会議の準備をしていて、メールを確認できませんでした。
Kana: かいぎのじゅんびをしていて、メールをかくにんできませんでした。
Translation: I was busy preparing for the meeting, so I couldn’t check my email.
Meeting preparation was in progress and the email was consequently not checked, making the situation very similar to “회의 준비하느라고 이메일을 확인하지 못했어요.” - Example: 道を探していて、約束の時間に遅れました。
Kana: みちをさがしていて、やくそくのじかんにおくれました。
Translation: I was looking for the way, so I was late for the appointment.
Japanese uses “〜ていて” to present the ongoing action of looking for the way, while the second clause expresses the delay. - Example: 子どもの世話をしていて、昼ご飯を食べられませんでした。
Kana: こどものせわをしていて、ひるごはんをたべられませんでした。
Translation: I was taking care of the child, so I couldn’t eat lunch.
Japanese does not use one fixed grammar pattern specifically meaning “being too busy,” but the ongoing action and the resulting failure together create that meaning.
◆ Similar Grammar ②: Japanese “〜ので”
“〜ので” is simply a general causal expression, so its range is much broader than Korean “-느라고.” It can be used with weather, health conditions, and work arrangements, and it does not require the same subject in both clauses.
- Example: 雨が降っているので、今日は出かけません。
Kana: あめがふっているので、きょうはでかけません。
Translation: Because it is raining, I’m not going out today.
In Korean, this would use “비가 와서.” You cannot switch to “-느라고” simply because both sentences may contain “because” in translation. - Example: 体調がよくないので、今日は早く帰ります。
Kana: たいちょうがよくないので、きょうははやくかえります。
Translation: Because I’m not feeling well, I’m going home early today.
“体調がよくない” describes a physical state rather than an ongoing action. Korean would naturally use “몸이 안 좋아서,” not “-느라고.” - Example: 会議が長引いたので、電車に間に合いませんでした。
Kana: かいぎがながびいたので、でんしゃにまにあいませんでした。
Translation: Because the meeting ran long, I missed the train.
The first clause describes the situation of the meeting running long, while the second describes someone failing to catch the train. Japanese does not require the same person to actively perform both actions. In Korean, a general causal expression such as “회의가 길어져서 전철을 못 탔어요” would be appropriate.
◆ Core Difference from “-느라고”:
Japanese “〜ていて” can present the first action as ongoing, but it does not inherently mean that someone was so occupied that the second action was affected. “〜ので” is even more general and simply explains a reason. Korean “-느라고” tightly links the speaker’s involvement in the first activity with its effect on the second, so translating it into Japanese usually requires looking at the entire sentence rather than finding one fixed equivalent.
The most useful thing to remember about “-느라고” is not the English word “because,” but a very concrete everyday situation: someone is busy doing A, A occupies their time, energy, or attention, and as a result, the same person’s B is affected. Writing a report and missing dinner, looking for directions and arriving late, or talking on the phone and missing your stop all fit this structure.
The distinction from “-아/어서” and “-는 바람에” is relatively straightforward. If you simply need to state an ordinary reason and there is no image of someone being occupied, “-아/어서” is enough. If bad weather, traffic, a malfunction, or another unexpected event causes a problem, consider “-는 바람에.” Identifying who is busy doing what is more reliable than choosing Korean grammar directly from the English word “because.”
FAQ
“-느라고” means that someone is busy carrying out the action in the first clause, causing the situation in the second clause to be affected. It is often translated as “being busy doing… so…” or “being occupied with… and therefore….” Typical results include failing to do something, being late, missing something, or experiencing another undesirable consequence.
In its typical use, the subject is generally the same in both clauses. “-느라고” describes someone being engaged in the first action and that same person experiencing the effect in the second clause. If the two clauses clearly have different subjects, grammar such as “-아/어서” or “-는 바람에” is usually more appropriate.
No, but the second clause usually describes some burden or effect caused by the first action. In addition to negative results such as “못 먹었어요” or “늦었어요,” Korean commonly uses sentences such as “일하느라 바빠요” and “이사하느라 고생했어요.” For this reason, you should not judge the grammar only by whether the second clause contains a negative form.
Their basic meaning and usage are the same, and “-느라” is also a standard Korean form. Expressions such as “일하느라,” “공부하느라,” and “준비하느라” are extremely common in everyday speech, while “-느라고” is the fuller form. Both can be used.
“-느라고” means that the same person is busy carrying out an action and another part of that person’s situation is affected as a result. “-는 바람에” is commonly used when an unexpected event or external circumstance causes an undesirable result and does not require the same subject in both clauses. For example, “공부하느라고 전화를 못 받았어요” uses “-느라고,” while “비가 오는 바람에 경기가 취소됐어요” uses “-는 바람에.”