toegeunhago naseo jeonyeogeul meogeoyo.

(After leaving work, I eat dinner.)

Breakdown of toegeunhago naseo jeonyeogeul meogeoyo.

• ~을: object particle
• 먹다: to eat
• 저녁: dinner
• 퇴근하고 나서: after leaving work

Questions & Answers about toegeunhago naseo jeonyeogeul meogeoyo.

What is the literal word-for-word breakdown of 퇴근하고 나서 저녁을 먹어요?

퇴근 = “leaving work”
-하고 = “and/then” (connects actions)
나서 = “after doing”
저녁 = “dinner”
-을 = object marker (marks 저녁 as what’s being eaten)
먹어요 = “I eat” (polite informal)
Put together: “After leaving work, I eat dinner.”

What is the function of -고 나서 in this sentence?

-고 나서 attaches to a verb stem (here, 퇴근하-) and means “after doing X.” It emphasizes that the first action is completed before the next begins.

How is -고 나서 different from just -고?

-고 alone links two actions (X and Y) without strictly marking sequence.
-고 나서 explicitly means “after finishing X, then Y.”
So 퇴근하고 저녁을 먹어요 can imply both actions, but 퇴근하고 나서 저녁을 먹어요 clearly stresses “after leaving work.”

Can I replace 퇴근하고 나서 with 퇴근한 뒤에 or 퇴근한 후에?

Yes.
퇴근한 뒤에 and 퇴근한 후에 both mean “after leaving work.” They use the adjective form 퇴근한 (“having left work”) plus 뒤에/후에 (“after”). They sound slightly more formal or written but convey the same sequence.

What does the particle 을 do in 저녁을 먹어요?

The object-marking particle 을 attaches to 저녁 to show that dinner is the thing being eaten by the verb 먹어요.

Why is there no subject like “I” (저는) in the sentence?

Korean often omits the subject when it’s obvious from context. Here, the speaker “I” is implied, so you don’t need to say 저는 퇴근하고... unless you want to add emphasis or contrast.

What politeness level is 먹어요, and could I use 먹습니다 instead?

먹어요 is the standard polite informal form (the “-요” ending).
먹습니다 is the formal polite form, used in speeches, news reports, or to show extra respect. In everyday conversation, 먹어요 is more common.

Could I use 밥 instead of 저녁 when talking about dinner?

Yes. 밥 literally means “rice,” but colloquially it means “meal.” So you can say 저녁밥을 먹어요 or simply 밥을 먹어요 if the context makes it clear you mean dinner.

Is it possible to omit 나서 and just say 퇴근하고 저녁을 먹어요?

Yes. Koreans often say 퇴근하고 저녁을 먹어요. In that case, -고 still implies sequence (“do X and then Y”), but -고 나서 makes the “after” relationship more explicit.

Does 먹어요 here indicate a habitual action or a future plan?

The present tense in Korean can express both habitual actions and near-future plans.
If you’re talking about your routine: “After work I (always) eat dinner.”
If you’re describing today’s plan: “I will eat dinner after work (later today).”
Context tells you which meaning applies.