naeil hoeuireul junbihaeseo jigeum bappayo.

object particle

Breakdown of naeil hoeuireul junbihaeseo jigeum bappayo.

• 내일: tomorrow
• 지금: now
• 준비하다: to prepare

Questions & Answers about naeil hoeuireul junbihaeseo jigeum bappayo.

What does the ending -해서 do in this sentence?

It’s the connective -아/어서 attached to 준비하다 → 준비해서, and it expresses a reason/cause: “because (I) am preparing.” So the overall structure is “Because I’m preparing tomorrow’s meeting, I’m busy now.”

Would -하느라 or -고 있어서 sound more natural to show I’m busy due to ongoing preparation?

Yes, both are very natural for “I’m busy now because I’m in the middle of preparing.”

• 내일 회의 준비하느라 지금 바빠요. (I’m busy now because I’m tied up preparing for tomorrow’s meeting.)
• 내일 회의를 준비하고 있어서 지금 바빠요. (I’m busy now since I’m preparing it.) Nuance:
• -느라 highlights being occupied with something (often implying you can’t do other things).
• -고 있어서 highlights the action is ongoing right now.
• -해서 is fine, but it can sound more general/neutral about the cause; many speakers prefer -느라 here.

Why does it mention tomorrow (내일) but use now (지금) for being busy? Is that okay?

Yes. Korean commonly states a future event as the reason for current actions or state. You’re busy now due to preparing for something happening tomorrow. Another common way is to make the cause the existence of the event:

• 내일 회의가 있어서 지금 바빠요. (I have a meeting tomorrow, so I’m busy now.)

Why is there no subject like or ? Who is busy?