Numbers
Korean has two number systems — Sino-Korean (일, 이, 삼) and Native Korean (하나, 둘, 셋). Learn both and when to use each.
3.1Native Korean numbers · 고유어
For counting things and people, ages, and hours. Tap a card to hear it! 🔊
3.2Sino-Korean numbers · 한자어
For money, dates, phone numbers, and minutes. Tap a card to hear it! 🔊
3.3Two number systems
Korean uses two complete sets of numbers. Sino-Korean numbers (from Chinese) are used for money, dates, phone numbers, and minutes. Native Korean numbers are used for counting things, people, and hours, and for age in everyday speech. You need both — Koreans switch between them automatically.
3.4Sino-Korean numbers (일, 이, 삼)
Bigger numbers combine like building blocks: 11 = 십일 (10+1), 25 = 이십오 (2×10+5), 370 = 삼백칠십. Korean groups large numbers by 10,000 (만), not by 1,000 — so 50,000 is 오만 (5 × 10,000).
오천 원이에요.
It's 5,000 won.
५,००० वोन हो।
공일공-일이삼사-오육칠팔
phone number (read digit by digit)
십이월 이십오일
December 25th
3.5Native Korean numbers (하나, 둘, 셋)
하나, 둘, 셋, 넷, and 스물 change form before a counter: 한 개 (one thing), 두 명 (two people), 세 시 (3 o'clock), 네 잔 (four cups), 스무 살 (20 years old).
3.6Which system when?
| Use Sino-Korean (일, 이, 삼) | Use Native Korean (하나, 둘, 셋) |
|---|---|
| Money — 만 원 (10,000 won) | Counting things — 사과 두 개 (two apples) |
| Dates — 삼월 일일 (March 1st) | Counting people — 세 명 (three people) |
| Phone numbers — 공일공… | Age — 스물다섯 살 (25 years old) |
| Minutes/seconds — 삼십 분 (30 min) | Hours — 세 시 (3 o'clock) |
| Floors, bus/room numbers — 삼 층 | Frequency — 두 번 (two times) |
3.7Counters
Korean counts things with counter words, like “two cups of coffee” in English — but counters are required for everything. The pattern is: noun + number + counter.
| Counter | Used for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 개 | things (general) | 사과 두 개 — two apples |
| 명 | people | 친구 세 명 — three friends |
| 분 | people (honorific) | 손님 두 분 — two guests |
| 마리 | animals | 고양이 한 마리 — one cat |
| 잔 | cups / glasses | 커피 두 잔 — two coffees |
| 권 | books | 책 네 권 — four books |
| 장 | flat things (paper, tickets) | 표 두 장 — two tickets |
| 살 | age (years old) | 스무 살 — 20 years old |
사과 두 개 주세요.
Two apples, please.
दुई वटा स्याउ दिनुहोस्।
커피 한 잔 주세요.
One coffee, please.
एक कप कफी दिनुहोस्।
저는 스물다섯 살이에요.
I am 25 years old.
म पच्चीस वर्षको हुँ।
3.8Telling time
Time mixes both systems: hours use Native Korean, minutes use Sino-Korean. So 3:30 is 세 시 삼십 분 — native 세 (3) for the hour, sino 삼십 (30) for the minutes. 반 means “half (past)”.
지금 세 시예요.
It's 3 o'clock now.
अहिले तीन बजेको छ।
두 시 삼십 분이에요.
It's 2:30.
일곱 시 반에 만나요.
Let's meet at 7:30.
साढे सात बजे भेटौँ।
오전 아홉 시부터 오후 여섯 시까지 일해요.
I work from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.