Numbers in Korean
One number, two systems
Sino-Korean numbers are used for prices, dates, and minutes. Native Korean numbers are used for counting, ages with 살, and clock hours.
Build bigger numbers
Combine a tens word and a ones word: 24 is 이십 + 사 or 스물 + 넷. Both systems join these parts without a space.
Numbers in everyday life
Before counters, 하나, 둘, 셋, 넷 become 한, 두, 세, 네. 스물 becomes 스무, but 21 is 스물한.
How many, or which one?
Two books and Volume 2 are different ideas. Use native Korean to count books or episodes, and Sino-Korean to read their numbers in a series.
Two books / Volume 2
책 두 권 / 시리즈의 이 권
Two books / Volume 2 of a series
One episode / Episode 1
드라마 한 편 / 드라마 일 편
One episode of a drama / Episode 1 of a drama
A volume or episode number can also start with 제: 제2권 (Volume 2), 제1편 (Episode 1). Context matters: 이 권 can also mean “this volume,” because 이 means “this.”
Keep these in mind
- 0 is 영. 공 is also used when reading individual digits, such as a phone number.
- Do not add 일 before 십, 백, or 천: 10 is 십, and 100 is 백.
- Native Korean counting in this lesson runs from 1 to 99. Use Sino-Korean for larger numbers.
- Clock time combines both systems: 3:30 is 세 시 삼십 분.
- Both systems can occur with counters such as 명. These tests specify native Korean when both readings are possible.
- The counter matters: 스무 살 and 이십 세 both describe age, using different counters.