여러분 안녕하세요!
토미입니다.
This time, I’m going to thoroughly master one of the topics that many Korean learners struggle with at least once: how to count in Korean and how to use Korean counters.
“I have memorized the numbers, but when I actually try using them, nothing comes out!”
Have you ever experienced something like that?
Or, how about these experiences while traveling in Korea or speaking Korean?
“I understood they told me the price, but I couldn’t catch it and panicked.”
“I just want to talk about time, but I wonder which to use 하나, 둘, 셋 or 일, 이, 삼.”
I know that. I do understand!
Actually, when I first started living in Korea, I also had many bitter experiences because of numbers.
For instance, the clerk at a market said “사만오천원 [sa-man o-cheon won] (45,000 won),” but I panicked and just handed over 오만원 [o-man won] (50,000 won). Then, I hurried away without even checking the change…
How about you?
Don’t you have an experience where you show a “two” with your fingers instead of saying “I’ll buy two of these?”
You must have felt “Ugh, if only I could say it properly, I’d look so much cooler…!”
I know that frustrating feeling all too well.
However, in language learning, numbers are something you absolutely must learn properly.
That’s because numbers are “the most inseparable, constantly-used linguistic tool” in our daily lives.
You wake up and check “the time.”
You check “the platform” the train you’ll take is leaving from.
You look at “the price” when buying a coffee at a convenience store.
You make an appointment with your friends for “which day” to meet.
We use numbers as naturally as breathing, and our lives run on them, but the problem is that Korean numbers are particularly tricky for learners.
That’s because Korean has two number systems which are completely different: native Korean numbers and Sino-Korean numbers.
And, which one you use is strictly determined by what you’re counting such as time, money, quantity, age, and so on.
Additionally, the form of the number itself changes depending on the counter that follows it.
Hearing all this, you might be thinking:
“Ugh, there’s no way I can memorize all that…”
“Korean is really difficult as I expected…”
If you’re about to close this page, hold a second!
Let me be clear.
Feeling that Korean numbers are difficult does not mean you lack talent.
It does not mean you have a bad memory.
It simply means that you haven’t learned “the correct rules in the correct order, in a structured way.”
Once you overcome this “numbers wall,” your Korean ability will be improved dramatically!
Imagine yourself at a Korean market.
You are smoothly negotiating prices in Korean:
“Can you give me these three for this much?”
Or, imagine yourself watching your favorite idol’s livestream and understanding them without subtitles when they say:
“It’s 11:30 at night now. Only a little longer until our 1000-day anniversary!”
You will be touched together with them!
In this article, I’ll thoroughly explain the rules of Korean numbers and counters, based on the experience and know-how I’ve gained from teaching hundreds of students—so that you can become someone who can freely use Korean numbers.
By the time you reach the end of this article, those scary Korean numbers will feel much more familiar.
Now, let’s climb this big mountain of Korean numbers together.
Are you ready?
그럼 시작할게요!
Overview of Korean numbers
First, I’d like to talk about the overall structure of Korean numbers.
I told you there are broadly two types of number systems in Korean.
They are native Korean numbers and Sino-Korean numbers.
While native Korean numbers are the traditional ones that have been used in Korea since long ago, Sino-Korean numbers came from China along with Chinese characters.
These two systems are still clearly distinguished and used differently in modern Korean depending on the context.
Also, it’s not just there are two ways to say numbers, the counters change depending on what you’re counting.
For example, in Korean, books use 권 [gwon], paper uses 장 [jang], and animals use 마리 [mari]—the counters are very specifically defined.
With that in mind, let me neatly organize this complex world of numbers in the following four steps here.
STEP 1：Mastering native Korean numbers
STEP 2：Mastering Sino-Korean numbers
STEP 3：How to choose between native and Sino-Korean numbers
STEP 4：Mastering When to Use Native Korean Numbers vs. Sino-Korean Numbers
Let’s try step by step so that everything will stick in your memory.
Let’s read everything out loud together!
1. Mastering Native Korean Numbers
Let’s begin with native Korean numbers.
Native Korean numbers are the original Korean way of counting and are mainly used when counting objects or people.
Here is wonderful information that will make you feel easy right away:
Native Korean numbers only go from 1 to 99!
Then, you might be thinking, “Wait, how do you count 100 apples?”
In that case, you simply use the Sino-Korean number for 100, 백 [baek], and say 백 개 [baek-gae], 100 pieces.
In modern Korean, they almost never use the old native Korean words for 100 or 1000 in daily conversation.
So first, just relax with the idea that native Korean numbers only go up to 99!
Now, let’s look at the actual native Korean numbers starting with the foundation: 1 through 10.
하나 [ha-na] 둘 [dul] 셋 [set] 넷 [net] 다섯 [da-seot] 여섯 [yeo-seot] 일곱 [il-gop] 여덟 [yeo-deol] 아홉 [a-hop] 열 [yeol]
Some of them may feel tricky at first, but your tongue will get used to them with repetition.
You’ve probably heard the photo-taking countdown in dramas: “하나, 둘, 셋!”
Use that rhythm to help you remember.
Once you’ve mastered 1–10, the next step is 11–19.
This part is very simple.
You just add the numbers 1–9 to 열 [yeol] (10).
For example:
11(eleven) is 열하나 [yeol-a-na] by combining 열(10) and 하나(1).
When saying this, be careful that the sounds are linked like [yeol-a-na] not [yeol-ha-na].
Likewise, 12 is 열둘 [yeol-dul], 13 is 열셋 [yeol-set].
This pattern is easy to understand, and most learners get through this part smoothly.
By the way, I have to tell you something unhappy for you.
From here on, the multiples of ten such as 20, 30, 40 and more have their own unique names.
“What? It’s not just ‘2 + 10’?” “Not 둘열?”
Unfortunately, native Korean numbers don’t work that way.
This is the point where many learners feel like giving up.
But think numbers in English:
you say “twenty (20),” “thirty (30),” and “forty (40)”, right?
It’s similar! You don’t say two ten, or three ten, right?
That’s the idea!
Let’s read them together.
스물 (seumul)
서른 (seoreun)
마흔 (maheun)
쉰 (swin)
예순 (yesun)
일흔 (ilheun)
여든 (yeodeun)
아흔 (aheun)
You do NOT need to memorize everything at once.
Start with numbers that are personally relevant, like your age or your family members’ ages.
Once you memorize the “tens,” the rest becomes easy.
For example:
25 = 스물 (20) + 다섯 (5)→ 스물다섯 (seomuldaseot)
38 = 서른 (30) + 여덟 (8)→ 서른여덟 (seoreunyeodeol)
99 = 아흔 (90) + 아홉 (9)→ 아흔아홉 (aheunahop)
And the moment you hit 100, native Korean numbers are finished!
At that point, they hand the job over to the Sino-Korean number “백 (baek).”
However!
There’s one major trap hidden inside native Korean numbers.
And that is: “Native Korean number form changes.”
You’re probably wondering, “What exactly does that mean?”
When native Korean numbers are combined with counting units such as “items,” “people,” “animals,” or “hours,” certain numbers actually change their form.
Specifically, only these five numbers change: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 20.
Let’s look carefully at how they transform.
- 하나 (hana) changes to 한 (han): 나 transformed into ㄴ.
- 둘 (dul) changes to 두 (du): ㄹ dropped from 둘.
- 셋 (set) changes to 세 (se): ㅅ dropped from 셋.
- 넷 (net) changes to 네 (ne): ㅅ dropped from 넷.
- 스물 (seumul) changes to 스무 (seumu): ㄹ dropped from 스물.
If you use the wrong form in daily conversation, people will instantly recognize you as a beginner—or in some cases, your Korean may sound unnatural enough to confuse listeners.
For example, let’s say you want to say “one item.”
You might think: 하나 + 개 = 하나 개 (hana ge)
But that is incorrect.
Because the counting unit “개” follows the number, 하나 changes into 한.
So you must say:
한 개 (han ge)
The same applies to the others:
- 두 개 (du ge) = 2 items
- 세 개 (se ge) = 3 items
- 네 개 (ne ge) = 4 items
- 스무 개 (seumu ge) = 20 items
Beginners often say things like: “하나 개 주세요 (hana ge juseyo / Please give me one).”
Koreans might still understand you, but they’ll immediately think,“Oh, this person is probably a foreign learner.”
To sound natural and fluent like a native speaker, you need to become comfortable using these shortened forms automatically: “한, 두, 세, 네, 스무”
The good news is that no other numbers change.
For example:
- 다섯 개 (daseot ge / 5 items)
- 여섯 개 (yeoseot ge / 6 items)
stay exactly the same.
So why does this form change happen?
The answer is simple: It makes pronunciation easier.
Korean is a language that strongly values smooth, efficient pronunciation.
For example, saying “두 명” flows much more naturally than “둘 명.”
So instead of thinking,
“Why do they change the words? This is annoying!”
try thinking: “Oh, this version is easier to pronounce. Korean speakers probably just wanted smoother speech.”
That mindset makes the rule feel much more natural.
And most importantly, practice these as complete chunks: “한 개, 두 개, 세 개, 네 개, 스무 개”.
Repeat them out loud over and over until they come out automatically.
2. Mastering Sino-Korean Numbers
Now, let’s move on to Sino-Korean numbers.
Sino-Korean numbers are mainly used for money, time, dates, phone numbers, and other numerical information.
And as I mentioned earlier, all large numbers above 100 — such as 100, 1,000, and 10,000 — are expressed using Sino-Korean numbers.
Since Korean currency uses much larger number units than English speakers may be used to, you’ll constantly hear amounts like “10,000 won” or “50,000 won” in everyday situations in Korea.
That means mastering Sino-Korean numbers is an essential skill for shopping, traveling, and handling money naturally in Korean.
Basic Sino-Korean Numbers (1–10)
Now let’s look at the actual numbers.
First, let’s read 1 through 10 together out loud!
일 (il)
이 (i)
삼 (sam)
사 (sa)
오 (o)
육 (yuk)
칠 (chil)
팔 (pal)
구 (gu)
십 (ship)
Now, the way numbers from 11 to 99 are formed is actually very straightforward.
For example:
11 = 10 (ship) + 1 (il) → 십일 (shibil)
Be careful with pronunciation here, because the final consonant ㅂ connects to the following vowel through liaison.
20 = 2 (i) + 10 (ship) → 이십 (iship)
35 = 3 (sam) + 10 (ship) + 5 (o) → 삼십오 (samshibo)
99 = 9 (gu) + 10 (ship) + 9 (gu) → 구십구 (gushipgu)
As you can see, you simply combine the building blocks from 1 to 10 to create any number.
Now let’s move on to larger units.
백 (baek) — 100
천 (cheon) — 1,000
만 (man) — 10,000
억 (eok) — 100 million
Now, here’s one extremely important rule.
In Korean, when the number is exactly 100, 1,000, or 10,000, the “1” is usually omitted.
So Koreans normally say:
- 백 (baek) instead of 일백 (ilbaek)
- 천 (cheon) instead of 일천 (ilcheon)
- 만 (man) instead of 일만 (ilman)
This feels unusual to many English speakers at first because English normally says “a hundred” or “a thousand.”
But in Korean, dropping the “1” sounds much more natural.
So if you want to sound fluent, remember:
100 = baek
1,000 = cheon
10,000 = man
without adding il in front.
Let’s summarize everything we’ve learned so far.
Imagine you’re shopping at a Korean market, and the clerk says: “25,000 won.”
In Korean, that becomes: 2 (i) + 10,000 (man) + 5 (o) + 1,000 (cheon)
→ 이만 오천 원 (iman ocheon won)
How about 38,900 won?
→ 삼만 팔천 구백 원 (samman palcheon gubaeg won)
Since the number system follows a very logical pattern, all you really need to do is combine the Sino-Korean number pieces together in your head.
With enough practice, you’ll eventually be able to understand and say even large numbers naturally.
The Two Korean Words for “Zero”
And now, here’s an important point when learning Sino-Korean numbers: Korean actually has three different words for “zero.”
In English, we sometimes say “zero” and sometimes “oh” when reading numbers aloud.
Korean works in a similar way, but it clearly separates the three into:
영 (yeong)
빵 (ppang)
공 (gong)
Once you understand the difference, you’ve officially entered advanced-number territory.
Welcome to advanced-number territory!
Let’s organize them clearly.
영 (yeong)
영 comes from the Chinese character meaning “zero.”
It’s used for:
- numbers
- scores
- temperatures
- decimals
- mathematical values
You can think of it as: “zero used in calculations.”
For example:
0°C is 영도 (yeongdo)
0.5 is 영점 오 (yeongjeom o)
So if you want to say “I got zero points on the exam 뿌엥~~ ,” you can say
→ 시험에서 영점을 받았다.
(siheomeseo yeongjeomeul badatda)
빵 (ppang)
Next up is everyone’s favorite, ‘빵 (ppang)’.
It sounds exactly like the word for bread, but it’s actually a casual way to say ‘zero’ in everyday conversations. Think of it like saying ‘goose egg’ or ‘zip’ in English—it has a super fun vibe!
We use it all the time for scores and points.
For example, a zero on a test is ‘빵점 (ppang-jeom)’.
And if a sports score is 3-0, we say ‘삼 대 빵 (sam-dae-ppang)’.
You’ll also hear it when talking about money—or lack of it! When your bank account is completely empty, that’s ‘빵원 (ppang-won)’.
Zero won, meaning you’re totally broke.
By the way, did you know Korea has a funny exam jinx? Students avoid eating bread right before a big test because they’re afraid that eating ‘빵 (ppang), bread’ will cause them to get a ‘빵점 (ppang-jeom), zero points’!
But heads up—you wouldn’t use ‘빵 (ppang)’ in formal settings like business, the news, or in a classroom, and definitely not for math!
In those cases, you’d use ‘영 (yeong)’, which we talked about earlier, or ‘공 (gong)’, the other Sino-Korean word we’re about to cover.
공 (gong)
공 comes from the Chinese character meaning “empty.”
It’s used when reading things digit by digit, such as:
- phone numbers
- IDs
- passwords
- serial numbers
For example:
010 is 공일공 (gong-il-gong).
007 is 공공칠 (gong-gong-chil).
The most common situation is giving someone your phone number.
For example: “My phone number is 010-1234-5678.”
→ 제 전화번호는 공일공에 일이삼사에 오육칠팔입니다.
(je jeonhwabeonhoneun gong-il-gong-e il-i-sam-sa-e o-yuk-chil-pal-imnida)
By the way, the hyphen (-) is read as 에 (e).
If you say 010 as yeong-il-yeong instead of gong-il-gong, it will sound extremely unnatural to Korean speakers.
3. Mastering When to Use Native Korean Numbers vs. Sino-Korean Numbers
You’ve learned native Korean numbers as well as Sino-Korean numbers.
Now comes the real question: “When do you use which one?”
So let’s break everything down carefully, step by step.
Counting Objects and People
Let’s start with the easier category.
When you are physically counting things or people — “one item,” “two people,” and so on — you use native Korean numbers.
For example:
“One apple” → 사과 한 개 (sagwa han gae)
“Two people” → 사람 두 명 (saram du myeong)
If you are counting actual physical things that exist in front of you, native Korean numbers are usually the default.
On the other hand, when something is a label, ID, or assigned number, Korean uses Sino-Korean numbers.
For example:
“010-1234…” is 공일공 일이삼사… (gong-il-gong il-i-sam-sa…)
“Room 205” is 이백오 호 (ibaeg-o ho)
Here’s a fun example.
Even when talking about the same thing — like a bus — the number system changes depending on what you mean.
If you say: “I take Bus Number 2.”
the “2” is a route number, so you use Sino-Korean: → 이 번 버스 (i beon beoseu)
But if you say: “There are two buses in front of me.”
you are physically counting buses, so you use native Korean: → 버스 두 대 (beoseu du dae)
See the difference?
The key question is: “Am I counting something?” or “Am I identifying something by number?”
That distinction determines which number system you use.
Time Expressions: The Ultimate Challenge
Now we’ve reached the hardest part of Korean numbers:
Time expressions.
This is where many learners experience emotional damage.
When telling time in Korean, native Korean numbers and Sino-Korean numbers are mixed together in the SAME sentence.
Hours use native Korean numbers.
But minutes and seconds use Sino-Korean numbers.
For example: “1 o’clock” is 한 시 (han si)
But: “5 minutes” is 오 분 (o bun)
So what happens when you combine them?
“1:05” becomes: → 한 시 오 분 (han si o bun)
Here are more examples: “3 hours 10 minutes” is 세 시간 십 분 (se sigan ship bun)
“12:30” is 열두 시 삼십 분 (yeoldu si samship bun)
Or more naturally: → 열두 시 반 (yeoldu si ban) (“half past twelve”)
The first time learners hear this rule, the reaction is usually:“Couldn’t you just pick ONE system?!”
Honestly, I understand that feeling.
But there’s a historical background behind it.
Hours were part of daily life long ago, so native Korean numbers remained attached to them.
Minutes and seconds were introduced later through more formal systems, so they use Sino-Korean numbers.
Still… for learners, it definitely feels messy.
So here’s the best possible advice for overcoming the “time wall”: Don’t overthink the rules.
Instead, build automatic habits.
Whenever you check the time, try saying it in Korean.
For example: “Okay, it’s 3:15.
3 o’clock uses native Korean → 세 시 (se si).
15 minutes uses Sino-Korean → 십오 분 (shib-o bun).
So: 세 시 십오 분 (se si shib-o bun).”
Do this constantly for about two weeks, and your brain will eventually create automatic associations:
hours = native Korean
minutes = Sino-Korean
At that point, you’ll stop translating and start responding naturally.
Talking About Age
Age also has two different systems.
In everyday conversation, Koreans usually use native Korean numbers with the counter 살 (sal).
For example:
“20 years old” is 스무 살 (seumu sal)
“18 years old” is 열여덟 살 (yeolyeodeol sal)
However, in formal situations — such as news reports, official documents, or legal language — Korean uses Sino-Korean numbers with 세 (se).
For example:
“60 years old” is 육십 세 (yukship se)
“20 years old” in formal contexts is 이십 세 (iship se)
In everyday conversation, though, people almost always use 살 (sal).
So first, make sure you can say your own age naturally using native Korean numbers.
Dates: Thankfully Much Simpler
Now for some very good news.
Dates in Korean are wonderfully straightforward.
Years, months, and days ALL use Sino-Korean numbers.
For example: May 26, 2025
2025 → 이천이십오 년 (icheon-ishibo nyeon)
5 → 오 월 (o wol)
26 → 이십육 일 (ishimnyug il)
Put together: → 이천이십오 년 오 월 이십육 일 (icheon-ishibo nyeon o wol ishimnyug il)
Since dates use only one number system, they’re much easier to manage.
By the way, when you say dates in Korean, the order is Year, Month, and Day. This is different from English, where we usually say Month, Day, and Year.
There is, in fact, one more special expression worth knowing.
Sometimes Korean uses the native Korean word 해 (hae), meaning “year,” especially in emotional expressions or everyday phrases related to seasons and the passing of time.
For example: “One year” → 한 해 (han hae)
You may have heard: 새해 복 많이 받으세요(saehae bon mani badeuseyo)
“Happy New Year!”
The 새해 (saehae) here comes from this native Korean word for “year.”
In everyday dates, you’ll mostly use 년, 월, and 일.
But in songs, literature, and greetings, you’ll occasionally encounter 해.
Order vs. Ranking
Finally, let’s talk about order and ranking.
These two are similar — but Koreans treat them differently.
When talking about simple order — like birth order among siblings or sequence in a line — Korean uses native Korean numbers with 째 (jjae).
For example: “first” is 첫째 (cheotjjae)
Koreans just randomly drop the regular number system here and bring in a totally unique word!
Then:
“second” is 둘째 (duljjae)
“third” is 셋째 (setjjae)
You’ll often hear these in Korean dramas when talking about children in a family.
But for official rankings, competition placements, or formal numbering, Korean uses Sino-Korean numbers with 제 (je).
For example:
“Episode 1 / Round 1” → 제1회 (je-il hoe)
“Second foreign language” → 제2외국어 (je-i woegugeo)
“1st place” → 제1위 (je-il wi)
So here’s the key idea: For simple order or birth order → use native Korean numbers.
Conclusion: The Road to Mastering Korean Numbers
Everyone, seriously — great job today!
We’ve covered an enormous amount together:
native Korean numbers, Sino-Korean numbers, and the rules for when to use each one.
To be honest, many of you are probably thinking:
“There’s way too much to memorize!”
“These rules are so complicated my brain is about to explode!”
And honestly? That feeling is completely normal.
Korean numbers are genuinely one of the trickiest parts of the language.
There are two separate number systems, mixed rules for telling time, pronunciation changes, special forms… it’s a lot.
At first, whenever you try to speak, your brain will probably go:
“Okay… hours use native Korean numbers… but minutes use Sino-Korean numbers…”
And just saying one sentence may take forever.
But that’s okay!
Everyone goes through that exact process at the beginning.
When it comes to language learning, there’s almost nothing you use in daily conversation as often as numbers.
That’s why the fastest way to master them is not just sitting at a desk memorizing lists endlessly.
The real shortcut is to bring Korean numbers into your everyday life.
While shopping, think: “Oh, this meat costs 8,000 won… so that’s 팔천 원 (palcheon won).”
Every time you check your phone clock, say: “It’s 7:15 in the morning… so that’s 일곱 시 십오 분 (ilgop si shib-o bun).”
By repeatedly encountering Korean numbers in real life, something amazing happens:
what originally required conscious thinking gradually becomes automatic.
One day, before you even realize it, “한 시 오 분!” (“1:05!”) will fly out of your mouth instantly — without thinking.
Whoever masters Korean numbers masters Korean daily conversation!
You don’t need to rush.
Take it one step at a time, and slowly make today’s rules your own.
Your effort will absolutely pay off.
I’ll continue supporting you with everything I’ve got, so let’s work hard together and make your dream of mastering Korean come true!
So, that wraps up today’s complete guide to Korean numbers and counters.
I truly hope this article becomes a powerful weapon that helps you break through one of the biggest walls in Korean learning.
Alright then — I’ll see you again in the next article!
그럼 오늘도 행복 가득, 웃음 가득한 하루 되세요!
한국어 화이팅, 화이팅, 화이팅!!
