Lesson 20: Native Korean Numbers

Native Korean numbers 1 to 10:

• 하나 - one

• 둘 - two

• 셋 - three

• 넷 - four

• 다섯 - five

• 여섯 - six

• 일곱 - seven

• 여덟 - eight

• 아홉 - nine

• 열 - ten

Multiples of ten:

• 스물 - twenty

• 서른 - thirty

• 마흔 - forty

• 쉰 - fifty

• 예순 - sixty

• 일흔 - seventy

• 여든 - eighty

• 아흔 - ninety

For numbers between 10 and 99, combine the multiple of ten you need with the correct second digit.

• e.g. 예순 + 넷 → 예순 넷 (64)

There are no words for ‘one hundred,’ ‘one thousand,’ etc. in the native Korean number system, so for numbers larger than 99, you have to use the sino-Korean words for these numbers.

• e.g.

  • 오백 (sino) + 일흔 (native) + 아홉 (native) → 오백 일흔 아홉 (579)

  • 이천 (sino) + 사백 (sino) + 쉰 (native) → 이천 사백 쉰 (2450)

Telling the time

• hours are said using native Korean numbers

• minutes are said using sino-Korean numbers

Talking about age

• say the number in native Korean numbers, then add 살 (age counter)

• the numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, and 20 change when placed directly before a noun, so those ages become:

  • 한 살 (one year old)

  • 두 살 (two years old)

  • 세 살 (three years old)

  • 네 살 (four years old)

  • 스무 살 (twenty years old)

• These numbers only change when they are the last or only part of the number, so 21 years old is written as 스물 한 살.