How to use Korean Numbers
How to use Korean Numbers

How to use Korean numbers

As mentioned before, both number systems have specific uses in Korean, and it’s important that the number systems are used appropriately.
When do we use one or the other? 

For lower number counting and hour, you use Korean numbers. 
For higher number counting (20 and above), math, dates, phone numbers, money, and minutes, you use Sino numbers. 


Sino-Korean numbers

Sino Korean numbers are used for the following purposes:
  • To say the date:
    • 일월 일일 (January 1st)
  • To count the days:
    • 일일, 이일
  • To count the years:
    • 일 년, 이 년
  • To count the months:
    • 일 개월, 이 개월
  • To talk about money:
    • 사만원, 오천원
  • To talk about phone numbers:
    • 오사오-사팔구칠 (545-4897)
 

Native Korean numbers

These numbers are used mostly with counters, which categorize the various objects into groups (like when we say in English “a pair of pants”, “a cup of coffee,” etc.). There are several counters that allow us to count things, people, and animals according to the categories they belong to
  • People (general) – 명 (myeon)
    • 한 명, 두 명
  • People (respectful) – 분 (boon)
    • 한 분, 두 분
  • Animals – 마리 (mari)
    • 세 마리, 네 마리
  • Books – 권 (gwon)
    • 세 권, 네 권
  • Bottles – 병 (byung)
    • 다섯 병, 여섯 병
  • Glasses – 잔 (jan)
    • 다섯 잔, 여섯 잔
  • Age – 살 (sal)
    • 일곱 살, 여덟 살
  • Shoes & socks – 켤레 (kyulrae)
    • 일곱 켤레, 여덟 켤레

For example, if you’re talking about people, you use the counter 명 (myeong). To count specific nouns, we just put the noun in front of these counting expressions, like this: [ noun (being counted) + number + counter ]
Consequently, for “five students” you would say “학생 + 다섯 + 명.”
  • Five student – 학생 다섯 명 (hagsaeng daseot myeong)
  • Three dogs – 개 세 마리 (gae se mali)
**Note: When using the Native Korean numbers with counters, the first 4 numbers 하나, 둘, 셋, and 넷 becomes 한, 두, 세, and 네.

For example:
A slice of pizza - 피자 하나 조각 (pija hana jogak) (X)
A slice of pizza - 피자 한 조각 (pija han jogak) (O)
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