Korean Numbers & Counting Vocabulary숫자와 세기

one (native Korean)

사과 하나 주세요.One apple, please.

💡 Memory tip: Think of "Hannah" -- one girl named Hannah.

Pronunciation: Before a counter, 하나 shortens to 한 (han). E.g., 한 개, 한 명.

two (native Korean)

커피 둘 주세요.Two coffees, please.

💡 Memory tip: Sounds like "tool" -- you need TWO hands to use a tool.

Pronunciation: Before a counter, 둘 shortens to 두 (du). E.g., 두 개, 두 명.

three (native Korean)

친구 셋이서 갔어요.Three friends went together.

💡 Memory tip: Like a "set" of THREE things.

Pronunciation: Before a counter, 셋 shortens to 세 (se). E.g., 세 개, 세 명.

four (native Korean)

의자가 넷 있어요.There are four chairs.

💡 Memory tip: A "net" has FOUR corners.

Pronunciation: Before a counter, 넷 shortens to 네 (ne). E.g., 네 개, 네 명.

five (native Korean)

다섯 시에 만나요.Let's meet at five o'clock.

💡 Memory tip: Five fingers on "da set" (the set of fingers on one hand).

Pronunciation: The final ㅅ in 섯 is pronounced [t] (받침 rule).

one (Sino-Korean) / day / work

일월 일일이에요.It's January 1st.

💡 Memory tip: Used for dates, phone numbers, and formal counting.

two (Sino-Korean)

이월은 짧아요.February is short.

💡 Memory tip: The character 二 has TWO horizontal lines. Korean 이 comes from this.

three (Sino-Korean)

삼월에 한국에 가요.I'm going to Korea in March.

💡 Memory tip: Think "Samsung" -- 삼성 means "three stars."

four (Sino-Korean)

사월은 봄이에요.April is spring.

💡 Memory tip: Four -- think "SAturday is the 4th day of the work week" (Mon=1).

Pronunciation: In Korean, 4 (사) is NOT considered unlucky like in Chinese/Japanese culture.

five (Sino-Korean)

오분 후에 출발해요.We leave in five minutes.

💡 Memory tip: "Oh! Five!" -- the O shape is like a circle with 5 points.

counter for things/items

사과 세 개 주세요.Three apples, please.

💡 Memory tip: The most common counter! Use 개 for general objects when unsure.

counter for people

세 명이에요.There are three people.

💡 Memory tip: Use 명 to count people politely. For very formal, use 분.

counter for times/occurrences; number (in sequence)

세 번 말해 주세요.Please say it three times.

Pronunciation: Also used for bus numbers: 버스 삼번 (bus number 3).

ten thousand (10,000)

이것은 오만 원이에요.This is 50,000 won.

💡 Memory tip: Korean counts in units of 10,000 (만), not 1,000. So 50,000 = 오만 (five ten-thousands).

won (Korean currency)

커피가 사천오백 원이에요.The coffee is 4,500 won.

💡 Memory tip: The currency symbol is ₩. Roughly 1,300 won = 1 USD.