Welcome back to our Korean Numbers Series, Part 2!
In Part 1, we introduced both Korean number systems. Now let’s answer the question that usually comes next: When do I use Sino-Korean, and when do I use Native Korean? There isn’t one perfect rule for every situation, but there are some helpful patterns. Let’s look at the ones you’ll use most often.
[1] When Do We Use Sino-Korean Numbers?
A helpful way to think about Sino-Korean is this: Sino-Korean is often used for numbers we read, measure, or use as labels.
For example:
15 minutes → 십오 분
4th floor → 사 층
24 degrees → 이십사 도
You’ll also use Sino-Korean for things like dates, money, and phone numbers. For phone numbers, we simply read each digit one by one.
010-1234-5678 → 공일공 / 일이삼사 / 오육칠팔
You may notice we use 공 for 0 here. Korean has two common words for zero, 영 and 공. You’ll often hear 공 when reading a series of digits like a phone number.
[2] How to Make Bigger Native Korean Numbers
Native Korean numbers work a little differently.
The first ten are: 하나, 둘, 셋, 넷, 다섯, 여섯, 일곱, 여덟, 아홉, 열
But unlike Sino-Korean, Native Korean has its own word for each ten:
10 → 열
20 → 스물
30 → 서른
40 → 마흔
50 → 쉰
60 → 예순
70 → 일흔
80 → 여든
90 → 아흔
Don’t worry about memorizing all of them right away! Once you know the word for the ten, building the rest is simple.
11 → 열하나
12 → 열둘
21 → 스물하나
31 → 서른하나
52 → 쉰둘
[3] When Do We Use Native Korean Numbers?
Native Korean is very common when we count everyday things one by one, such as people or objects. You’ll also use it for hours and age.
Before many counters, a few numbers change slightly:
하나 → 한
둘 → 두
셋 → 세
넷 → 네
For example:
1 o’clock → 한 시
3 o’clock → 세 시
4 people → 네 명
5 things → 다섯 개
21 years old → 스물한 살
So a useful starting point is: hours, people, objects, age → Native Korean
[4] Practice: Sino or Native?
Now you know the basic idea: Sino-Korean is often used for numbers we read, measure, or label. Native Korean is commonly used when we count everyday things. But knowing the rule and choosing the right system quickly are two different things!
That’s why we made a free game to help you practice. You’ll see different situations and choose whether Sino-Korean or Native Korean fits best.
👉 Practice Sino vs Native Korean Numbers
Don’t worry if you get some wrong at first. Try again, listen to the numbers, and give yourself time to get familiar with the patterns. The more you see Korean numbers in real situations, the more natural the choice will start to feel.
DK 가족 할 수 있어요! 화이팅! 😊
