🔢 How to Count in Korean: Numbers 1–100 Made Easy
Counting in Korean can be tricky at first because there are two number systems. 😅
But don’t worry! In this post, I’ll show you when and how to use each system, teach you to count from 1 to 100, and help you practice like a pro. 💪
🧠 Why Are There Two Number Systems?
Korean uses:
-
Native Korean Numbers (고유어 숫자) – Used for counting things, age (in casual speech), hours.
-
Sino-Korean Numbers (한자어 숫자) – Derived from Chinese, used for dates, money, phone numbers, minutes, floors, etc.
Example:
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Age (casual): 스물다섯 살 (25 years old) → Native
-
Price: 이천 원 (2,000 won) → Sino
🇰🇷 Native Korean Numbers (1–20)
| Number | Korean | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 하나 | hana |
| 2 | 둘 | dul |
| 3 | 셋 | set |
| 4 | 넷 | net |
| 5 | 다섯 | daseot |
| 6 | 여섯 | yeoseot |
| 7 | 일곱 | ilgop |
| 8 | 여덟 | yeodeol |
| 9 | 아홉 | ahop |
| 10 | 열 | yeol |
| 11 | 열하나 | yeol-hana |
| 12 | 열둘 | yeol-dul |
| 13 | 열셋 | yeol-set |
| 14 | 열넷 | yeol-net |
| 15 | 열다섯 | yeol-daseot |
| 16 | 열여섯 | yeol-yeoseot |
| 17 | 열일곱 | yeol-ilgop |
| 18 | 열여덟 | yeol-yeodeol |
| 19 | 열아홉 | yeol-ahop |
| 20 | 스물 | seumul |
✨ Note: Native Korean numbers rarely go above 99 — most use Sino-Korean after 20 or 30.
🏦 Sino-Korean Numbers (1–100)
| Number | Korean | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 일 | il |
| 2 | 이 | i |
| 3 | 삼 | sam |
| 4 | 사 | sa |
| 5 | 오 | o |
| 6 | 육 | yuk |
| 7 | 칠 | chil |
| 8 | 팔 | pal |
| 9 | 구 | gu |
| 10 | 십 | sip |
To form larger numbers:
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11 = 십일 (sip-il)
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25 = 이십오 (i-sip-o)
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99 = 구십구 (gu-sip-gu)
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100 = 백 (baek)
📝 Which System Should I Use?
| Situation | System | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Age (casual) | Native | 스물다섯 살 (25) |
| Age (formal) | Sino | 이십오 세 (25) |
| Time (hour) | Native | 세 시 (3 o'clock) |
| Time (minute) | Sino | 십오 분 (15 minutes) |
| Date, money | Sino | 이천오백 원 (₩2,500) |
| Counting items | Native | 사과 세 개 (3 apples) |
🗣️ Pronunciation Tips
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Numbers like 8 (여덟) and 6 (여섯) can be tricky—say them slowly and clearly.
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The “l” sound in 열하나, 열넷 often links together → [yeol-la-na], [yeol-net].
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Watch native speakers on YouTube or drama clips and mimic!
🔁 Practice Challenge
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Count from 1–20 using Native Korean
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Count 1–100 using Sino-Korean (start by tens: 10, 20, 30...)
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Count aloud items on your desk in Korean
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Watch K-pop fan chats — you’ll hear lots of numbers!
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Write down your phone number in Korean using Sino-Korean
👩🏫 Want to Practice Counting with Me?
It’s much easier to master numbers when you hear and say them with a real teacher.
👉 Book a live lesson with me on italki:
https://www.italki.com/ko/teacher/7916559
Let’s count to 100 (and beyond!) together in Korean! 🎉
