🚨 Korean Emergency Numbers and What to Do

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. 💪

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🧠 Why Are There Two Number Systems?

Korean uses:

1. Native Korean Numbers (고유어 숫자) – Used for counting things, age (in casual speech), hours.

2. Sino-Korean Numbers (한자어 숫자) – Derived from Chinese, used for dates, money, phone numbers, minutes, floors, etc.

Example:

• Age (casual): 스물다섯 살 (25 years old) → Native

• Price: 이천 원 (2,000 won) → Sino

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🇰🇷 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.

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🏦 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:

• 11 = 십일 (sip-il)

• 25 = 이십오 (i-sip-o)

• 99 = 구십구 (gu-sip-gu)

• 100 = 백 (baek)

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📝 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)

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🗣️ Pronunciation Tips

• Numbers like 8 (여덟) and 6 (여섯) can be tricky—say them slowly and clearly.

• The “l” sound in 열하나, 열넷 often links together → [yeol-la-na], [yeol-net].

• Watch native speakers on YouTube or drama clips and mimic!

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🔁 Practice Challenge

1. Count from 1–20 using Native Korean

2. Count 1–100 using Sino-Korean (start by tens: 10, 20, 30...)

3. Count aloud items on your desk in Korean

4. Watch K-pop fan chats — you’ll hear lots of numbers!

5. Write down your phone number in Korean using Sino-Korean

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👩‍🏫 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! 🎉

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