💸 How to Count Money and Prices in Korean: A Shopper's Guide

Planning a shopping trip in Seoul? Teacher Hoon explains how to use Korean numbers with currency and ask "How much is it?" like a confident local.

Mastering the "Man" (10,000) Unit (EEAT Tip)

In Korea, we use Sino-Korean numbers for money. The biggest hurdle for learners is our use of the 만 (Man / 10,000) unit instead of thousands. As a teacher, I recommend practicing this shift early to avoid confusion at the checkout. Let's look at the essential breakdown.

💴 Korean Currency Basics

Korean	Romanization	English Context
원	won	KRW (Currency unit)
천 원	cheon won	1,000 won (Approx. $0.75)
만 원	man won	10,000 won (Approx. $7.50)
오천 원	ocheon won	5,000 won
백 원	baek won	100 won (Coin)

🔢 Real-Life Price Examples

💸 이건 천 원이에요. (This is 1,000 won.)
💸 커피는 삼천오백 원이에요. (The coffee is 3,500 won.)
💸 총 만이천 원이에요. (The total is 12,000 won.)
💸 얼마예요? (How much is it?)

🗣 Practice Dialogue: At the Checkout

Customer: 이거 얼마예요?
(How much is this?)

Staff: 오천오백 원이에요.
(It's 5,500 won.)

Customer: 카드 돼요?
(Do you take card?)

Staff: 네, 됩니다!
(Yes, we do!)

💡 Teacher Hoon's Expert Shopping Tip

While cash is still used in traditional markets, South Korea is incredibly card-friendly! From KakaoPay to Naver Pay, digital payments are everywhere. When paying, you'll often hear "영수증 드릴까요?" (Would you like a receipt?). Practice saying "괜찮아요" (It's okay) or "네, 주세요" (Yes, please)!

Ready to Practice Real-World Shopping?

Numbers are always tricky until you speak them! Book a 1:1 "Survival Korean" session with Hoon on italki. We'll role-play shopping in Myeongdong and traditional markets so you can handle money with absolute confidence!

🚀 Master Money Counting with Hoon

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