🔢 Korean Numbers: Sino vs Native (Beginner Level)

Did you know Korean has two number systems? 🤔 In this post, we’ll break down Sino-Korean vs Native Korean numbers and show you when and how to use them — with clear examples you can start using today!

📌 What Are Sino and Native Numbers?

🟦 Sino-Korean numbers (일, 이, 삼…) are used for dates, money, minutes, phone numbers, etc.
🟩 Native Korean numbers (하나, 둘, 셋…) are used for counting items, age, hours, and people.

🔢 Number Chart: 1 to 10

Number	Sino-Korean	Native Korean
1	일 (il)	하나 (hana)
2	이 (i)	둘 (dul)
3	삼 (sam)	셋 (set)
4	사 (sa)	넷 (net)
5	오 (o)	다섯 (daseot)
6	육 (yuk)	여섯 (yeoseot)
7	칠 (chil)	일곱 (ilgop)
8	팔 (pal)	여덟 (yeodeol)
9	구 (gu)	아홉 (ahop)
10	십 (sip)	열 (yeol)

🕒 When to Use Each Number System

• 🧍‍♂️ Age: Native Korean (스물다섯 살 – 25 years old)
• 💰 Money & Prices: Sino-Korean (오천 원 – 5,000 won)
• 🕐 Time (Hours): Native (한 시 – 1 o’clock)
• 🕐 Time (Minutes): Sino (십오 분 – 15 minutes)
• 📅 Dates / Months: Sino (일월 – January, 이월 – February…)
• ☎ Phone Numbers: Sino (공일 – 01…)

📝 Example Sentences

저는 스물두 살이에요.
Jeoneun seumuldu sar-ieyo.
I am 22 years old.

지금 세 시 십오 분이에요.
Jigeum se si sib-o bun-ieyo.
It’s 3:15 now.

커피 두 잔 주세요.
Keopi du jan juseyo.
Two cups of coffee, please.

이 책은 삼만 원이에요.
I chaekeun samman won-ieyo.
This book is 30,000 won.

🗣 Practice Dialogue

👩 A: 나이가 어떻게 되세요?
Naiga eotteoke doeseyo?
How old are you?

👨 B: 스물여덟 살이에요.
Seumul-yeodeol sar-ieyo.
I’m 28 years old.

👩 A: 오늘 몇 월 며칠이에요?
Oneul myeot wol myeochil-ieyo?
What’s today’s date?

👨 B: 7월 20일이에요.
Chilwol isib-il-ieyo.
It’s July 20th.

🔟 Counting by Tens in Native Korean

Native Korean numbers are often used when talking about age. Here's how to count by tens using native Korean numbers:

Number	Native Korean	Romanization	Used For
10	열	yeol	ten
20	스물	seumul	twenty
30	서른	seoreun	thirty
40	마흔	maheun	forty
50	쉰	swin	fifty
60	예순	yesun	sixty
70	일흔	ilheun	seventy
80	여든	yeodeun	eighty
90	아흔	aheun	ninety

📝 Age Examples Using Native Numbers

저는 스물다섯 살이에요.
Jeoneun seumul-daseot sar-ieyo.
I am 25 years old.

할머니는 일흔두 살이세요.
Halmeonineun ilheun-du sar-iseyo.
My grandmother is 72 years old.

아버지는 쉰아홉 살이에요.
Abeojineun swin-ahop sar-ieyo.
My father is 59 years old.

💯 Higher Units in Sino-Korean

Korean	Romanization	Meaning	Numeric Value
백	baek	hundred	100
천	cheon	thousand	1,000
만	man	ten thousand	10,000
억	eok	hundred million	100,000,000
조	jo	trillion	1,000,000,000,000

📝 Large Number Examples

이백오십 = 250
I-baek-o-sip

삼천오백 = 3,500
Sam-cheon-o-baek

오만 원 = 50,000 won
O-man won

십억 달러 = 1 billion dollars
Sib-eok dalleo

일조 원 = 1 trillion won
Il-jo won

💡 Did You Know?

Korean large numbers are grouped by 10,000 (만), not 1,000 like English. So 1 million = 백만 (100 × 10,000), not “천천.” Learning this will help you understand Korean money and large quantities more easily!

💬 Practice Korean with Me on italki!

Still confused about which number system to use? 🤔 Let's practice together using real-world examples like age, prices, and dates! 👉 Click here to join my italki class

💌 Final Thoughts:
Don’t be afraid of Korean numbers! With practice, you’ll soon be reading menus, counting money, and telling time like a local 😊