Native Korean Numbers and Counters
Count from 1 to 99 with native Korean numbers and use them with counters like 개, 명, 살, 권, 잔, 병 and 마리.
Mr. Gaon · Grammar, vocabulary & TOPIKWhat you will learn in this lesson
- Count from 하나 to 아흔아홉
- Use the short counter forms 한, 두, 세, 네 and 스무
- Count things, people, animals, books, cups and bottles
- Ask and say your age with 몇 살
Korean has two number systems. That sounds like double work, but each system has its own jobs, so it is quite logical. Today we learn the native Korean numbers, which you use for counting things and for age.
Two number systems
Native Korean numbers (하나, 둘, 셋…) are old Korean words. They are used to count things and people, for age, and for the hour when telling time.
Sino-Korean numbers (일, 이, 삼…) come from Chinese characters. They are used for money, dates, phone numbers, minutes and most numbers in math. You will learn them in the next lesson.
Native numbers only go up to 99. For 100 and higher, Koreans use Sino-Korean numbers.
1 to 10
| Number | Native Korean | Before a counter |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 하나 | 한 |
| 2 | 둘 | 두 |
| 3 | 셋 | 세 |
| 4 | 넷 | 네 |
| 5 | 다섯 | 다섯 |
| 6 | 여섯 | 여섯 |
| 7 | 일곱 | 일곱 |
| 8 | 여덟 | 여덟 |
| 9 | 아홉 | 아홉 |
| 10 | 열 | 열 |
여덟 is pronounced [여덜]. Only 1–4 (and 20) change before a counter.
Tens
| Number | Native Korean | Before a counter |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | 열 | 열 |
| 20 | 스물 | 스무 |
| 30 | 서른 | 서른 |
| 40 | 마흔 | 마흔 |
| 50 | 쉰 | 쉰 |
| 60 | 예순 | 예순 |
| 70 | 일흔 | 일흔 |
| 80 | 여든 | 여든 |
| 90 | 아흔 | 아흔 |
Combine tens and ones: 11 = 열하나, 25 = 스물다섯, 38 = 서른여덟.
The most important rule today: before a counter, 하나 becomes 한, 둘 becomes 두, 셋 becomes 세, 넷 becomes 네, and 스물 becomes 스무. This also happens inside bigger numbers: 21 people is 스물한 명, not 스물하나 명.
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counting things
- Korean puts the noun first, then the number, then the counter: 사과 세 개 (apple three items).
- Use the short form for 1–4 and 20: 한, 두, 세, 네, 스무.
- Add particles after the counter: 사과 세 개를 사요.
- To ask “how many”, use 몇 + counter: 몇 개, 몇 명.
- 사과 세 개 주세요. sagwa se gae juseyo.Three apples, please.
- 학생이 열두 명 있어요. [학쌩이 열두 명 이써요] haksaengi yeoldu myeong isseoyo.There are twelve students.
- 고양이 두 마리를 키워요. goyangi du marireul kiwoyo.I raise two cats.
- 커피 한 잔 마셔요. keopi han jan masyeoyo.I drink a cup of coffee.
- 몇 개 있어요? [멷 깨 이써요] myeot gae isseoyo?How many are there?
Common counters
| Counter | Used for | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 개 | things in general | 가방 한 개 | one bag |
| 명 | people | 친구 두 명 | two friends |
| 분 | people (honorific) | 손님 세 분 | three guests |
| 살 | age | 스무 살 | twenty years old |
| 마리 | animals | 강아지 네 마리 | four puppies |
| 권 | books, notebooks | 책 다섯 권 | five books |
| 잔 | cups, glasses | 물 한 잔 | a glass of water |
| 병 | bottles | 콜라 두 병 | two bottles of cola |
| 시 | hours (o’clock) | 세 시 | three o’clock |
When you are not sure which counter to use, 개 is usually understood for objects.
Age: 몇 살이에요?
To ask someone’s age, say 몇 살이에요? It is pronounced [멷 싸리에요]. The answer uses native numbers + 살: 스물세 살이에요 (I’m 23).
With older people, asking 몇 살 is not polite enough. Use 연세가 어떻게 되세요? for elderly people, or 나이가 어떻게 되세요? for adults you have just met.
Koreans often ask about age when they first meet. It is not meant to be rude. Age helps people decide how to speak to each other, for example who uses polite speech and what title to use.
Age and counting
- 몇 살이에요? [멷 싸리에요] myeot sarieyo? How old are you?
- 스물한 살이에요. [스물한 사리에요] seumulhan sarieyo. I’m 21.
- 제 동생은 열여섯 살이에요. [제 동생은 열려섣 싸리에요] je dongsaengeun yeoryeoseot sarieyo. My younger sibling is 16.
- 나이가 어떻게 되세요? [나이가 어떠케 되세요] naiga eotteoke doeseyo? May I ask your age? (polite)
- 가족이 모두 몇 명이에요? [가조기 모두 면 명이에요] gajogi modu myeot myeongieyo? How many people are in your family?
- 네 명이에요. ne myeongieyo. Four people.
- 맥주 한 병하고 콜라 두 병 주세요. [맥쭈 한 병하고 콜라 두 병 주세요] maekju han byeonghago kolla du byeong juseyo. One bottle of beer and two bottles of cola, please.
- 공책 세 권 샀어요. [공책 세 권 사써요] gongchaek se gwon sasseoyo. I bought three notebooks.
- 몇 분이세요? [멷 뿌니세요] myeot buniseyo? How many people are in your party? (at a restaurant)
Watch the short forms
- 하나, 둘, 셋 hana, dul, set one, two, three (just counting) Full forms are used when you count out loud.
- 한 명, 두 명, 세 명 han myeong, du myeong, se myeong one person, two people, three people Short forms before a counter.
- 스물 seumul twenty (counting) Full form.
- 스무 살 seumu sal twenty years old Short form before 살. But 21 is 스물한 살, because 스물 is no longer directly before the counter.
At a restaurant
Words for this lesson
- 몇 myeot how many, what (number)
- 나이 nai age
- 가족 gajok family
- 손님 sonnim guest, customer
- 강아지 gangaji puppy
- 공책 gongchaek notebook
- 맥주 [맥쭈] maekju beer
- 줄 jul counter for gimbap rolls, lines
Practice tips
Numbers become easy only with daily use. Here are some ideas. When you climb stairs, count the steps in native Korean: 하나, 둘, 셋. When you set the table, say how many things you have: 숟가락 두 개, 컵 세 개. When you see a group of people, count them with 명.
Also practice the change from full form to short form. Say 하나 and then 한 개, 둘 and then 두 개, and so on up to 넷 and 네 개. Finally, say your own age and the ages of your family members with 살. If you repeat these small exercises for a week, native numbers will start to feel natural.
Check quiz
Q1. How do you say “two people”?
Q2. Which is 20 years old?
Q3. Which counter is used for animals?
Q4. What is 38 in native Korean?
Q5. “Three cups of coffee, please.”
Q6. How is 몇 살 pronounced?
Very good! Practice by counting things around you: 의자 한 개, 책 두 권, 컵 세 개. Next lesson, we learn the other number system for money, dates and phone numbers.
Key points
- Native numbers count things, people, age and the hour.
- Native numbers go up to 99; use Sino-Korean for 100 and above.
- Before a counter: 한, 두, 세, 네, 스무.
- Order: noun + number + counter (사과 세 개).
- Counters: 개, 명/분, 살, 마리, 권, 잔, 병, 시.
- Ask age with 몇 살이에요? [멷 싸리에요], or 나이가 어떻게 되세요? politely.
Recommended official free resources
- Korean Basic Dictionary (11 languages) — National Institute of Korean Language
- Study Korean — Overseas Koreans Agency
🔢 Number and unit reference table and reading converter →
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