Ultimate Guide for Counting in Korean – Numbers 1-100

Hi there!

Counting in Korean 1-100. Is it hard? No.

If you’re learning Korean with a Korean program or books and learning all those words and phrases, you will ALSO NEED numbers. Counting in Korean will help you…

  • Talk about your age in Korean
  • Get the phone numbers
  • Get rich or die trying

So, here’s how you start counting in Korean, from 1 to 100 in 5 minutes.

  • Part 1: 0 to 10 in Korean
  • Part 2: 11 to 20 in Korean
  • Part 3: 21 to 30
  • Part 4: Counting to 100 in Korean
  • Part 5: How to Do Math in Korean

counting in korean numbers

Before we begin, you need to know that there are 2 ways of counting numbers in Korean.  There’s 1) the Sino-Korean system and 2) the Native Korean System.  What’s the difference? The Sino-Korean System is used for:

  • time (minutes), units of time, the names of months, counting money, saying phone numbers, counting measurements, and etc.

The Native Korean System is used for:

  • time (hours), counting objects, counting number of people, age, and for counting in general! 

You need to remember to never mix or combine Sino-Korean system with Native Korean system in when describing a number. Stick to appropriate system! Hey, but don’t worry! It’s not complicated at all!

1 Counting in Korean: 0 to 10

You should also listen and hear real Korean. Press play below. Try this Free Lesson from KoreanClass101.com (click here to visit).


Here are the basics.

Just like English, once you learn 0-10, the rest is easy.

So, make sure you memorize these. Feel free to print out this page if you have to.

# Sino-Korean Pronounced Native Korean Pronounced
0 Gong Young
1 Il 하나 Hana
2 Ee Dul
3 Sam Saet
4 Sa Naet
5 Oh 다섯 Da-Seot
6 Yuk 여섯 Yeo-Seot
7 Chil 일곱 Il-Gob
8 Pal 여덟 Yeo-Durb
9 Gu 아홉 Ah-Hob
10 Sib Yeol

Let’s review these numbers, okay?

My phone number is 012-345-6789.

(For saying phone numbers, you should use Sino-Korean numbers.)

  • 전화번호는 공일이삼사오육칠팔구 입니다
  • Jae Jun-Hwa-Bun-Ho-Neun Gong-Il-Ee-Sam-Sa-Oh-Yuk-Chil-Pal-Gu Ib-Ni-Da.
  • (전화번호 = Jun-Hwa-Bun-Ho = Phone number.)

Eight apples

(For counting objects, you should use Native-Korean numbers.)

  • 사과 여덟
  • Sa-Gwa Yeo-Durb Gae
  • (사과 = Sa-Gwa = Apple)
  • ( = Gae = Counting unit for objects)

Ten people

(For counting people, you should use Native-Korean numbers.)

  • 사람
  • Sa-Ram Yeol-Myung
  • (사람 = Sa-Ram = Human/Person)
  • ( = Myung = Counting unit for person)

My birthday is June 7th.

(For your birthday, you should use Native-Korean numbers.)

  • 생일은 입니다.
  • Jae Saeng-Il-Eun Yu-Wual Chil-Il Ib-Ni-Da.
  • (생일 = Saeng-Il = Birthday)
  • ( = Wual = Month)
  • ( = Il = Day/Date)

counting in korean numbers

Counting from 11 to 20 in Korean

Now, let’s go higher. Let’s count from 11 to 20.

There are 2 rules you need to remember. To count from 11 to 19…

  • For Sino Korean: Add “Sib” to the Sino-Korean numbers 1-9 that you learned in part 1
  • For Native Korean: Add “Yeol” to the Native Korean numbers 1-9 you learned in part 1

So, for example…

  •  Sino Korean: Sib + Sino-Korean Number
    • 19 is Sib-Gu
    • 15 is Sib-Oh
  • Native Korean: Yeol+ Native-Korean Number
    • 19 is Yeol Ah-Hob
    • 13 is Yeol-Saet
# Sino-Korean Pronounced Native Korean Pronounced
11 십일 Sib-Il 열하나 Yeol-Hana
12 십이 Sib-Ee 열둘 Yeol-Dul
13 십삼 Sib-Sam 열셋 Yeol-Saet
14 십사 Sib-Sa 열넷 Yeol-Naet
15 십오 Sib-Oh 열다섯 Yeol-Da-Seot
16 십육 Sib-Yuk 열여섯 Yeol-Yeo-Seot
17 십칠 Sibib-Chil 열일곱 Yeol-Il-Gob
18 십팔 Sib-Pal 열여덟 Yeol-Yeo-durb
19 십구 Sib-Gu 열아홉 Yeol-Ah-Hob
20 이십 Ee-Sib 스물 Seu-Mul

Counting in Korean: 21 to 30

Higher! Let’s do from 21 to 30!

Why? Because 21 to 29 require some rules as well. Very much like making numbers 11 to 19, you’re going to take numbers from part 1. Then, you’re going to add a new word in front.

There are 2 rules you need to remember. To count from 21 to 29…

  • For Sino Korean: Add “Ee-Sib” to the Sino-Korean numbers 1-9 that you learned in part 1
  • For Native Korean: Add “Seu-Mool” to the Native Korean numbers 1-9 you learned in part 1

So, for example…

  •  Sino Korean: Ee-Sib + Sino-Korean Number
    • 29 is Ee-Sib-Gu
    • 25 is Ee-Sib-Oh
  • Native Korean: Seu-Mool+ Native-Korean Number
    • 29 is Seu-Mool Ah-Hob
    • 23 is Seu-Mool-Saet
# Sino-Korean System Pronounced Native Korean Pronounced
21 이십일 Ee-Sib-Il 스물하나 Seu-Mool-Hana
22 이십이 Ee-Sib-Ee 스물둘 Seu-Mool-Dul
23 이십삼 Ee-Sib-Sam 스물셋 Seu-Mool-Saet
24 이십사 Ee-Sib-Sa 스물넷 Seu-Mool-Naet
25 이십오 Ee-Sib-Oh 스물다섯 Seu-Mool-Da-Seot
26 이십육 Ee-Sib-Yuk 스물여섯 Seu-Mool-Yeo-Seot
27 이십칠 Ee-Sib-Chil 스물일곱 Seu-Mool-Il-Gob
28 이십팔 Ee-Sib-Pal 스물여덟 Seu-Mool-Yeo-durb
29 이십구 Ee-Sib-Gu 스물아홉 Seu-Mool-Ah-Hob
30 삼십 Sam-Sib 서른 Seo-Reun

Here are some examples to help you review.

Animals. When counting the number of animals, you should use Native-Korean numbers.

  • Two cats
  • 고양이 마리
  • Go-Yang-Ee Du-Ma-Ri
  • Cat: 고양이 = Go-Yang-Ee 
  • Ma-Ri = 마리  = Counting unit for animals
  • Five Tigers
  • 호랑이 다섯마리
  • Ho-Rang-Ee Da-Seot-Ma-Ri
  • Tiger: 호랑이 = Ho-Rang-Ee

Transportation. When saying the bus, train, flight, ticket numbers, you should use Sino-Korean numbers.

  • Ride bus no.29
  • 버스 29번을 타세요
  • Buh-Seu Ee-Sib-Gu Bun-Eul Ta-Sae-Yo
  • Bus: 버스 = Buh-Seu
  • Number:  = Bun
  • Ride: 타세요 = Ta-Sae-Yo

Body size.

  • Your waist is 27 inches.
  • 너의 허리는 이십칠 인치야.
  • Neo-Eui Heo-Ri-Neun Ee-Sib-Chil In-Chee-Ya.
  • Waist: 허리 = Heo-Ri
  • Inch: 인치 = In-Chee

Counting to 100 in Korean

You’ve noticed how simple it is to start counting in Korean, right? Once you get familiar with the patterns and rules, and memorize them, it is easy. You will master in counting any numbers in Korean!

In this part, you learn how to write and pronounce any number up to 100.

So, what’s the rule for counting in Korean to 100? It’s easy. If you want to do any number between 30 and 100, just follow a very similar rule. You know how in English, you take words twenty, thirty, forty and ninety and then add numbers one to nine to make 39 or 99? Same thing.

  • Take  30, 40, 50…90.
  • Add the number from 1 to 9 that you learned in part 1.
  • This applies for both, Sino-Korean numbers and Native Korean numbers.
# Sino-Korean Pronounced Native Korean Pronounced
1 Il 하나 Hana
10 Sib Yeol
20 이십 Ee-Sib 스물 Seu-Mool
30 삼십 Sam-Sib 서른 Seo-Reun
40 사십 Sa-Sib 마흔 Ma-Heun
50 오십 Oh-Sib Shein
60 육십 Yuk-Sib 예순 Yeh-Soon
70 칠십 Chil-Sib 일흔 Il-Heun
80 팔십 Pal-Sib 여든 Yeo-Deun
90 구십 Gu-Sib 아흔 Ah-Heun
100 Baek Baek

Let’s practice these.

My ticket number is 98

  • 티켓 번호는 구십팔 입니다.
  • Jae Tee-Ket Bun-Ho-Neun Gu-Sib-Pal-Bun Ib-Ni-Da.
  • Ticket: 티켓 = Tee-Ket 
  • Number: 번호 = Bun-Ho

Ride no.76 train.

  • 76 기차를 타세요.
  • Chil-Sib-Yuk Bun Gee-Cha-Reul Ta-Sae-Yo.
  • Train: 기차 = Gee-Cha

Please wait 38 minutes.

When saying the time [minutes], you should use Native-Korean numbers.

  • 삼십팔 기다려주세요.
  • Sam-Sib-Pal Boon Gi-Da-Ryeo-Joo-Sae-Yo.
  • Minute:  = Boon = Minute
  • Please wait: 기다려주세요 = Gi-Da-Ryeo-Joo-Sae-Yo

It is 11:45.

When saying the time [hour], you should use Sino-Korean numbers. When saying the time [minutes], you should use Native-Korean numbers.

  • 지금은 열한 사십오 입니다.
  • Ji-Geum-Eun Yul-Han-Shi Sa-Sib-Oh-Boon Ib-Ni-Da.
  • Now/Right Now: 지금 = Ji-Geum
  • Hour: 시 = Shi
  • Minute:  = Boon
  • It is: 입니다 = Ib-Ni-Da

I am 23 years old.

When saying the number for age, you should use Native-Korean numbers.

  • 저는 스물세 입니다.
  • Jeo-Neun Seu-Mool-Sae-Sal Ib-Ni-Da.
  • Years old:  = Sal

She is 59 years old.

  • 그녀는 쉰아홉 입니다.
  • Geu-Nyeo-Neun Shein-Ah-Hob-Sae Ib-Ni-Da.
  • She/Her: 그녀 = Geu-Nyeo
  • Years old:  = Sae. This is formal, indicating someone older than you, or someone you should respect (ex. Your boss, your manager, your grandfather, your girlfriend’s mother and etc)

Final Part: How to do Math in Korean

Now that you know all about counting in Korean, let’s do some math. You do math in English, right? Let’s do it Korean too!

When doing math, you should use Sino-Korean numbers.

Addition

  • 22 + 22 = 44
  • 이십이 더하기 이십이 사십사.
  • Ee-Sib-Ee Duh-Ha-Gee Ee-Sib-Ee-Neun Sa-Sib-Sa.
  • Plus: 더하기 = Duh-Ha-Gee

Subtraction

  • 27 – 25 = 2
  • 이십칠 빼기 이십오 .
  • Ee-Sib-Chil Bbae-Gi Ee-Sib-Oh-Neun Ee.
  • Minus: 빼기 = Bbae-Gi 

Multiplication

  • 5 x 3 = 15
  • 곱하기 십오.
  • Oh Gob-Ha-Gi Sam-Eun Sib-Oh
  • Multiply: 곱하기 = Gob-Ha-Gi 

Division

  • 18 ÷ 6 = 3
  • 십팔 나누기 .
  • Sib-Pal Na-Nu-Gi Yuk-Eun Sam
  • Divide: 나누기 = Na-Nu-Gi

counting in korean numbers

And that’s it.

Counting in Korean from 1 to 100 is easy. Be sure to print this tutorial out for later review. It’s always good to review things again and again until they’re stuck in your head.

Did this help? Be sure to leave a comment!

– The Main Junkie

P.S. I recommend this learning program for Korean learners. If you want to learn and speak Korean, try KoreanClass101. You get 1,000s of fun audio/video lessons and study tools that will help you learn fast.

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13 thoughts on “Ultimate Guide for Counting in Korean – Numbers 1-100”

  1. When saying the time [hour], you should use NATIVE-Korean numbers. When saying the time [minutes], you should use SINO-Korean numbers. ex: 09:25 (아홉시 이십오 분).

  2. Thank you for these, it helped a lot. My only comment is that sometimes you say to use sino-korean but you are using native korean in your examples. It’s kind of confusing if we’re trying to memorize it. But all in all, it was helpful. Maybe just edit it. Thank you!

  3. By the way, not many native Koreans use the Sino-Korean for 18 because it sounds like a curse word with a similar pronunciation to f**k. So, if speaking with it, it’d be better to use the Native Korean.

  4. Hello! This was so helpful, thank you!

    Everything was great, but I think you mixed up native- and sino-Korean towards the end (after you have taught how to count to 100, you get us to practice telling the time).

    Otherwise, this was awesome!

  5. (…)
    It is 11:45.

    When saying the time [hour], you should use Sino-Korean numbers. When saying the time [minutes], you should use Native-Korean numbers.

    지금은 열한시 사십오분 입니다.
    (…)
    And the last line written 한글 shows hours written in Native-Korean system of numbering, so make your mind please….

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