Learning Korean numbers is hard, isn’t it? But when it comes to native Korean numbers, it’s an easy story.

Here’s how to read the native Korean numbers 1-100. All you only need to memorize the Korean words for 18 numbers (i.e. numbers from 1 to 10, 20,30,40,50,60,70,80,90), and other numbers are basically the combinations of these numbers. 

What Are Pure/Native Korean Numbers?

 

As you know, Korea has two number systems, i.e., one is Sino Korean Numbers and the other is Native Korean Numbers. The number system based on the Korean language is called pure/native Korean numbers.

Let’s start with the basic Korean numbers 1-10.

Here’s the complete list of native-Korean Numbers 1-10 and 20,30,40,50,60,70,80,90 with hangul and pronunciations.

• 1 – 하나 (hana)
• 2 – 둘 (dul)
• 3 – 셋 (set)
• 4 – 넷 (net)
• 5 – 다섯 (daseot)
• 6 – 여섯 (yeoseot)
• 7 – 일곱 (ilgob)
• 8 – 여덟 (yeodeol)
• 9 – 아홉 (ahop)
• 10 – 열 (yeol)
• 20: 스물 (seumul)
• 30: 서른 (seoreun)
• 40: 마흔 (maheun)
• 50: 쉰 (swin)
• 60: 예순 (yesun)
• 70: 일흔 (ilheun)
• 80: 여든 (yeodeun)
• 90: 아흔 (aheun)

For counting in native Korean numbers, you only need to know numbers from 1 to 99. because for bigger numbers, Koreans prefer to use the Sino-Korean number system. Actually, after 60 Koreans hardly use native Korean in a real-life conversation. the bigger numbers like 100 or 1000 existed in the past.

How To Count In Korean Beyond Native Korean Numbers 1 To 10.

Unlike Sino-Korean numbers, numbers 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90 have their own special word. The correct way of reading the native Korean numbers is to read the tens digits first (10,20,30….) and then say the unit digits (native Korean numbers 1-10).

and you’re all set!

In this sense, you can read 11 as “ten one”, 12 as “ten two” and so on.

Let’s say you want to say 21 in Korean which is “스물하나” (seumulhana) which is combination 20 in Korean (스물) and 1(하나 in Korean ). Then 12 in Korean would be 열둘[combination of 10(열) and 2(둘 )].

Here they are

• 10: 열 (yeol)
• 20: 스물 (seumul)
• 30: 서른 (seoreun)
• 40: 마흔 (maheun)
• 50: 쉰 (swin)
• 60: 예순 (yesun)
• 70: 일흔 (ilheun)
• 80: 여든 (yeodeun)
• 90: 아흔 (aheun)

Knowing this, it should be easy. Try to write the numbers 11-19 now.

• 34 – 서른넷( soreunnet)- 30(서른)+4(넷 )
• 67 – 예순일곱 (yesunilgop)- 60(예순)+7(일곱) 
• 21 – 스물하나 (seumulhana) – 20(스물)+1(하나)
• 11 – 열하나(yolhana) – 10(열)+1(하나) 
• 33 – 서른셋(soreunset)- 30(서른)+3(셋)
• 55 – 쉰다섯(swindasot) – 50(쉰)+5(다섯)
• 99 – 아흔아홉(aheunahop) – 90(아흔)+9(아홉)
• 82 – 여든둘(yodeundul)- 80(여든)+2(둘)
• 64 – 예순넷(yesunnet) – 60(예순)+4(넷)
• 72 – 일흔둘(ilheundul) – 70(일흔)+2(둘)

What Are Native Korean Numbers Used For? Pure Korean Numbers And Counters.

Native-Korean numbers are used mainly to count things. This Korean counting system is used for age, counting people, counting animals, expressing time(hours), and much more.

Here is the simple pattern to count in Korean using native counters. When saying how many of something there are, you say the noun, then the Native Korean number, and add the counter word at the end. 

It looks like this

NOUN + NUMBER + COUNTER WORD

Here is a complete list of the most common Korean counters used with Sino Korean numbers for you to get started!

• To count general things, items: 개 (gae)
• To count the people : 명(myeong)
• To count the animals : 마리 (Mari)
• To count the age in Korean: sal
• To count counter for buildings and houses: 채 (chae) 
• To count pair of shoes : 레 (kyeolle) 
• To count  clothes벌: (beol) 
• To count pieces of  paper: 장 (jang) 
• To count pen and pencils 자루 (jaru).
• To count bottles : 병 (byeong)
• To count cars and machines : 대 (dae) 
• To count books and notebooks : 권 (gwon) 

Let’s see some counting expressions, like this:

• 11 student – 학생 열하나 명(hakssaeng yolhana myong)
• Three cats – 고양이 세 마리(goyangi se mari)
• Ten pairs of socks – 양말 열 켤레(yangmal yol kyolre)
• age of eighteen-나이 열여덟 살(nai yolryodol sal)
• a bird- 새 한 마리(sae han mari)
• 5 sheet of paper-종이 5장(jongi o jang)
• One slice of pizza -피자 한 조각(pija han jogak)
• 34 frogs- 개구리 서른넷 마리(gaeguri soreunnet mari)

 

If you want to know more about how to count in korean with native korean numbers check out the original article , here’s a  free crash course on native korean numbers1-100 and counters

want to read how sino korean numbers works? here's a  quick guide on how to count in korean 1-100 and till million