Lesson 22 - Pure Korean Numbers and Their Counters

Hello everyone! 

We’re back once again with another grammar post, and we’re going to conclude the Korean numbers posts. Last time we talked about the Sino-Korean numbers (if you missed the post, check here), and today we’re going to talk about the other set of numbers: the Pure Korean ones. 

Last time we had the easiest set of numbers, and this time we’ve got the tough one. I’m sure you will learn it through practice. Let's look at the numbers from 1 to 10: 

하나 -> one 

둘 -> two 

셋 -> three 

넷 -> four 

다섯 -> five 

여섯 -> six 

일곱 -> seven 

여덟 -> eight 

아홉 -> nine 

열 -> ten 

Unlike the other set of numbers, with these ones you can count until 99. Why? Because for the numbers after 100 the Sino-Korean system is used.  

If you want to say numbers like eleven, you would have to follow the same ‘rule’ we saw last time with the other numbers. What was this rule? It was simply the one in which you’d have to put the numbers from one to nine after numbers like 열 ten. Let's check them out: 

열하나 eleven 

열둘 twelve 

열 셋 thirteen 

열넷 fourteen 

열다섯 fifteen 

열여섯 sixteen 

열일곱 seventeen 

열여덟 eighteen 

열아홉 nineteen 

The system is the same, but there’s a difference: instead of putting the numbers from 1 to 9 before the number 10 to express numbers like 20 or so on, there are already existing numbers.  

스물 twenty 

서른 thirty 

마흔 fourty 

쉰 fifty 

예순 sixty 

일흔 seventy 

여든 eighty 

아흔 ninety 

As you can see, the only problem with this system is that you will have to memorize more numbers than the other one. But, other than that, they’re pretty easy to use too. Note that after the number 60, the rest is rarely used, unless speaking about age. 

What do we use this system for? We use them when 1) counting things, people and even actions; 2) talking about the hours and time; 3) it can also be used when expressing the position or the sequence of something; 4) when talking about age. 

Let's talk about the first function, shall we? I said that it’s about counting things, people or even actions, right? In fact, through this set of numbers (and the counters that are used with them) you can count how many things (generalized or not), people. Let's look at some examples: 

우리 집에는 방이 세 개가 있어요 

There are three rooms in my house 

한 달에 소설 다섯 권 정도 읽어요 

I read about five novels a month 

호수에 오리 네 마리가 있어요 

There are four ducks in the lake 

술 한 잔 마시고 싶어요 

I’d like to drink something (literally: a cup of alcohol) 

그는 네 대의 차를 가지고 있어 요 

He owns four cars 

이 시리즈에는 세 가지 게임이 있어요 

There are three games in this series 

매일  맥주 세 병 정도 마셔요 

I drink about three bottles of beer a day 

열 군데의 학교에 지원했어요 

I applied to ten schools 

하루에 담배 두 갑을 피워요 

I smoke two packs of cigarettes a day 

시장에서 사과 두 상자를 샀어요 

I bought two boxes of apples at the market 

오늘의 신문 2 부를 샀어요 

I bought two copies of today’s newspaper 

그들은 집을 세 채 가지고 있어요 

They have three houses 

Note that some numbers are ‘abbreviated’ when followed by counters (넷, 둘, 셋, 하나 = 네, 두, 셋, 한). 

Now, let’s move onto the second function, which involves time-telling. It's pretty similar to the function of the Sino-Korean numbers (if you don’t remember, check here), with the difference that you won’t be able to express minutes and seconds. Through this system of numbers, in fact, you’ll be able to express the number of times; the time through the hour and the years. Let's check them out: 

아침 여섯 시에 깨워요 

I wake up at 6 in the morning 

그 논쟁은 거의 두 해 동안 이어졌어요 

That argument has been going on for almost two years 

이 노래 두 번 들었어요 

I heard this song twice 

최종 발표는 투표 다섯 시간 전에 진행될 예정이다 

The final presentation will be made five hours before the vote 

그녀는 출산 휴가로 여섯 달 동안 직장을 쉬었어요 

She took six months off from work on maternity leave 

The third function is about expressing the sequence of something. What did I mean with that? Think about when there’s a competition and someone wins. That kind of sequence, or even sequence of sentences. Let's look at some examples: 

첫 번째로 저희 아버지를 소개하겠어요 

First of all, let me introduce my father 

세 번째 정거장에서 내렸어요 

I got off at the third stop 

오늘은 그녀의 다섯 번째 생일이에요 

Today it’s her fifth birthday 

The last function is telling age. You use this system to express how old you or someone else is. Let's see some examples: 

그는 이제 겨우 20살이에요 

He’s only 20 years old 

그는 어제 80살이 되었어요 

He turned 80 yesterday! 

VOCABS SET ON QUIZLET: 1 

KPOPOLOGY WEBSITE: Home, KPOPOLOGY Explains 

DROPBOX FILES: Main folder, Lesson 22 Practice

I will see you next time with another grammar post!

 구름