Korean counters and the number systems they take
Korean rarely puts a bare number in front of a noun. It adds a counter word, and the counter decides whether the number is native or Sino-Korean. Learn the counter and the choice of system comes with it.
The pattern
The usual order is noun, number, counter: 학생 세 명, three students; 커피 두 잔, two coffees. The number sits right before the counter, which is why the native forms shorten there: 하나 becomes 한, 둘 becomes 두, 셋 becomes 세, 넷 becomes 네, and a bare 스물 becomes 스무.
Counters that take native numbers
Mostly for counting things you can point at, and for the hour and age. Shown with the shortened forms the counter calls for.
| Counter | Used for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 개 | things in general | 세 개 se gae (3) |
| 명 | people | 두 명 du myeong (2) |
| 분 | people, politely | 네 분 ne bun (4) |
| 마리 | animals, fish, insects | 한 마리 han mari (1) |
| 권 | books, volumes | 다섯 권 daseot gwon (5) |
| 잔 | cups and glasses of a drink | 두 잔 du jan (2) |
| 병 | bottles | 세 병 se byeong (3) |
| 장 | flat things: paper, tickets, photos | 열 장 yeol jang (10) |
| 대 | cars, machines, devices | 한 대 han dae (1) |
| 살 | years of age | 스무 살 seumu sal (20) |
| 시 | the hour on a clock | 열두 시 yeoldu si (12) |
| 시간 | hours of duration | 두 시간 du sigan (2) |
| 번 | times, occurrences | 세 번 se beon (3) |
| 달 | months of duration | 두 달 du dal (2) |
Counters that take Sino-Korean numbers
For measured units, money, dates, and numbers used as labels.
| Counter | Used for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 분 | minutes | 십오 분 sibo bun (15) |
| 초 | seconds | 삼십 초 samsip cho (30) |
| 원 | won (money) | 천 원 cheon won (1,000) |
| 층 | floor of a building | 이 층 i cheung (2) |
| 번 | a number used as a label: exit 3, line 2 | 삼 번 sam beon (3) |
| 호 | room, flat or issue number | 삼백일 호 sambaegil ho (301) |
| 개월 | months of duration | 육 개월 yuk gaewol (6) |
| 주 | weeks | 이 주 i ju (2) |
| 년 | years (dates and durations) | 오 년 o nyeon (5) |
| 인분 | portions of food | 이 인분 i inbun (2) |
| 세 | years of age, formal | 이십 세 isip se (20) |
Ordinals: first, second, third
Native ordinals add 째 to the number: 둘째, 셋째. “First” is irregular, 첫째. In speech the counter 번째 is more common: 첫 번째, 두 번째, 세 번째, using the same shortened forms as other counters.
| Position | Ordinal |
|---|---|
| 1 | 첫째 cheotjjae |
| 2 | 둘째 duljjae |
| 3 | 셋째 setjjae |
| 4 | 넷째 netjjae |
| 5 | 다섯째 daseotjjae |
| 6 | 여섯째 yeoseotjjae |
| 7 | 일곱째 ilgopjjae |
| 8 | 여덟째 yeodeoljjae |
| 9 | 아홉째 ahopjjae |
| 10 | 열째 yeoljjae |
| 11 | 열한째 yeolhanjjae |
| 12 | 열두째 yeoldujjae |
Sino-Korean ordinals use the prefix 제: 제일, 제이, written with figures as 제1과 (lesson 1) or 제3장 (chapter 3). 제일 on its own also means “the most”: 제일 좋아요, I like it best.
To practise the numbers these counters need, the worksheet generator makes native sheets from 1 to 99. The sheets use the counting forms; the shortened forms on this page are taught here rather than drawn at random onto a sheet.
Questions teachers and learners ask
What is a counter word in Korean?
A noun that goes after a number to say what kind of thing is being counted, much like "sheets" in "three sheets of paper" or "head" in "ten head of cattle", but used with almost every count. Korean says 사과 세 개, literally "apple three item". The counter decides which number system to use.
Why does 분 appear in both lists?
Because it is two different words that share a spelling. 분 after a native number is the polite counter for people: 네 분, four people (said of guests or customers). 분 after a Sino-Korean number is minutes: 사 분, four minutes. The number system tells you which one you are hearing.
How do you say "first" in Korean?
For order, use 첫째 (first), 둘째 (second), 셋째 (third), or 첫 번째, 두 번째 with the counter 번째, which is the more common form in speech. Before a noun, "first" is 첫: 첫날 (the first day), 첫사랑 (first love). Sino-Korean ordinals use the prefix 제: 제일 (number one, also "the most"), 제1과 (lesson 1).
Is it 열둘째 or 열두째?
열두째. The Korean standard language rules (표준어 규정 제6항) make 둘째 the standard form for "second", but inside an ordinal of ten or more the form is 두째: 열두째, 스물두째. The same rule makes 셋째 and 넷째 standard, not 세째 or 네째.
An independent learning site, not affiliated with the National Institute of Korean Language or any Korean government body. Rules and forms are quoted from the published sources named on each page; if your textbook or teacher prefers another accepted form, theirs is the one to follow in class.