In this thread, we will be covering the second Korean numbers system, called the Native Korean number system.
In the last thread, we learned about the Chinese derived number system, called the Sino-Korean number system. The differences between them are that the Native Korean number system does not have the numbers 100 and above, which is only inhibited by the Chinese derived system.
KEY: If an ô accent is seen above a letter, then it means that it will be pronounced as the 'o' in 'lord'. If a letter has an ō accent, it will be the 'o' sound in 'lock'. If the letter ē has the straight accent, it will be pronounced the 'e' in 'egg'.
Nevertheless, the Native Korean number system is used for:
1: 하나 (haa-naa)
2: 둘 (dool)
3: 셋 (set)
4: 넷 (net)
5: 다섯 (daa-sōt)
6: 여섯 (yō-sōt)
7: 일곱 (eel-gôhp)
8: 여덟 (yō-dōlb)
9: 아홉 (aa-hôp)
10: 열 (yōhl)
If you can remember from the first lesson in Sino-Korean numbers, you can combine the number '10' and the number '1' to make '11'. This is still existent in the Native Korean number system.
Therefore:
11: 열하나 (yōl-ha-nah)
12: 열둘 (yōl-dool)
13: 열셋 (yōl-set)
14: 열넷 (yōl-net)
15: 열다섯 (yōl-da-sōht)
16: 열여섯 (yōl-yō-sōht)
17: 열일곱 (yōl-il-gôp)
18: 열여덟 (yōl-yō-dōlb)
19: 열아홉 (yōl-a-hôp)
So you may be thinking by now, 20 should be 둘열, right?
Well, you are wrong. Although applying this logic to the Sino-Korean number system is correct, it doesn't work like that in the Native Korean system. There is a set word for the number 20, which is 스물 (seu-mool).
The tens in the Native Korean system are:
20: 스물 (seu-mool)
30: 서른 (sō-reun)
40: 마흔 (maa-heun)
50: 쉰 (swin)
60: 예순 (yē-soon)
70: 일흔 (ee-reun)
80: 여든 (yō-deun)
90: 아흔 (aa-heun)
100 used to be 온 (ohn) but it no longer exists in the system and therefore it only goes up to 99.
However, to make (for example, the number 84) all you have to do is take the number 80 and 4, then combine them together, just like in the Sino-Korean number system.
POP QUIZ!
How would you make the number 38?
How would you make the number 62?
How would you make the number 91?
How would you make the number 73?
How would you make the number 100?
NOTE
In Korean, there are words which can be attached to numbers which are called 'counters'. If you are counting a number of items, objects or people, you have to use a certain counter. Here are the two most common counters:
개 (geh) - This is used for counting generally anything.
명 (myōng) - This is used for counting people.
살 (sal) - This is used for counting age.
원 (wōn) - This is used for counting money.
For example, the word for 'person' in Korean is 사람 (saa-ram), so if you were counting, for example, 5 people, you would not say:
다섯 사람 (da-sōt sa-ram)
Instead, you would have to add the people counter to the number, making it:
다섯명 사람 (da-sōt-myōng sa-ram)
By the way, if you are using counters, numbers that end in 1, 2, 3, 4 and 20 will become shortened.
하나 will become 한
둘 will become 두
셋 will become 세
넷 will become 네
스물 will become 스무
Although this concept may seem confusing, I will allow you to vote for the option to learn about it in the next thread in the poll above.
I hope this somewhat helps you in your path to becoming fluent in Korean! (if that is even your goal in life)
The first option to 3 votes will win.
Bye! See you in the next thread!
In the last thread, we learned about the Chinese derived number system, called the Sino-Korean number system. The differences between them are that the Native Korean number system does not have the numbers 100 and above, which is only inhibited by the Chinese derived system.
KEY: If an ô accent is seen above a letter, then it means that it will be pronounced as the 'o' in 'lord'. If a letter has an ō accent, it will be the 'o' sound in 'lock'. If the letter ē has the straight accent, it will be pronounced the 'e' in 'egg'.
Nevertheless, the Native Korean number system is used for:
- Time (hours)
- Counting
- Age
- Counting objects and people
1: 하나 (haa-naa)
2: 둘 (dool)
3: 셋 (set)
4: 넷 (net)
5: 다섯 (daa-sōt)
6: 여섯 (yō-sōt)
7: 일곱 (eel-gôhp)
8: 여덟 (yō-dōlb)
9: 아홉 (aa-hôp)
10: 열 (yōhl)
If you can remember from the first lesson in Sino-Korean numbers, you can combine the number '10' and the number '1' to make '11'. This is still existent in the Native Korean number system.
Therefore:
11: 열하나 (yōl-ha-nah)
12: 열둘 (yōl-dool)
13: 열셋 (yōl-set)
14: 열넷 (yōl-net)
15: 열다섯 (yōl-da-sōht)
16: 열여섯 (yōl-yō-sōht)
17: 열일곱 (yōl-il-gôp)
18: 열여덟 (yōl-yō-dōlb)
19: 열아홉 (yōl-a-hôp)
So you may be thinking by now, 20 should be 둘열, right?
Well, you are wrong. Although applying this logic to the Sino-Korean number system is correct, it doesn't work like that in the Native Korean system. There is a set word for the number 20, which is 스물 (seu-mool).
The tens in the Native Korean system are:
20: 스물 (seu-mool)
30: 서른 (sō-reun)
40: 마흔 (maa-heun)
50: 쉰 (swin)
60: 예순 (yē-soon)
70: 일흔 (ee-reun)
80: 여든 (yō-deun)
90: 아흔 (aa-heun)
100 used to be 온 (ohn) but it no longer exists in the system and therefore it only goes up to 99.
However, to make (for example, the number 84) all you have to do is take the number 80 and 4, then combine them together, just like in the Sino-Korean number system.
POP QUIZ!
How would you make the number 38?
Answer: 서른여덟 (sō-reun-yō-dōlb)
How would you make the number 62?
Answer: 예순둘 (yeh-soon-dool)
How would you make the number 91?
Answer: 아흔하나 (aa-heun-ha-na)
How would you make the number 73?
Answer: 일흔셋 (eel-heun-set)
How would you make the number 100?
JUST KIDDING LOL
NOTE
In Korean, there are words which can be attached to numbers which are called 'counters'. If you are counting a number of items, objects or people, you have to use a certain counter. Here are the two most common counters:
개 (geh) - This is used for counting generally anything.
명 (myōng) - This is used for counting people.
살 (sal) - This is used for counting age.
원 (wōn) - This is used for counting money.
For example, the word for 'person' in Korean is 사람 (saa-ram), so if you were counting, for example, 5 people, you would not say:
다섯 사람 (da-sōt sa-ram)
Instead, you would have to add the people counter to the number, making it:
다섯명 사람 (da-sōt-myōng sa-ram)
By the way, if you are using counters, numbers that end in 1, 2, 3, 4 and 20 will become shortened.
하나 will become 한
둘 will become 두
셋 will become 세
넷 will become 네
스물 will become 스무
Although this concept may seem confusing, I will allow you to vote for the option to learn about it in the next thread in the poll above.
I hope this somewhat helps you in your path to becoming fluent in Korean! (if that is even your goal in life)
Korean names traditionally have 3 syllables. For example:
김정은
In the name above, (which is Kim Jong-Un), the first name is the family name and the last two syllables are the first name of the person. In this case, 김 (kim) is the surname and 정은 (jōng-eun) is the first name and this goes with all Korean names.
The most common Korean surnames are 이 (although pronounced 'ee' is written as 'Lee' in English), 김 (Kim), 박 (Park) and 리 (Ri).
Also, the generational name comes into part too. Here are the names of two brothers:
김상덕 (Kim Sang-Deok)
김일상 (Kim Il-Sang)
As you can see, in the first names 상덕 and 일상, they both have the syllable '상'. This is known as their generational name. This means that these two's REAL names and 덕 and 일.
김정은
In the name above, (which is Kim Jong-Un), the first name is the family name and the last two syllables are the first name of the person. In this case, 김 (kim) is the surname and 정은 (jōng-eun) is the first name and this goes with all Korean names.
The most common Korean surnames are 이 (although pronounced 'ee' is written as 'Lee' in English), 김 (Kim), 박 (Park) and 리 (Ri).
Also, the generational name comes into part too. Here are the names of two brothers:
김상덕 (Kim Sang-Deok)
김일상 (Kim Il-Sang)
As you can see, in the first names 상덕 and 일상, they both have the syllable '상'. This is known as their generational name. This means that these two's REAL names and 덕 and 일.
The first option to 3 votes will win.
Bye! See you in the next thread!
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