Listening for numbers and time

Korean has two number systems, and listening gets much easier when you know which one to expect. For clock times, hours use native Korean numbers (한 시, 두 시) and minutes use Sino-Korean numbers (십 분, 삼십 분). Prices, dates and phone numbers use Sino-Korean numbers. This guide shows each case, the sound changes that confuse beginners, and a short practice routine.

The two number systems

The word after the number (the counter) tells you which system you will hear.

번 is a trap: 한 번 means "once", but 일 번 means "number one".

Time: native hours, Sino-Korean minutes

• 반 means "half": 두 시 반 is 2:30.
• 전 means "before". 세 시 십 분 전 is 2:50, not 3:10. This is a common trap.
• 오전 is a.m. and 오후 is p.m. You may also hear 아침 (morning), 점심 (lunchtime), 저녁 (evening) and 밤 (night).
• 두 시 is two o'clock. 두 시간 is two hours. Listen for 간 at the end.

Prices with 원

Prices use Sino-Korean numbers. Korean counts large numbers in units of 만 (10,000), not in thousands.

Speakers say 천 원 and 만 원, not 일천 원 or 일만 원. Be careful with 이천 (2,000) and 이만 (20,000). They start with the same sound.

Dates: 월 and 일

Months and days use Sino-Korean numbers: 3월 15일 is 삼월 십오 일. Two months are irregular:

• 6월 is 유월, not 육월.
• 10월 is 시월, not 십월.

Do not confuse 월 (month) with 월요일 (Monday), or 일 (day of the month) with 일요일 (Sunday).

Phone numbers

Phone numbers are read digit by digit with Sino-Korean numbers. 0 is usually read as 공.

010-1234-5678 → 공일공, 일이삼사, 오육칠팔

Speakers pause between the groups, and some also say 에 between them. Write the digits as you hear them, in groups, and count the digits at the end.

Sound changes that confuse beginners

Some numbers do not sound the way they are written. If you only know the spelling, you may not recognise them.

Also, 일 (1) and 이 (2), or 일 (1) and 칠 (7), can be hard to separate in fast speech. Practise them in pairs until you can hear the difference.

A short practice routine

1. Write numbers as digits while you listen. Do not translate them into English words.
2. Practise one type at a time: first times, then prices, then dates.
3. Say numbers yourself. Read clock times, prices on receipts and dates on your calendar aloud in Korean.
4. Check your mistakes. Was it the system (native or Sino-Korean), a sound change, or 전 and 반?

For the full counting system, see Korean numbers and counting. Numbers also appear in written notices, and understanding short notices shows how to read them.

Mini self-check

Write each one as digits. Answers are below.

1. 네 시 이십 분
2. 유월 십오 일
3. 이만 오천 원
4. 열한 시 십 분 전
5. 세 시간

Answers: 1. 4:20 2. 15 June 3. 25,000 won 4. 10:50 5. Three hours (a length of time, not a clock time)

Next step

Practise catching numbers in the EPS listening practice set, and read common beginner listening mistakes to learn other traps. More lessons are on the listening topic page. For official test information, check the EPS official portal.