Learn Native Korean Numbers 1–100

If you are learning Korean, numbers can feel surprisingly confusing at first.

That’s because Korean uses two number systems: Native Korean numbers and Sino-Korean numbers.

In this lesson, we’ll focus on Native Korean Numbers, starting with 하나, 둘, 셋, 넷 and building all the way up to 99.

You’ll learn how to count from 1 to 20, how to make numbers such as 21, 35, and 78, and when Koreans actually use these numbers in everyday life.

One important thing before we begin: Native Korean numbers are normally used up to 99. For 100, Koreans use the Sino-Korean number 백.

Table of Contents

Watch: Native Korean Numbers 1–10

Watch the video once before studying the full list below.

Try repeating each number out loud as you hear it. Korean numbers become much easier when you practice them as a rhythm instead of trying to memorize everything at once.

Native Korean Numbers 1–10

1. 하나 — One

하나 (hana) — one

🔊 Listen: 하나

2. 둘 — Two

둘 (dul) — two

🔊 Listen: 둘

3. 셋 — Three

셋 (set) — three

🔊 Listen: 셋

4. 넷 — Four

넷 (net) — four

🔊 Listen: 넷

5. 다섯 — Five

다섯 (daseot) — five

🔊 Listen: 다섯

6. 여섯 — Six

여섯 (yeoseot) — six

🔊 Listen: 여섯

7. 일곱 — Seven

일곱 (ilgop) — seven

🔊 Listen: 일곱

8. 여덟 — Eight

여덟 (yeodeol) — eight

🔊 Listen: 여덟

9. 아홉 — Nine

아홉 (ahop) — nine

🔊 Listen: 아홉

10. 열 — Ten

열 (yeol) — ten

🔊 Listen: 열

The first ten Native Korean Numbers are the most important part to memorize first.

Once these feel familiar, the next numbers become much easier.

Native Korean Numbers 11–20

Native Korean numbers from 11 to 19 are very logical.

You simply combine 열 (10) with another number.

11. 열하나 — Eleven

열하나 (yeolhana)

🔊 Listen: 열하나

12. 열둘 — Twelve

열둘 (yeoldul)

🔊 Listen: 열둘

13. 열셋 — Thirteen

열셋 (yeolset)

🔊 Listen: 열셋

14. 열넷 — Fourteen

열넷 (yeolnet)

🔊 Listen: 열넷

15. 열다섯 — Fifteen

열다섯 (yeoldaseot)

🔊 Listen: 열다섯

16. 열여섯 — Sixteen

열여섯 (yeolyeoseot)

🔊 Listen: 열여섯

17. 열일곱 — Seventeen

열일곱 (yeolilgop)

🔊 Listen: 열일곱

18. 열여덟 — Eighteen

열여덟 (yeolyeodeol)

🔊 Listen: 열여덟

19. 열아홉 — Nineteen

열아홉 (yeolahop)

🔊 Listen: 열아홉

20. 스물 — Twenty

스물 (seumul)

🔊 Listen: 스물

This pattern makes Native Korean numbers easier than they may first appear.

For example:

열 + 하나 = 열하나
10 + 1 = 11

열 + 다섯 = 열다섯
10 + 5 = 15

Native Korean Tens

After 20, each group of ten has its own Korean word.

30. 서른 — Thirty

서른 (seoreun)

🔊 Listen: 서른

40. 마흔 — Forty

마흔 (maheun)

🔊 Listen: 마흔

50. 쉰 — Fifty

쉰 (swin)

🔊 Listen: 쉰

60. 예순 — Sixty

예순 (yesun)

🔊 Listen: 예순

70. 일흔 — Seventy

일흔 (ilheun)

🔊 Listen: 일흔

80. 여든 — Eighty

여든 (yeodeun)

🔊 Listen: 여든

90. 아흔 — Ninety

아흔 (aheun)

🔊 Listen: 아흔

100. 백 — One Hundred

백 (baek)

🔊 Listen: 백

Here is an important detail: 백 is not a Native Korean number.

The Native Korean number system is normally used from 1 to 99. When Koreans reach 100, they switch to the Sino-Korean number 백.

How to Make Numbers Like 21, 32, and 48

You do not need to memorize a completely new word for every number.

Simply combine the tens number with 1–9.

For example:

스물 + 하나 = 스물하나
20 + 1 = 21

서른 + 둘 = 서른둘
30 + 2 = 32

마흔 + 여덟 = 마흔여덟
40 + 8 = 48

아흔 + 아홉 = 아흔아홉
90 + 9 = 99

Once you remember the words for 20, 30, 40, and so on, you can build almost every Native Korean number yourself.

Native Korean Numbers 1–100 Chart

Here is a quick reference chart. Use this section for reading and review rather than trying to memorize all 100 numbers at once.

#	Korean	#	Korean	#	Korean	#	Korean	#	Korean
1	하나	21	스물하나	41	마흔하나	61	예순하나	81	여든하나
2	둘	22	스물둘	42	마흔둘	62	예순둘	82	여든둘
3	셋	23	스물셋	43	마흔셋	63	예순셋	83	여든셋
4	넷	24	스물넷	44	마흔넷	64	예순넷	84	여든넷
5	다섯	25	스물다섯	45	마흔다섯	65	예순다섯	85	여든다섯
6	여섯	26	스물여섯	46	마흔여섯	66	예순여섯	86	여든여섯
7	일곱	27	스물일곱	47	마흔일곱	67	예순일곱	87	여든일곱
8	여덟	28	스물여덟	48	마흔여덟	68	예순여덟	88	여든여덟
9	아홉	29	스물아홉	49	마흔아홉	69	예순아홉	89	여든아홉
10	열	30	서른	50	쉰	70	일흔	90	아흔
11	열하나	31	서른하나	51	쉰하나	71	일흔하나	91	아흔하나
12	열둘	32	서른둘	52	쉰둘	72	일흔둘	92	아흔둘
13	열셋	33	서른셋	53	쉰셋	73	일흔셋	93	아흔셋
14	열넷	34	서른넷	54	쉰넷	74	일흔넷	94	아흔넷
15	열다섯	35	서른다섯	55	쉰다섯	75	일흔다섯	95	아흔다섯
16	열여섯	36	서른여섯	56	쉰여섯	76	일흔여섯	96	아흔여섯
17	열일곱	37	서른일곱	57	쉰일곱	77	일흔일곱	97	아흔일곱
18	열여덟	38	서른여덟	58	쉰여덟	78	일흔여덟	98	아흔여덟
19	열아홉	39	서른아홉	59	쉰아홉	79	일흔아홉	99	아흔아홉
20	스물	40	마흔	60	예순	80	여든	100	백

When Do Koreans Use Native Korean Numbers?

Learning the numbers is useful, but knowing when to use them is even more important.

Native Korean numbers are commonly used for:

Counting Things

When counting objects with Korean counters, Native Korean numbers are often used.

For example:

한 개
one item

두 개
two items

세 개
three items

Counting People

You will often hear Native Korean numbers with the counter 명.

한 명
one person

두 명
two people

세 명
three people

Age

Native Korean numbers are commonly used when talking about age in everyday conversation.

스무 살
20 years old

서른 살
30 years old

마흔 살
40 years old

Telling the Hour

Korean uses Native Korean numbers for the hour.

한 시
1 o’clock

두 시
2 o’clock

세 시
3 o’clock

Minutes, however, normally use Sino-Korean numbers.

This mixture of the two systems can feel strange at first, but after hearing it regularly, it starts to feel natural.

하나 Becomes 한? A Very Important Rule

There is one more pattern every Korean beginner should know.

Some Native Korean numbers change form when they come directly before a counter.

하나 → 한
둘 → 두
셋 → 세
넷 → 네
스물 → 스무

For example:

하나 개 ❌
한 개 ✅

둘 명 ❌
두 명 ✅

셋 시 ❌
세 시 ✅

스물 살 ❌
스무 살 ✅

This is why you may learn 하나, 둘, 셋, 넷, but then hear Koreans say 한 명, 두 명, 세 명, 네 명.

Both forms are correct; they are simply used in different situations.

Native Korean Numbers vs Sino-Korean Numbers

Korean learners often wonder why Korean needs two different number systems.

A simple way to think about it is this:

Native Korean Numbers are commonly used for counting people and things, age, and hours.

Sino-Korean numbers are commonly used for dates, money, phone numbers, addresses, minutes, and larger numbers.

You do not need to master both systems in one day.

Start by getting comfortable with Native Korean Numbers 1–20, then learn the tens, and finally practice them with real Korean counters.

Quick Practice

Can you say these numbers in Korean before looking at the answers?

5
12
20
27
34
50
68
99

Answers:

5 — 다섯
12 — 열둘
20 — 스물
27 — 스물일곱
34 — 서른넷
50 — 쉰
68 — 예순여덟
99 — 아흔아홉

If you missed a few, that’s completely normal.

Numbers are something you learn through repetition. Even intermediate Korean learners sometimes hesitate for a second when they suddenly have to say numbers like 47 or 83.

Keep Practicing Native Korean Numbers

Today we learned the Native Korean Numbers from 하나 to 아흔아홉, as well as the Sino-Korean word 백 for 100.

Do not try to memorize the entire 1–100 chart at once.

Start with:

하나, 둘, 셋, 넷, 다섯
then 1–10,
then 11–20,
and finally the tens.

Once the pattern clicks, numbers such as 26, 43, and 78 become much easier to build.

Try counting things around you in Korean today: your books, cups, friends, or even the number of videos you watched.

A little practice every day makes a big difference.

Keep studying Korean with us, and see you in the next Korean lesson! 🇰🇷