Korean Lessons ᚛ Level 3 - Korean for Beginners #2 (Lessons 61 to 90) ᚛ Lesson 68 - Approximation, around in Korean [쯤] [정도] [약]

Approximation, around in Korean [쯤] [정도] [약]

In this course: 쯤 / 정도 / 약

In Korean, approximation, for which we use structures like "about", "around", or "roughly" in English, can be expressed in different ways.

Approximation with 쯤

The particle 쯤 is used to indicate an approximation. It is used just after the noun to which it refers, in the following manner:
[Noun]쯤

언제쯤 도착해요?
→ When are you arriving, roughly?

6월 중순쯤부터 더워.
→ After about the middle of June, It's hot.

작년 말쯤에 이사했습니다.
→ I moved around the end of last year.

다음주쯤에 다시 병원 오세요.
→ Please come back to the hospital around next week.

Approximation with 정도

In order to express approximation in Korean, it is also possible to use the word 정도.

Note that, unlike the particle 쯤, 정도 is in itself an entire word, used in the following way:
[Noun] 정도

1시간 정도 걸려요.
→ That takes around an hour.

이 돈으로는 책 두 권 정도밖에 살 수 없어.
→ With this money, you can't buy anything but around two books.

일주일에 한 두 번 정도 친구들을 만나요.
→ I meet my friends around once or twice per week.

Approximation with 약

Differences between 쯤, 정도, and 약

Exercises

Podcasts in Korean specially designed for beginners, to learn Korean by really listening to it from the very beginning.

You’re starting to learn Korean (or you already know the basics), but as soon as you listen to spoken Korean, everything suddenly feels too fast?
The words blend together, the pronunciation escapes you, and you feel like “real Korean” is very different from what you learned in textbooks.

That’s normal!
Listening comprehension is the most difficult part for all beginners.

Learn more

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