Korean Lessons ᚛ Level 2 - Korean for Beginners #1 (Lessons 31 to 60) ᚛ Lesson 41 - Numerical classifiers in Korean

Numerical classifiers in Korean

Use of classifiers

In Korean, when we want to count something, it is necessary to use classifiers. These are little words that are positioned after the noun and number of what is counted. The difficulty of it is that there is a different classifier for every type of object.

So we don't say "5 dictionaries" in Korean, but "dictionary 5 [classifier for books]".

In the same way, we don't say "2 cats", but "cat 2 [classifier for animals]".

Actually, you've already learned a good number of classifiers such as 분 (classifier for minutes) or 일 (classifier for days) while learning to write the time and date in Korean.

Classifiers are used in the following ways:
([name of what is counted]) [number] [classifier]

In some cases, it isn't necessary to mention what is being counted.

There are dozens of classifiers, which are used more or less frequently in daily life. We will look at the most commonly used ones.

Classifiers used with pure Korean numbers

List of classifiers

Note, when using a classifier, pure Korean numbers ending in 1, 2, 3, or 4, as well as the number 20, lose their final character in order to make pronunciation more fluid:

1 - 하나 becomes 한
2 - 둘 becomes 두
3 - 셋 becomes 세
4 - 넷 becomes 네
20 - 스물 becomes 스무

If you don't know the classifier for an object, you can use 개, the generic classifier for all types of objects. However, it is better to use the proper classifier in order to express yourself correctly in Korean, but this can help you out if you get stuck.

개	object (generic)	바나나 한 개 - a banana
권	book	책 두 권 - two books
장	sheet, ticket (flat, thin object)	사진 세 장 - three photos
잔	glass, cup	물 네 잔 - four glasses of water
병	bottle	소주 다섯 병 - five bottles of soju
명	person	학생 여섯 명 - six students
마리	animal	고양이 일곱 마리 - seven cats
살	year (age)	여덟 살 - eight years
달	month (duration)	아홉 달 - nine months
시	hour (time)	열 시 - ten o'clock
시간	hour (duration)	열한 시간 - eleven hours
대	electronic or mechanical device, instrument	차 열두 대 - twelve cars
켤레	pair (of shoes, of socks)	신발 열세 켤레 - thirteen pairs of shoes
자루	pencil, pen, big bag	연필 열네 자루 - fourteen pencils
채	house, building	집 열다섯 채 - fifteen houses
번	number of times	열여섯 번 - sixteen times