Counting from 1 to 100 in Korean is one of the highest-value things a beginner can memorize — numbers show up in prices, ages, dates, times, and phone numbers every single day. The one twist is that Korean has two number systems, so '1 to 100' really means learning two counts. The good news: building the tens follows a simple, repeating rule, so you don't memorize a hundred separate words. This guide gives you both systems from 1 to 100. For how numbers plug into the calendar and the clock, pair it with our guide to Korean numbers, days, and dates.
1 to 10 in both systems
Everything starts here. The first column is native Korean (used for counting things and age); the second is Sino-Korean (used for money, dates, and minutes). Learn these ten pairs cold and the rest is assembly.
- 하나 / 일hana / il
1 (native / Sino-Korean)
- 둘 / 이dul / i
2
- 셋 / 삼set / sam
3
- 넷 / 사net / sa
4
- 다섯 / 오daseot / o
5
- 여섯 / 육yeoseot / yuk
6
- 일곱 / 칠ilgop / chil
7
- 여덟 / 팔yeodeol / pal
8
- 아홉 / 구ahop / gu
9
- 열 / 십yeol / sip
10
The tens: 10, 20, 30 … 100
Here's where the systems diverge. Sino-Korean builds the tens by combining the ones word with 십 (10): 이십 is literally 'two-ten' = 20. Native Korean has its own distinct word for each ten up to 90. After 99, both systems use the Sino-Korean 백 (baek) for 100.
- 열 / 십yeol / sip
10
- 스물 / 이십seumul / i-sip
20
- 서른 / 삼십seoreun / sam-sip
30
- 마흔 / 사십maheun / sa-sip
40
- 쉰 / 오십swin / o-sip
50
- 예순 / 육십yesun / yuk-sip
60
- 일흔 / 칠십ilheun / chil-sip
70
- 여든 / 팔십yeodeun / pal-sip
80
- 아흔 / 구십aheun / gu-sip
90
- 백baek
100 (Sino-Korean only)
Notice the Sino-Korean column is pure logic: 'two-ten,' 'three-ten,' 'four-ten.' Once you know 1–10, you already know how to say every ten. The native column is the harder one to memorize, since each ten is its own word.
Building the in-between numbers
To make any number, you just say the tens word followed by the ones word — there's no 'and' and nothing to add. 47 is 'forty-seven': 사십칠 (Sino-Korean) or 마흔일곱 (native). The two systems never mix within a single number.
- 이십삼 / 스물셋i-sip-sam / seumul-set
23 (Sino-Korean / native)
Tens word + ones word, in that order.
- 사십칠 / 마흔일곱sa-sip-chil / maheun-ilgop
47
- 구십구 / 아흔아홉gu-sip-gu / aheun-ahop
99
The highest number with a native form in everyday use.
When you use which
- Native numbers (하나, 둘, 셋 …): counting objects, people, and animals; your age (스무 살 = 20 years old); and the hour when telling time.
- Sino-Korean numbers (일, 이, 삼 …): money and prices, dates, minutes and seconds, phone numbers, and any number 100 or above.
- Remember the counter shortenings in native: 하나→한, 둘→두, 셋→세, 넷→네, 스물→스무 before a counter word (한 개 = 'one item').
- 사과 다섯 개sagwa daseot gae
five apples
Native number + counter 개 (gae) for counting objects.
- 삼십 분sam-sip bun
30 minutes
Sino-Korean for minutes — 분 (bun).
Numbers are pure memorization, and the count from 1 to 100 is exactly the kind of high-frequency set that sticks fastest with spaced repetition rather than re-reading a chart. Our vocabulary deck drills both number systems and the tens until recall is instant, so you stop calculating mid-sentence. To see how these numbers combine with the days, months, and the clock, continue with our Korean numbers, days, and dates guide.
Count to 100 without thinking
Drill both Korean number systems and the tens with spaced-repetition flashcards until counting is automatic.
Open the vocabulary deck →