Does learning Korean numbers fried your brain yet? if not, try saying the date in Korean like this.
이천오 년 십이 월 이십오 일
Does it make any sense to you? Of course not. In English, It’s December 25th, 2005.
To the untrained eye, it’s almost like you are learning a secret code, and once you know the basics, it all makes sense!
But dates aren’t that straightforward. There’s a whole other world to it than just reading some numbers on the Korean calendar.
In this complete guide, we’ll teach you how to write Korean dates with the days of the week and months all in one place.(free printable flashcards, and worksheets included)
Alright folks, Let’s dig into the core…
How to Write Date in Korean? Learn Korean Dates Format
To say the date in Korean, we start with the year, followed by months and days. To say a year in Korean, we add the 년(nyeon) to the end. (년-is a counter for years ) with Sino-Korean numbers. Secondly, months in Korean are just numbers in Sino Korean with the ending 월 [wol]. Thirdly, to say the days in Korean, write the days in Sino Korean and add counters like 일 at the end.
Here is the basic structure of each date in Korean
[ year in Sino Korean numbers] + 년 + [ month number] + 월 [wol] + [Sino Korean number] + 일
Before you practice, it’s time to know how to count Korean numbers 1-100 and beyond (at least 4-digit numbers).
Let me show you some examples.
- 5th December 2021- 이천이십일년 +십이월 +오일
- 23th February 2022-이천이십이년+이월 +이십삼일
- 1st January1997 – 천구백구구십칠년+일월 +일일
- 31st March 1982 – 천구백구팔십이년+삼월 +삼십일일
- 13th August 1990 -천구백구구십년+ 팔월 +십삼일
- 15th July1994 -천구백구구십사년+ 칠월 +십오일
DO YOU KNOW HOW TO SAY HAPPY BIRTHDAY IN KOREAN?
Let me walk you through each part of this date so you can see how we get from the English date to something that looks like “09.01.2016” in Korean.
How to Say Years in Korean?
Let’s take a closer look at how years are really expressed in Korean.
Unlike English, Korean doesn’t divide numbers into two groups. Instead, they are pronounced as a whole. For example, 2020 is really pronounced as “이천이십년” (ichonisipnyeon) in Korean.
This unique approach really allows for a seamless representation of the year, without emphasizing the separation between thousands and hundreds. It’s really intriguing how Korea presents the concept of a year in such a cohesive manner.
To say years in Korean, you can say the year number in Sino Korean numbers and simply add 년 after the year ( 년 nyeon is the year unit).
[ year in Sino Korean numbers] + 년
Let me show you with some example
- 2021 =이천이십일년(ichonisibilnyeon) =2×1000+ 2x 10+ 1=이천 (icheon)+ 이십 (isip)+ 일 (il) +년(nyeon)
- 2020 =이천이십년(ichonisipnyeon) = 2×1000+ 2x 10= 이천 (icheon)+ 이십 (isip) +년(nyeon)
- 2022= 이천이십이년(ichonisibinyeon) = 2×1000+ 2x 10+ 2 =이천 (icheon)+ 이십 (isip)+ 이 (ee) +년(nyeon)
- 1990 = 천구백구구십년(chongubaekkkusipnyeon) = 1000x 9+ 100x 9 + 10x 9 – 천구(chongu)+백구(baekkku)+구십(kusip) +년(nyeon)
- 1994 = 천구백구구십사년(chongubaekkkusipssanyeon) = 1000x 9+ 100×9+ 10×9 +4 = 천구(chongu)+백구(baekkku)+구십(kusip)+사(sa) +년(nyeon)
- 1997 = 천구백구구십칠년(chongubaekkkusipchilnyeon) = 1000x 9+100×9+10×9+7- 천구(chongu)+백구(baekkku)+구십(kusip)+칠 (chil) +년(nyeon)
- 2001 = 이천이년(ichonilnyeon) = 1000×2+1-이천 (icheon)+ 이(il) +년(nyeon)
- 1982 = 천구백구팔십이년-(chongubaekpalsibinyeon) = 1000×9+100×9+10×8+2- 천구(chongu)+백구(baekkku)+팔십(palsip)+ 이 (i)+년(nyeon)
The Easy Way to Count Years in the Korean language?
Here is how to count years in Korean language. Just simply add 년 after the number of years you want to count. Koreans use Sino-Korean numbers to say the number of years they want to count.
For example, to say “10 years” in Korean, you would say “십 년” (ship nyeon). It’s interesting to note that Koreans often use age in Korean (한국 나이) rather than the Western concept of age, especially in informal settings. So, when asking someone’s age in Korean, you would say “한국 나이 몇 살이세요?” (Hanguk nai myeot sarisseyo?), which literally means “How many Korean age are you?” It’s a unique cultural aspect that adds another dimension to counting and expressing age in Korean.
Sino Korean Numbers + 년
- 일 년 – one year– 일(0ne)+ 년
- 이 년 – two years
- 삼 년 – three years
- 사 년 – four years
- 오 년 – five years
- 육 년 – six years
- 칠 년 – seven years
- 팔 년 – eight years
- 구 년 – nine years
- 십 년 – ten years
When you meet someone for the first time, often the first question that people ask is, “How old are you?”
In Korean culture, age is not just necessary for things like whether you are old enough to drink alcohol, but for a whole variety of social interactions in Korea.
How Would You Say Months In Korean?
In English, you need to memorize new words every month and different seasons . But in Korean, you don’t! The same goes for the weather too.
And here’s how to say months in Korean
A month in Korean is called 월 (wol). To say the months, just add a month number in Sino-Korean followed by 월 (wol). A month number means January is the first month of the year, February is the second month of the year, and so on.
Here’s the structure to say “months” in Korean.
[ month number in Sino korean] + 월 [wol]
Here’s a list of all the months in Korean with hangul and pronunciation.
- January – 일월 (irwol) – 일(1)+ 월(wol)
- February – 이월 (iwol) -이(2)+ 월(wol)
- March – (삼월)(samwol) – 삼(3)+ 월(wol)
- April -(사월) (sawol) – 사(4)+ 월(wol)
- May -오월(owol)- 오(5)+ 월(wol)
- June -유월 (yuwol)
- July -칠월 (chirwol)- 칠(7)+ 월(wol)
- August -팔월(parwol) – 팔(8)+ 월(wol)
- September -구월(guwol) – 구(9)+ 월(wol)
- October -시월(siwol)
- November -십일월 (sibirwol) – 십일(11)+ 월(wol)
- December -십이월(sibiwol) – 십이(12)+ 월(wol)
For example, say August (which is the 8th month of the year). So, thanks to the addition of “8,” it is 팔 (pal) in Korean, followed by 월 (wol), meaning “months.” So it becomes (팔월) (palwol).”
Wow! Did you know that June [유월 (yuwol)] and October [시월 (siwol)] are not really following the pattern?
The real reason is simple. “육월” and “십월” are a little difficult to say.
How To Count months in Korean
When you are counting months in Korean, like 2 months, 3 months, 9 months, and so on…, just add the counter- 달 after month numbers in native Korean numbers.
Native + 달 = Cardinal
- 한 달 – one month
- 두 달 – two months
- 세 달 – three months
- 네 달 – four months
- 다섯 달 – five months
- 여섯 달 – six months
- 일곱 달 – seven months
- 여덟 달 – eight months
- 아홉 달 – nine months
- 열 달 – ten months
WANT TO MASTER KOREAN COUNTERS IN 15 MINUTES?
WANT TO MASTER KOREAN COUNTERS IN 15 MINUTES?
Example sentences
I took a Korean class for 4 months
저는 두 달 동안 한국어 수업을 들었어요
I took an English class for 7 months
저는 이 개월 동안 한국어 수업을 들었어요
Korean Date Format: How to Say “Days” in Korean?
To say days in Korean language, All you need to do is say the date number in the Sino-Korean number system and add the counter 일 [il] after it.(일 [il] means “day” in Korean)
[Sino Korean number] + 일
For Example
- 1st-1+ 일- 일일
- 2nd -2+일 – 이일
- 3rd- 3+일 – 삼일
- 4th- 4+일 – 사일
- 5th-5+일 – 오일
- 6th -6+일 – 육일
- 7th-7+일 – 칠일
- 8th-8+일- 팔일
- 9th – 9+일- 구일
- 10th – 10+일- 십일
- 29th – 29+일- 이십구일
- 30th- 30+일- 삼십일
- 31-31+ 일- 삼십일일
For example
- 5th December- 십이월 오일
- 23rd February – 이월 이십삼일
- 1st January – 일월 일일
- 31st march -삼월 삼십일일
- 13th August. -팔월 십삼일
- 15th July – 칠월 십오일
- 22st September -구월 이십이일
Still there. I am so proud of you
So, what’s next?
How to count “Days” In Korean?
Here’s how to count days in Korean from 1 day to 30 days with Hangul and pronunciation.
- One day – 하루 (ha-ru)
- Two days – 이틀 (i-teul)
- Three days – 사흘 (sa-heul)
- Four days – 나흘 (na-heul)
- Five days – 닷새 (dat-sae)
- Six days – 엿새 (yeot-sae)
- Seven days – 이레 (i-re)
- Eight days – 여드레 (yeo-deu-re)
- Nine days – 아흐레 (a-heu-re)
- Ten days – 열흘 (yeol-heul)
You don’t have to remember everything from one day to 30 days. Koreans don’t really use it in all of their everyday life conversations because it is really an old way to count days.
But only 6 of them (i.e. one day, 2 days, 3 days, 4 days, 10 days, and 15 days) used a lot of time and the others just use the Roman number instead.
The Korean lunar calendar doesn’t have a 31st. so you can count from 1st to 30th.
In the middle of the month (from 11 days to 20 days),
- 11 days – 열하루 (yeolha-ru)
- 12 days – 열이틀 (yeoli-teul)
- 13 days – 열사흘 (yeolsa-heul)
- 14 days – 열나흘 (yeolna-heul)
- 15 days – 보름(boreum)
- 16 days – 열엿새 (yeolyeot-sae)
- 17 days – 열이레 (yeoli-re)
- 18 days – 열여드레 (yeolyeo-deu-re)
- 19 days – 열아흐레 (yeola-heu-re)
- 20 days -스무날 (seumunal)
The last 10 days of the month(from 21 days to 30 days)
- 21 days -스무하루(seumu ha-ru)
- 22 days -스무이틀 (seumui-teul)
- 23 days -스무사흘 (seumusa-heul)
- 24 days – 스무나흘 (seumu na-heul)
- 25 days – 스물닷새 (seumu dat-sae)
- 26 days – 스무엿새 (seum uyeot-sae)
- 27 days – 스무이레 ( seumu i-re)
- 28 days -스무여드레 (seumu yeo-deu-re)
- 29 days -스무아흐레 (seumu a-heu-re)
- 30 days -그믐(geumeum)
EXAMPLE SENTENCES
I have to work three more days.
사흘 더 일해야 한다.
saheul do ilhaeya handa
Let me borrow this dress for one day.
하루만 이 원피스 빌려 줘.
haruman i wonpiseu bilryo jwo
There are two days left.
이틀 남았어요.- iteul namassoyo
I studied for two days.
이틀 동안 공부했어요.
iteul dongan gongbuhaessoyo
I ate gamja-tang for 2 days
이틀 동안 감자탕을 먹었어요.
iteul dongan gamjatangeul mogossoyo
How To Say Seven Days Of The Week In Korean: The Ultimate Easy Way.
The Korean word for days of the week is 요일 (yo-il). To say all 7 days of the week in Korean, all you have to do is memorize “wol-hwa-su-mok-geum-to-il”( 월-화-수-목-금-토-일 ) and add “요일”(yo-il) at the end.
And voila!! Say hello to your new BFF, the days of the week in Korean!
Still, confused?
Alright, let’s get deeper with this.
Here’s the structure to say Korean days of the week!
월/화/수/목/금/토/일(wol-hwa-su-mok-geum-to-il) + 요일(yo-il)
If you want to know how to say the first days of the workweek i.e. Monday in Korean, it’s 월요일.(월(wol) + 요일 (yo-il).
Here is how to say all the days of the week in Korean (from Monday to Sunday) with hangul, translation, and pronunciation.
- Monday – 월요일( wol-yo-il) – 월(wol) + 요일 (yo-il)
- Tuesday – 화요일(hwa-yo-il) – 화 (hwa) + 요일(yo-il)
- Wednesday– 수요일(su-yo-il) – 수(su) + 요일 (yo-il)
- Thursday – 목요일(mok-yo-il) – 목(mok) + 요일(yo-il)
- Friday – 금요일(geum-yo-il) – 금(geum) + 요일 (yo-il)
- Saturday – 토요일(to-yo-il)– 토(to) + 요일(yo-il)
- Sunday – 일요일 (il-yo-il)– 일(il)+ 요일 (yo-il)
QUICK TIPS
QUICK TIPS
How To Ask and answer About Dates In Korean?
Congrats! Now you can say Korean days of the week. why not try to ask about it
It’s pretty easy
Here is how
Asking for dates in Korean formally
What day is it today?
오늘 무슨 요일이에요?
Today is Thursday
오늘은 목요일이에요. oneureun mogyoirieyo
Asking for dates in Korean in a causal way
While talking with close friends or younger people than you, you can ask like this:
How To Ask A Question About Days Of Week In Korean (& Answer It)?
Congrats! Now you can say Korean days of the week. why not try to ask about it
It’s pretty easy
Here is how
Asking for days of the week in Korean formally
What day is it today?
소주 좋아해요?soju joahaeyo
Today is thursday
오늘은 목요일이에요.oneureun mogyoirieyo
Asking for days of the week in Korean in a causal way
While talking with close friends or younger people than you, you can ask something like this
How To Memorize Days Of The Week In Korean In Minutes & Never Forgets It?
Conclusion
So that’s how you read the date in Korean, days of the week, and months using Sino Korean number system.
If it seems complicated at first, don’t worry! You just need to memorize the order of syllables for each word, and then you can start reading dates in Korean easily.
After a while, you will be able to recognize them without even thinking about it!
After all, practice is the key to learning Korean