Korean Counters: The Magic Words That Help You Count! 🎯
The Secret Code for Counting in Korean
Imagine you have a basket of apples and a group of friends. In English, you just say “three apples” and “three friends.” But Korean has a secret code—special words called counters that tell everyone exactly WHAT you’re counting!
Think of counters like name tags. Every object needs its special tag when you count it. It’s like a party where everyone must wear the right badge!
🍎 개 (gae) - The General Counter
Your Best Friend for “Stuff”
개 is like a universal remote control—it works for most things!
When you count objects, things, items… basically STUFF that isn’t alive and doesn’t need a special counter, use 개.
How It Works
| Korean | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 한 개 | han gae | 1 thing |
| 두 개 | du gae | 2 things |
| 세 개 | se gae | 3 things |
| 네 개 | ne gae | 4 things |
| 다섯 개 | da-seot gae | 5 things |
Real Life Examples
“사과 세 개 주세요!” (sa-gwa se gae ju-se-yo) = “Please give me 3 apples!”
“연필 두 개 있어요.” (yeon-pil du gae iss-eo-yo) = “I have 2 pencils.”
What Can You Count With 개?
- 🍎 Apples, oranges, fruits
- ✏️ Pencils, erasers, toys
- 📦 Boxes, bags, packages
- 💡 Eggs, balls, buttons
Remember: If it’s a THING and you’re not sure what counter to use, 개 is your safe choice!
👫 명/사람 (myeong/saram) - The People Counter
Counting Your Friends and Family
When counting PEOPLE, Korean has TWO special words:
| Counter | When to Use | Feeling |
|---|---|---|
| 명 (myeong) | Formal counting | Like a teacher counting students |
| 사람 (saram) | Casual counting | Like counting friends at a party |
The Count
| Number | With 명 | With 사람 | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 한 명 | 한 사람 | 1 person |
| 2 | 두 명 | 두 사람 | 2 people |
| 3 | 세 명 | 세 사람 | 3 people |
| 4 | 네 명 | 네 사람 | 4 people |
| 5 | 다섯 명 | 다섯 사람 | 5 people |
When to Use Which?
Use 명 when:
- At a restaurant: “세 명이요!” (3 people, please!)
- Counting students in class
- Official or polite situations
Use 사람 when:
- Talking casually: “두 사람이 왔어” (2 people came)
- Describing a scene
- Everyday conversation
Examples in Action
“우리 가족은 네 명이에요.” (u-ri ga-jok-eun ne myeong-i-e-yo) = “My family has 4 people.”
“친구 세 사람이랑 놀았어요.” (chin-gu se sa-ram-i-rang nol-ass-eo-yo) = “I played with 3 friends.”
🐕 마리 (mari) - The Animal Counter
Counting Furry, Feathery, and Scaly Friends
Every animal—from tiny ants to huge elephants—gets counted with 마리!
The Pattern
| Korean | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 한 마리 | han ma-ri | 1 animal |
| 두 마리 | du ma-ri | 2 animals |
| 세 마리 | se ma-ri | 3 animals |
| 네 마리 | ne ma-ri | 4 animals |
| 다섯 마리 | da-seot ma-ri | 5 animals |
All Creatures Great and Small
마리 works for ALL animals:
- 🐕 Dogs: 강아지 두 마리 (2 puppies)
- 🐈 Cats: 고양이 세 마리 (3 cats)
- 🐟 Fish: 물고기 다섯 마리 (5 fish)
- 🦋 Butterflies: 나비 한 마리 (1 butterfly)
- 🐘 Elephants: 코끼리 네 마리 (4 elephants)
Fun Examples
“우리 집에 고양이 두 마리 있어요!” = “We have 2 cats at home!”
“동물원에서 기린 세 마리를 봤어요.” = “I saw 3 giraffes at the zoo.”
Cool Fact: Even insects and fish use 마리. One rule for ALL living creatures (except humans)!
🎂 살 (sal) - The Age Counter
How Old Are You?
In Korean, age isn’t just a number—it has its own special counter: 살!
Counting Years of Life
| Age | Korean | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| 1 year old | 한 살 | han sal |
| 2 years old | 두 살 | du sal |
| 3 years old | 세 살 | se sal |
| 4 years old | 네 살 | ne sal |
| 5 years old | 다섯 살 | da-seot sal |
| 10 years old | 열 살 | yeol sal |
The Magic Question and Answer
“몇 살이에요?” (myeot sal-i-e-yo?) = “How old are you?”
Answer Pattern: [Number] + 살 + 이에요
“저는 여덟 살이에요.” = “I am 8 years old.” “동생은 다섯 살이에요.” = “My younger sibling is 5 years old.”
Age in Everyday Life
“우리 강아지는 세 살이에요.” = “Our dog is 3 years old.”
“할머니는 일흔 살이세요.” = “Grandmother is 70 years old.”
Fun Tip: Koreans often use Korean age, which adds 1-2 years. But 살 works the same either way!
🔄 번 (beon) - The Times Counter
Counting How Many Times
Did you do something once? Twice? Ten times? Use 번!
The Repeat Count
| Korean | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 한 번 | han beon | 1 time / once |
| 두 번 | du beon | 2 times / twice |
| 세 번 | se beon | 3 times |
| 네 번 | ne beon | 4 times |
| 다섯 번 | da-seot beon | 5 times |
Using 번 in Sentences
“다시 한 번 말해 주세요.” (da-si han beon mal-hae ju-se-yo) = “Please say it one more time.”
“영화를 세 번 봤어요.” (yeong-hwa-reul se beon bwass-eo-yo) = “I watched the movie 3 times.”
“두 번 확인했어요.” (du beon hwak-in-haess-eo-yo) = “I checked twice.”
Common Phrases with 번
| Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 한 번 더 | one more time |
| 몇 번 | how many times? |
| 여러 번 | many times |
| 처음으로 | for the first time |
🧠 Quick Pattern Summary
graph TD A["What are you counting?"] --> B{Living thing?} B -->|Yes, a person| C["명/사람"] B -->|Yes, an animal| D["마리"] B -->|No, it's a thing| E["개"] A --> F{Counting times?} F -->|Yes| G["번"] A --> H{Counting age?} H -->|Yes| I["살"]
🎯 The Golden Rule
Korean Native Numbers (하나, 둘, 셋, 넷, 다섯…) go with these counters!
| Native Number | Before Counter | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 하나 (1) | 한 | 한 개, 한 명, 한 마리 |
| 둘 (2) | 두 | 두 개, 두 명, 두 마리 |
| 셋 (3) | 세 | 세 개, 세 명, 세 마리 |
| 넷 (4) | 네 | 네 개, 네 명, 네 마리 |
| 다섯 (5) | 다섯 | 다섯 개, 다섯 명, 다섯 마리 |
Notice: Numbers 1-4 change their form before counters!
🌟 Your Counter Superpower
Now you have FIVE counter superpowers:
| Counter | Superpower | Example |
|---|---|---|
| 개 | Count any THING | 사과 세 개 (3 apples) |
| 명/사람 | Count PEOPLE | 학생 다섯 명 (5 students) |
| 마리 | Count ANIMALS | 강아지 두 마리 (2 dogs) |
| 살 | Tell AGE | 열 살 (10 years old) |
| 번 | Count TIMES | 세 번 (3 times) |
You’re ready to count like a Korean superstar! 🌟
Practice every day, and soon these counters will feel as natural as breathing!