? Korean Time Telling: A Simple Guide

What is the Time in Korean? Mastering Korean Clock Talk ??

Are you planning a trip to South Korea, diving into K-dramas, or simply curious about Korean culture? One of the most practical phrases you'll need to learn is how to tell time! This guide will break down the essentials of telling time in Korean, making it easy to understand and use. It's simpler than you might think!

What is the Time in Korean? Understanding the Basics: Numbers

Before we dive into the nitty-gritty of time, you need to be familiar with Korean numbers. There are two sets of number systems in Korean: Sino-Korean (derived from Chinese) and Native Korean. For telling time, we use both!

  • Native Korean Numbers: These are used for the hour. You'll need to know:

    • ?? (hana) - one
    • ? (dul) - two
    • ? (set) - three
    • ? (net) - four
    • ?? (daseot) - five
    • ?? (yeoseot) - six
    • ?? (ilgop) - seven
    • ?? (yeodeol) - eight
    • ?? (ahop) - nine
    • ? (yeol) - ten
    • ??? (yeolhana) - eleven
    • ?? (yeoldul) - twelve

  • Sino-Korean Numbers: These are used for the minutes. You'll need to know up to 59, but here are the basics:

    • ? (il) - one
    • ? (i) - two
    • ? (sam) - three
    • ? (sa) - four
    • ? (o) - five
    • ? (yuk) - six
    • ? (chil) - seven
    • ? (pal) - eight
    • ? (gu) - nine
    • ? (sip) - ten

    For example, 20 is ?? (isip), 30 is ?? (samsip), 40 is ?? (sasip), 50 is ?? (osip). So, 55 would be ??? (osibo).

What is the Time in Korean? Putting it Together: Hours and Minutes

The basic structure for telling time is:

[Hour (Native Korean)] ? (si) [Minute (Sino-Korean)] ? (bun)

  • ? (si) means "o'clock" or "hour".
  • ? (bun) means "minute".

Let's look at some examples:

  • 1:00 - ? ? (han si)
  • 2:05 - ? ? ? ? (du si o bun)
  • 3:10 - ? ? ? ? (se si sip bun)
  • 4:15 - ? ? ?? ? (ne si sibo bun)
  • 5:30 - ?? ? ?? ? (daseot si samsip bun)
  • 6:45 - ?? ? ??? ? (yeoseot si sasibo bun)
  • 7:59 - ?? ? ??? ? (ilgop si osipgu bun)

What is the Time in Korean? AM & PM: Adding Context

To avoid confusion, especially when scheduling appointments, you'll need to know how to specify AM and PM.

  • ?? (ojeon) means AM (ante meridiem - before noon)
  • ?? (ohu) means PM (post meridiem - after noon)

Place ?? or ?? before the time:

  • ?? 7? (ojeon ilgop si) - 7 AM
  • ?? 8? 30? (ohu yeodeol si samsip bun) - 8:30 PM

What is the Time in Korean? Common Time-Related Phrases

Here are some useful phrases related to time in Korean:

  • ?? ? ???? (jigeum myeot si-yeyo?) - What time is it now?

  • ? ?? ????? (myeot si-e mannalkkayo?) - What time shall we meet?

  • ?? (jeong-o) - Noon

  • ?? (jajeong) - Midnight

  • ? (ban) - Half (used for "half past")

    • ?: 2? ? (du si ban) - 2:30 (literally, "2 o'clock half")

What is the Time in Korean? Practice Makes Perfect!

The best way to learn is to practice! Try these exercises:

  1. Convert the following times into Korean:

    • 9:20 AM
    • 1:40 PM
    • 11:00 PM
    • 6:30 AM

  2. Listen to Korean conversations and try to identify the time being mentioned. Watch K-dramas or Korean news and pay attention to time references.

What is the Time in Korean? Advanced Tips

  • Korean speakers often round off the time, especially in casual conversation. For example, instead of saying "7:58," they might say "?? 8? (geoui yeodeol si) - almost 8 o'clock."
  • Pay attention to context. Sometimes, just saying the hour is enough if the context makes the minutes clear.
  • Don't be afraid to ask for clarification. Koreans are generally very helpful and will appreciate your effort to learn their language.

Answers to the practice exercises:

    • 9:20 AM - ?? ?? ? ?? ? (ojeon ahop si isip bun)
    • 1:40 PM - ?? ? ? ?? ? (ohu han si sasip bun)
    • 11:00 PM - ?? ?? ? (ohu yeolhana si)
    • 6:30 AM - ?? ?? ? ?? ? (ojeon yeoseot si samsip bun) or ?? ?? ? ? (ojeon yeoseot si ban)

Learning to tell time in Korean is a valuable skill that will enhance your understanding of the language and culture. With a little practice, you'll be able to navigate schedules and conversations with confidence! Good luck, and have fun learning!

Summary: This article explains how to tell time in Korean using both Native Korean and Sino-Korean numbers. It covers hours, minutes, AM/PM, and common phrases, along with practice exercises. The question answered is: What is the time in Korean?

Keywords: what is the time in korean, korean language, learn korean, telling time in korean, korean numbers, korean culture, sino-korean numbers, native korean numbers, korean grammar, korean phrases.