LEARN KOREAN (한국어) [GRAMMAR] #1

TELLING KOREAN TIME

There are so many different ways to talk about time (seconds, minutes, hours, days, weeks, months, years, etc...). In this lesson, however, you will learn about telling time, as in the time on a clock.

When talking about the hour, as in '2 o'clock' all you need to do is put 시 after a number:

2시 - 2:00 (2 o'clock)

When talking about the minute, add 분 after the number:

2시 30분 - 2:30

The pure Korean numbers are used when saying the hour number, whereas the Sino-Korean numbers are used when saying the minute number. For example:

2시 30분 - 2:30, or
두 시 삼십 분 - Two thirty

I said that when a pure Korean number is used with a counter, it is more commonly written out instead of using the numeral. In this case, "시" could be seen as a counter as we are counting "hours." Here, using the numeral or the word is equally as common and acceptable. In my case, I much prefer to use the numeral instead of the word.

To indicate the minute, Sino-Korean numbers are used and (just like all times when Sino-Korean numbers are used) there is no difference if you use the numeral or the word. I prefer to use the numeral in these cases.

The spacing of these also needs to be discussed. As I mentioned earlier, when a written number is placed before a counter, there should be a space between the number and the counter. This is true for the number before "분" as well. For example, if you were writing the words out:

두 시 should be written instead of 두시
삼십 분 should be written instead of 삼십분

However, when using the numeral, it is acceptable to omit the space and attach the numeral directly with the following counter. For example:

2시 30분

Officially, there should be a space. However, most people do not include a space and it is also seen as correct to omit it. Other examples:

3시 10분 - 3:10
세 시 십 분 - Three ten

12시 50분 - 12:50
열두 시 오십 분 - Twelve fifty

These times can now go in a sentence as usual by adding 에 to indicate a time:

나는 5시에 먹을 거야 - I will eat at 5:00
나는 2시 30분에 왔어 - I came at 2:30
우리는 야구를 1시에 할 거예요 - We will play baseball at 1:00