[Learn Korean Day 3] Let's Go Shopping: Sino-Korean Numbers & Essential Money Words

[Learn Korean Day 3] Let's Go Shopping: Sino-Korean Numbers & Essential Money Words

Hello, Korean learners! Welcome back to Day 3 with Instructor Soona.

Now that you can introduce yourself and talk about your job (from Day 1 and 2), are you ready to explore the streets of Seoul? If you want to buy delicious street food or shop for K-beauty products, you absolutely need to know how to handle money and numbers.

Did you know that the Korean language actually has two different number systems? Today, we will learn the first system, called Sino-Korean numbers, which is used for money, dates, minutes, and math.

Let’s learn 20 essential words to make your shopping experience in Korea perfect!

1. Sino-Korean Numbers 1 to 10

These numbers originated from Chinese characters. They are short and very easy to memorize. Read them out loud:

1. 일 [il] - One

2. 이 [i] - Two

3. 삼 [sam] - Three

4. 사 [sa] - Four

5. 오 [o] - Five

6. 육 [yuk] - Six

7. 칠 [chil] - Seven

8. 팔 [pal] - Eight

9. 구 [gu] - Nine

10. 십 [sip] - Ten

Tip: To make numbers from 11 to 19, simply combine 10 (십) with the single digits. For example, 11 is 십일 (10+1), and 12 is 십이 (10+2).

2. Big Numbers & Currency

Since the South Korean currency has larger denominations compared to the US Dollar or Euro, you need to know the big numbers!

11. 백 [baek] - Hundred

12. 천 [cheon] - Thousand

13. 만 [man] - Ten Thousand

14. 원 [won] - Won (South Korean Currency)

Korean Price Logic: 10,000 KRW is roughly equal to $7 or $8 USD. Because the numbers look so big, foreigners often get confused. Just remember that 만 (10,000) has four zeros!

3. Essential Shopping Vocabulary

When you are in a store, these are the exact words you will hear and use.

15. 돈 [don] - Money

16. 현금 [hyeon-geum] - Cash

17. 카드 [ka-deu] - Credit/Debit Card

18. 얼마예요? [eol-ma-ye-yo] - How much is it?

19. 비싸요 [bi-ssa-yo] - It is expensive.

20. 싸요 [ssa-yo] - It is cheap.

Usage: Point at an item and say "이거 얼마예요?" (How much is this?). If the price is too high, you can politely smile and say "아... 너무 비싸요" (Ah... it is too expensive).

4. Soona's Culture Tip: A Cashless Society

If you are planning to travel to South Korea, you do not need to exchange a massive amount of cash. South Korea is one of the most advanced cashless societies in the world!

Whether you are buying a $2 coffee at a local cafe or a pack of gum at a convenience store, paying with a 카드 (card) is completely normal and expected. In fact, many modern cafes and buses in Seoul no longer accept cash at all.

When you go to the cashier, you can simply hold out your card and say:

"카드 되나요?" [ka-deu dwe-na-yo?] (Do you accept cards?)

5. Mini Pop Quiz!

Let’s test your new shopping skills.

Q1. A street food vendor says the Tteokbokki is "삼천 원". How much is it?

A) 300 Won B) 3,000 Won C) 30,000 Won

Q2. You find a beautiful jacket, but the price is way over your budget. What should you say?

A) 얼마예요? B) 싸요. C) 비싸요.

(Answers at the bottom of the page!)

Ready to actually SPEAK these words?

Reading words on a screen is a great start, but if you truly want to speak Korean confidently, you need a different approach. Staring at a boring, traditional textbook simply does not work anymore!

That is why I created the [30-Day Beginner Vocabulary Master Course]. This is not just a list of words. It is an incredibly unique, highly engaging, and cost-effective learning experience designed to make you speak from Day 1.

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• Beautiful Magazine-Style Layout: Say goodbye to dry text! You will learn through visually stunning, beautifully designed pages that keep you inspired and focused.

• Teacher's Video Lessons: I will personally guide you through the cultural nuances and exact mouth shapes for perfect pronunciation in short, easy-to-digest videos.

• Listen & Record Instantly: Click to listen to my native pronunciation, then immediately record your own voice right on the page to compare.

• Interactive Quizzes: Test your memory with built-in games and quizzes that make learning feel like playing.

• Your Final Portfolio & Personal Feedback: By Day 30, you will complete a special graduation mission. You will build your very own "Korean Portfolio" containing your recorded voice and self-introduction. Submit it to me, and I will personally listen to it and give you detailed, customized feedback!

  
  

The Ultimate Combination of Online & 1-on-1 Learning This course gives you the flexibility and affordability of an online course while offering the personalized care of private tutoring. It is a masterpiece carefully crafted by pouring in all the secret know-how I have gained from teaching over 6,000 successful 1-on-1 Korean lessons.

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Quiz Answers: Q1 (B - 삼=3, 천=1,000), Q2 (C - 비싸요 means it is expensive)