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[Learn Korean Day 6] Reading the Calendar: Months, Dates, and Time Words


[Learn Korean Day 6] Reading the Calendar: Months, Dates, and Time Words

Reading the Korean calendar, dates, and months for beginners.

Hello, Korean learners! Welcome back to Day 6 with Instructor Soona.


In Day 5, we learned how to read the clock and the days of the week. But what if you want to tell someone your birthday, book a flight, or make a reservation? You need to know how to read the calendar!

The good news is that reading the Korean calendar is incredibly logical. If you remember the Sino-Korean numbers (일, 이, 삼...) from Day 3, you already know 90% of what you need today.


Let’s learn how to express months, dates, and essential time periods in Korean!



1. The Months of the Year (월)


In English, you have to memorize 12 completely different words (January, February, etc.). In Korean, you just attach the word 월 [wol] (which means "moon" or "month") to a Sino-Korean number. It is that simple!


1. 1월 [i-rwol] - January

2. 2월 [i-wol] - February

3. 3월 [sa-mwol] - March

4. 4월 [sa-wol] - April

5. 5월 [o-wol] - May

6. 6월 [yu-wol] - June (Exception!)

7. 7월 [chi-rwol] - July

8. 8월 [pa-rwol] - August

9. 9월 [gu-wol] - September

10. 10월 [si-wol] - October (Exception!)

11. 11월 [si-bi-rwol] - November

12. 12월 [si-bi-wol] - December


WARNING: The Two Exceptions!

Did you notice 6월 and 10월? Normally, 6 is 육 and 10 is 십. But to make the pronunciation softer and easier, we drop the bottom consonant.


  • 육월 (X) -> 유월 (O)

  • 십월 (X) -> 시월 (O)



2. The Days of the Month (일)


For the days of the month, we use the Sino-Korean numbers again, but this time we attach the word 일 [il] (which means "sun" or "day").

  • 1st = 1일 [i-ril]

  • 15th = 15일 [si-bo-il]

  • 20th = 20일 [i-si-bil]

  • 31st = 31일 [sam-si-bi-ril]

Usage: "제 생일은 5월 10일이에요." (My birthday is May 10th.)



3. Past, Present, and Future


To talk about your schedule naturally, you need these 7 essential time words.


1. 오늘 [o-neul]: Today

2. 내일 [nae-il]: Tomorrow

3. 어제 [eo-je]: Yesterday

4. 이번 주 [i-beon ju]: This week

5. 다음 주 [da-eum ju]: Next week

6. 지난주 [ji-nan-ju]: Last week

7. 주말 [ju-mal]: Weekend



4. Soona's Culture Tip: Biggest to Smallest


In the United States, dates are written as Month-Day-Year (December 25, 2024). In Europe, it is often Day-Month-Year (25 December 2024).


What about Korea? Korean logic always goes from the biggest unit to the smallest unit. We start with the Year (년), then the Month (월), and finally the Day (일).


If you want to write "December 25, 2024", you must write it like this: 2024년 12월 25일


When you fill out forms, buy plane tickets, or check expiration dates on Korean food products, you will always see the date written in this YYYY.MM.DD format.


Remembering "Biggest to Smallest" will save you a lot of confusion!



5. Mini Pop Quiz!


Let’s test your memory of the calendar!


Q1. How do you say "October" in Korean? (Hint: Remember the exception!)

A) 십월 B) 시월 C) 십일월


Q2. Which is the correct Korean date format for "August 15, 2025"?

A) 8월 15일 2025년 B) 15일 8월 2025년 C) 2025년 8월 15일


(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!


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[Click to Explore the 30-Day Vocab Master Course!]


Quiz Answers: Q1 (B - 시월 is the exception), Q2 (C - Always Year, Month, Day)


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