✅Day 5: How to Tell the Time in Korean
How to Tell the Time in Korean
Welcome back, language hero! 🕒
Today you’ll learn one of the most useful daily skills: telling time in Korean.
Ever heard a phrase like “지금 몇 시예요?” and didn’t know how to answer?
Don’t worry — after this post, you’ll be able to ask and tell the time like a native!
Time in Korean: Two Key Words
- 시 (shi) = hour (uses Native Korean numbers)
- 분 (bun) = minute (uses Sino-Korean numbers)
So Korean uses two number systems together when telling time!
What Time Is It? – 지금 몇 시예요?
Here’s how to say common times:
| Time | Korean | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 1:00 | 한 시 | han shi |
| 2:15 | 두 시 십오 분 | du shi shibo bun |
| 3:30 | 세 시 삼십 분 | se shi samsip bun |
| 5:45 | 다섯 시 사십오 분 | daseot shi sasibo bun |
| 12:00 | 열두 시 | yeoldu shi |
Breakdown: Hours + Minutes
- Use Native Korean numbers for the hour (1–12)
- Use Sino-Korean numbers for the minutes (1–59)
7:20 = 일곱 시 이십 분 – “Ilgop shi iship bun” – 7 (Native) + 20 (Sino)
AM / PM (오전 / 오후)
To be more specific, add:
- 오전 = a.m.
- 오후 = p.m.
Example: 오전 아홉 시 십오 분 = 9:15 a.m.
Mini Quiz
Try reading these times in Korean:
- 4:10 → ________
- 8:30 → ________
- 11:55 a.m. → ________
✅ Answers:
- 네 시 십 분
- 여덟 시 반 (or 삼십 분)
- 오전 열한 시 오십오 분
Coming Up Next: Days of the Week in Korean
Now that you know how to tell the time, next we’ll learn how to talk about the days of the week in Korean!
- Monday? 화요일!
- Weekend plans? 주말에 뭐 해요?
Can’t wait to teach you more! 💬
Conclusion
You’ve just learned how to ask and tell the time in Korean using the right number systems and expressions.
Practice by looking at a clock and saying the time out loud in Korean. Bonus points if you add 오전 and 오후!
Let’s keep going — you’re doing great!