Korean Numbers Explained: Native vs Sino-Korean Numbers If you are learning Korean, you may have already noticed something confusing. Korean does not have just one number system. It has two. When I teach Korean numbers to beginners, this is one of the first topics that confuses almost everyone. Students often ask me: “Professor, why do Koreans have two different ways to say one, two, and three?” The answer is simple. Korean uses two number systems for different situations: Native Korean numbers Sino-Korean numbers At first, this may sound difficult. But once you understand when each system is used, Korean numbers become much easier. What Are Native Korean Numbers? Native Korean numbers are the original Korean counting system. They are usually used when counting people, animals, objects, and age. They are also used for hours when telling time. For example: one person two apples three books four cats five years old three o’clock Number Native ...