Telling Time in Korean
Telling time in Korean uses both number systems, Native Korean for hours and Sino-Korean for minutes. This is one of the trickiest parts of Korean numbers, but the pattern is straightforward once you see it.
Hours: Native Korean Numbers
For hours, use Native Korean numbers (하나, 둘, 셋...) with 시:
| Time | Korean | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 1 o'clock | 한 시 | han si |
| 2 o'clock | 두 시 | du si |
| 3 o'clock | 세 시 | se si |
| 6 o'clock | 여섯 시 | yeo-seot si |
| 12 o'clock | 열두 시 | yeol-du si |
Note: 하나→한, 둘→두, 셋→세, 넷→네 when used before a counter.
Minutes: Sino-Korean Numbers
For minutes, use Sino-Korean numbers (일, 이, 삼...) with 분:
| Time | Korean | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 10 minutes | 십 분 | sip bun |
| 15 minutes | 십오 분 | si-bo bun |
| 30 minutes | 삼십 분 / 반 | sam-sip bun / ban |
| 45 minutes | 사십오 분 | sa-si-bo bun |
반 (ban) means "half" and is commonly used for :30.
Putting It Together
| Time | Korean | Romanization |
|---|---|---|
| 3:00 | 세 시 | se si |
| 3:30 | 세 시 반 | se si ban |
| 3:15 | 세 시 십오 분 | se si si-bo bun |
| 10:45 | 열 시 사십오 분 | yeol si sa-si-bo bun |
Practice telling time with interactive examples →
부터/까지, From and Until
To express time ranges, use 부터 (from) and 까지 (until):
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 9시부터 6시까지 | from 9 to 6 |
| 월요일부터 금요일까지 | from Monday to Friday |
| 아침부터 저녁까지 | from morning to evening |
Practice 부터/까지 with interactive examples →
쯤, Approximately
Add 쯤 after a time to mean "about" or "around":
- 3시쯤 = around 3 o'clock
- 30분쯤 = about 30 minutes
AM / PM and day parts
Koreans often use day-part words instead of 24-hour clock in casual speech:
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 아침 | morning |
| 오전 | a.m. (more formal/clock-ish) |
| 점심 | noon / lunchtime |
| 오후 | p.m. |
| 저녁 | evening |
| 밤 | night |
| 새벽 | pre-dawn / early morning |
Examples:
- 아침 8시에 일어나요 → I wake up at 8 in the morning
- 오후 3시에 만나요 → Let’s meet at 3 p.m.
- 밤 11시쯤 자요 → I sleep around 11 at night
How numbers mix (quick recap)
| Piece | System | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Hour (시) | Native Korean | 세 시 |
| Minute (분) | Sino-Korean | 십오 분 |
| Counter 시 after 1-4 | shortened native | 한/두/세/네 시 (not 하나 시) |
If you confuse the two systems, review Korean numbers first, then come back to clocks.
Mini practice
Say these in Korean:
- 2:00 → 두 시
- 2:30 → 두 시 반
- From 9 to 5 → 아홉 시부터 다섯 시까지
- Around 7 p.m. → 저녁 일곱 시쯤 / 오후 일곱 시쯤
Related guides
- Korean numbers: Sino vs native (incl. 1-100)
- Location particles 에/에서 (time also uses 에)
Practice on Chamelingo
Time expressions appear in scheduling, daily-routine, and conversation drills. You practice reading clocks, booking times, and using ranges. Not only memorizing a chart.