Lesson 2: Numbers, Age, and Family 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦🔢

Introduction

Welcome back! Now that you've mastered basic greetings, it's time to dive into one of the most practical aspects of any language: numbers and family vocabulary. In this lesson, you'll learn how to count in Korean, ask and tell someone's age, and introduce your family members. These are essential skills for everyday conversations, from shopping at a market 🛒 to making new friends and discussing your background.

💡 Why This Matters: In Korean culture, age and family relationships are incredibly important for determining the appropriate level of formality in speech. Knowing someone's age helps you choose the right honorifics and speech level!

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Core Concept 1: Korean Numbers (Native Korean System) 🔢

Korean has two number systems: Native Korean and Sino-Korean (Chinese-derived). Today, we'll focus on Native Korean numbers (1-10), which are used for:

• Counting objects
• Telling age (with 살)
• Counting hours

Native Korean Numbers 1-10

+--------+----------------+------------------+
| Number | Korean (Hangul)| Romanization     |
+--------+----------------+------------------+
|   1    | 하나           | hana             |
|   2    | 둘             | dul              |
|   3    | 셋             | set              |
|   4    | 넷             | net              |
|   5    | 다섯           | dasot            |
|   6    | 여섯           | yosot            |
|   7    | 일곱           | ilgop            |
|   8    | 여덟           | yodeol           |
|   9    | 아홉           | ahop             |
|  10    | 열             | yeol             |
+--------+----------------+------------------+

🗣️ Pronunciation Tips:

• 하나 (hana): "HA-na" - stress on first syllable
• 여덟 (yodeol): "yo-DUHL" - the ㄹ at the end is subtle
• 일곱 (ilgop): "il-GOP" - don't drop the final consonant

🧠 Mnemonic Device: Think "Hana is Happy ONE time" for remembering that 하나 = 1

⚠️ Important Note: When counting objects or telling age, these numbers often change form slightly. We'll see this pattern soon!

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Core Concept 2: Expressing Age 🎂

To express age in Korean, you use the Native Korean number + 살 (sal), which means "years of age."

Formula: [Native Korean Number] + 살 (sal)

Modified Forms for Age

When numbers are followed by a counter like 살, some numbers change:

+----------+-------------+----------------+
| Original | With 살     | Pronunciation  |
+----------+-------------+----------------+
| 하나     | 한 살       | han sal        |
| 둘       | 두 살       | du sal         |
| 셋       | 세 살       | se sal         |
| 넷       | 네 살       | ne sal         |
| 스물 (20)| 스무 살     | seumu sal      |
+----------+-------------+----------------+

Asking About Age

Formal/Polite: 몇 살이에요? (myeot sal-i-eyo?) = "How old are you?"

• 몇 (myeot) = how many
• 살 (sal) = years of age
• 이에요 (i-eyo) = to be (polite form)

Answering:

• 저는 스물다섯 살이에요. (jeoneun seumul-dasot sal-i-eyo) = "I am 25 years old."
• Simply: 스물다섯 살이에요. (seumul-dasot sal-i-eyo) = "I'm 25 years old."

💡 Cultural Tip: Koreans often calculate age differently! Traditional Korean age (한국 나이) counts you as 1 year old at birth, and everyone gains a year on New Year's Day. However, modern Korea increasingly uses international age.

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Core Concept 3: Family Members 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

Family terms in Korean are relationship-specific and often depend on the speaker's gender and whether you're referring to your own family or someone else's.

Basic Family Vocabulary

+-------------------+------------------+----------------------+
| English           | Korean (Hangul)  | Romanization         |
+-------------------+------------------+----------------------+
| Family            | 가족             | gajok                |
| Parents           | 부모님           | bumonim              |
| Father            | 아버지           | abeoji               |
| Mother            | 어머니           | eomeoni              |
| Older brother     | 형 (male speaker)| hyeong               |
|  (for males)      |                  |                      |
| Older brother     | 오빠 (fem speaker)| oppa                |
|  (for females)    |                  |                      |
| Older sister      | 누나 (male speaker)| nuna               |
|  (for males)      |                  |                      |
| Older sister      | 언니 (fem speaker)| eonni               |
|  (for females)    |                  |                      |
| Younger sibling   | 동생             | dongsaeng            |
+-------------------+------------------+----------------------+

🎭 Cultural Context: Korean has different words for older siblings depending on YOUR gender! This reflects the hierarchical nature of Korean family relationships.

        Speaker's Gender Matters!
        
   👦 Male Speaker Says:          👧 Female Speaker Says:
   
   형 (hyeong) → older brother    오빠 (oppa) → older brother
   누나 (nuna) → older sister     언니 (eonni) → older sister
   
   Both say: 동생 (dongsaeng) → younger sibling

More Family Members

+-------------------+------------------+----------------------+
| English           | Korean (Hangul)  | Romanization         |
+-------------------+------------------+----------------------+
| Grandfather       | 할아버지         | harabeoji            |
| Grandmother       | 할머니           | halmeoni             |
| Husband           | 남편             | nampyeon             |
| Wife              | 아내             | anae                 |
| Son               | 아들             | adeul                |
| Daughter          | 딸               | ttal                 |
+-------------------+------------------+----------------------+

🗣️ Pronunciation Alert:

• 딸 (ttal): The double ㄸ is a tense consonant - say it with more tension than regular ㄷ
• 할머니 (halmeoni): "hal-muh-nee" - three clear syllables

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Detailed Example 1: At a Family Gathering 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

🎬 Scenario: Meeting Your Friend's Family

You're visiting your Korean friend Minji's (민지) house for the first time. Her family wants to get to know you!

Dialogue:

민지 어머니 (Minji's mother): 안녕하세요! 몇 살이에요?
                            (Annyeonghaseyo! Myeot sal-i-eyo?)
                            "Hello! How old are you?"

You: 저는 스물세 살이에요.
     (Jeoneun seumul-se sal-i-eyo.)
     "I am 23 years old."

민지 어머니: 아, 우리 딸하고 같은 나이네요!
            (A, uri ttal-hago gateun nai-neyo!)
            "Oh, you're the same age as our daughter!"

민지: 우리 가족을 소개할게요. 이쪽은 우리 아버지예요.
      (Uri gajok-eul sogae-halgeyo. Ijjok-eun uri abeoji-yeyo.)
      "I'll introduce my family. This is my father."

Breakdown:

• 몇 살이에요? = The standard polite way to ask someone's age
• 스물세 (seumul-se) = 23 (Native Korean: 스물 = 20, 세 = 3)
• 우리 (uri) = "our" (Koreans often say "our" instead of "my" for family)
• 딸 (ttal) = daughter
• 같은 (gateun) = same
• 나이 (nai) = age

💡 Cultural Insight: Using 우리 (our) instead of 제 (my) for family members shows the collectivist nature of Korean culture - family is shared, not just individual!

---

Detailed Example 2: Talking About Siblings 👫

🎬 Scenario: Making a New Friend at University

You're chatting with a classmate during break time.

Dialogue:

친구 (Friend): 가족이 몇 명이에요?
               (Gajok-i myeot myeong-i-eyo?)
               "How many people are in your family?"

You (male): 네 명이에요. 부모님, 형, 그리고 저.
            (Ne myeong-i-eyo. Bumonim, hyeong, geurigo jeo.)
            "Four people. My parents, older brother, and me."

친구: 형이 몇 살이에요?
      (Hyeong-i myeot sal-i-eyo?)
      "How old is your older brother?"

You: 스물여덟 살이에요.
     (Seumul-yodeol sal-i-eyo.)
     "He's 28 years old."

New Vocabulary:

• 명 (myeong) = counter for people
• 네 명 (ne myeong) = four people (네 is the modified form of 넷)
• 그리고 (geurigo) = and
• 저 (jeo) = I/me (humble form)

🔤 Word Connection: 명 (myeong) is similar to the Chinese character 名, which also relates to people/names. This is from the Sino-Korean system!

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Detailed Example 3: Shopping with Numbers 🛍️

🎬 Scenario: Buying Fruit at the Market

You're at a traditional Korean market (시장) buying apples.

Dialogue:

You: 사과 다섯 개 주세요.
     (Sagwa dasot gae juseyo.)
     "Please give me five apples."

판매자 (Seller): 네, 여기 있어요. 모두 여섯천 원이에요.
                 (Ne, yeogi isseoyo. Modu yukseon won-i-eyo.)
                 "Yes, here you are. That's 6,000 won total."

Key Points:

• 사과 (sagwa) = apple
• 개 (gae) = general counter for objects
• 주세요 (juseyo) = please give (polite request)
• 여기 있어요 (yeogi isseoyo) = here it is
• 원 (won) = Korean currency

🔢 Number Usage: For counting objects, we use Native Korean numbers with counters (개, 명, 살, etc.). Notice how 다섯 stays the same before 개!

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Detailed Example 4: Complete Family Introduction 📖

🎬 Extended Scenario: Self-Introduction Speech

Imagine you're giving a brief self-introduction in a Korean language class.

Mini-Story:

안녕하세요! 저는 제임스예요. 
(Annyeonghaseyo! Jeoneun James-yeyo.)
"Hello! I am James."

스물네 살이에요.
(Seumul-ne sal-i-eyo.)
"I'm 24 years old."

우리 가족은 다섯 명이에요.
(Uri gajok-eun dasot myeong-i-eyo.)
"My family has five people."

아버지, 어머니, 누나 둘, 그리고 저예요.
(Abeoji, eomeoni, nuna dul, geurigo jeo-yeyo.)
"Father, mother, two older sisters, and me."

첫째 누나는 서른 살이에요.
(Cheotjae nuna-neun seoreun sal-i-eyo.)
"My first older sister is 30 years old."

둘째 누나는 스물여섯 살이에요.
(Duljjae nuna-neun seumul-yosot sal-i-eyo.)
"My second older sister is 26 years old."

우리 가족은 서울에 살아요.
(Uri gajok-eun Seoul-e salayo.)
"My family lives in Seoul."

New Vocabulary Explained:

• 첫째 (cheotjae) = first (ordinal number)
• 둘째 (duljjae) = second
• 서른 (seoreun) = thirty (Native Korean)
• 살아요 (salayo) = live/reside (present tense verb)
• 둘 (dul) = two (used when saying "two older sisters")

🧠 Grammar Note: Notice how 둘 is used in "누나 둘" (two older sisters). When the number comes after the noun, we use the original form (하나, 둘, 셋) rather than the modified form (한, 두, 세).

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Common Mistakes ⚠️

Mistake #1: Mixing Up Number Systems

❌ Wrong: "저는 이십 살이에요" (using Sino-Korean 이십 for age) ✅ Correct: "저는 스무 살이에요" (using Native Korean 스무 for age)

Why: Age uses Native Korean numbers + 살. Don't mix in Sino-Korean numbers (일, 이, 삼, etc.) when talking about age!

Mistake #2: Forgetting Gender-Specific Sibling Terms

❌ Wrong: Female speaker saying "저는 형이 있어요" (I have an older brother) ✅ Correct: Female speaker saying "저는 오빠가 있어요"

Why: Females use 오빠 for older brother, not 형. Males use 형. The speaker's gender determines which word to use!

Mistake #3: Using Modified Number Forms Incorrectly

❌ Wrong: "한 개, 두 개, 세 개" when counting alone without context ✅ Correct: "하나, 둘, 셋" when counting without a counter word

Why: Modified forms (한, 두, 세) are ONLY used when followed by a counter (개, 명, 살). When counting by themselves (like counting out loud "one, two, three..."), use original forms.

Mistake #4: Confusing 살 (age) and 삼 (three)

❌ Wrong: "스물삼 sal" (mixing Sino-Korean 삼 with Native Korean) ✅ Correct: "스물세 살" (all Native Korean)

Why: Pronunciation is similar but different! 살 (sal) = years of age. 삼 (sam) = three (Sino-Korean). Keep the systems separate!

🆚 Confused Pairs:

+------------------+------------------+----------------------+
| Often Confused   | Meaning          | How to Remember      |
+------------------+------------------+----------------------+
| 셋 (set)         | three (Native)   | Ends with -t sound   |
| 세 (se)          | three (modified) | Before counter       |
+------------------+------------------+----------------------+
| 넷 (net)         | four (Native)    | Ends with -t sound   |
| 네 (ne)          | four (modified)  | Before counter       |
+------------------+------------------+----------------------+
| 오빠 (oppa)      | older bro (F→M)  | Female speaker       |
| 형 (hyeong)      | older bro (M→M)  | Male speaker         |
+------------------+------------------+----------------------+

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Key Takeaways 📝

🔑 Essential Points to Remember:

1. Two Number Systems: Korean has Native Korean (하나, 둘, 셋...) and Sino-Korean (일, 이, 삼...). Use Native Korean for age, hours, and counting objects.

2. Age Formula: [Native Korean Number] + 살 (sal). Remember that some numbers modify: 하나 → 한, 둘 → 두, 셋 → 세, 넷 → 네.

3. Family Terms are Gender-Specific: Your gender determines which word you use for older siblings:

   • Males: 형 (older brother), 누나 (older sister)
   • Females: 오빠 (older brother), 언니 (older sister)
   • Everyone: 동생 (younger sibling)

4. Counters Matter: Korean uses different counter words for different types of things:

   • 명 (myeong) = people
   • 개 (gae) = general objects
   • 살 (sal) = years of age

5. Cultural Note: Use 우리 (our) instead of 제 (my) when talking about family - it shows the collectivist family culture!

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Quick Reference Card 📋

╔══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╗
║         LESSON 2 QUICK REFERENCE CARD                    ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ NATIVE KOREAN NUMBERS (1-10)                             ║
║ 1=하나  2=둘  3=셋  4=넷  5=다섯                         ║
║ 6=여섯  7=일곱  8=여덟  9=아홉  10=열                    ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ MODIFIED FORMS (before counters)                         ║
║ 하나→한  둘→두  셋→세  넷→네  스물→스무                 ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ AGE EXPRESSIONS                                          ║
║ 몇 살이에요? = How old are you?                          ║
║ [Number] 살이에요 = I'm [number] years old               ║
║ Ex: 스물다섯 살이에요 = I'm 25 years old                 ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ FAMILY VOCABULARY                                        ║
║ 가족 = family        부모님 = parents                    ║
║ 아버지 = father      어머니 = mother                     ║
║ 동생 = younger sibling                                   ║
║                                                          ║
║ GENDER-SPECIFIC (speaker's gender matters!)              ║
║ Male says: 형(older bro), 누나(older sis)               ║
║ Female says: 오빠(older bro), 언니(older sis)           ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ COUNTERS                                                 ║
║ 명 = people          개 = objects                        ║
║ 살 = age             원 = Korean currency (won)          ║
╠══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╣
║ USEFUL PHRASES                                           ║
║ 가족이 몇 명이에요? = How many people in your family?   ║
║ [Object] 주세요 = Please give me [object]                ║
║ 그리고 = and                                             ║
╚══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════╝

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Did You Know? 🤔

Fun Fact #1: The Korean age system (한국 나이) traditionally made everyone one year older on New Year's Day, not on their individual birthdays! This means two babies born one day apart (Dec 31 and Jan 1) could have a two-year age difference in the traditional system. However, as of June 2023, South Korea officially switched to the international age system for all legal and administrative purposes!

Fun Fact #2: The word 오빠 (oppa) has become famous worldwide through K-pop! Female fans often call male idols "oppa" even if they're not related, because in Korean culture, you can use sibling terms for close friends and romantic partners too.

Fun Fact #3: Koreans often ask your age very early in a conversation - not to be rude, but to determine which speech level to use with you! Age determines hierarchy, which determines formality level. It's all about showing proper respect!

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📚 Further Study

1. Korean Numbers Deep Dive: https://www.90daykorean.com/korean-numbers/ - Comprehensive guide to both number systems with practice exercises

2. Korean Family Terms and Culture: https://www.koreanclass101.com/lesson/absolute-beginner-season-1-17-who-is-your-family-in-korean - Video lessons with cultural context

3. Age and Honorifics in Korean: https://www.howtostudykorean.com/unit1/unit-1-lessons-1-8/lesson-6/ - Detailed explanation of how age affects speech levels

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🎉 Congratulations! You've completed Lesson 2! You can now count in Korean, talk about your age, and introduce your family members. Practice these words daily - try counting objects around you in Korean or describing your family to an imaginary Korean friend. In the next lesson, we'll explore daily activities and time expressions. 화이팅! (Fighting! = You can do it!)