The #1 Mistake Learners Make When Counting in Korean (And How to Fix It)

You’re on your Korean learning journey, and your confidence is soaring. You’ve mastered Hangul, your vocabulary is growing, and you can even hold a simple conversation. But then, you hit a small, unexpected snag that leaves you feeling a bit awkward while practicing the essential skill of counting in Korean. Does this sound familiar?

Someone asks, “가족이 몇 명이에요?” (How many people are in your family?), and you proudly answer, “네, 두 명 동생이 있어요!” (Yes, I have two younger siblings!). It feels right. The grammar seems perfect. Yet, you might notice a flicker of confusion on the native speaker’s face. Why?

Congratulations, you’ve just experienced a rite of passage for nearly every English-speaking Korean learner. That sentence, while logically sound from an English perspective, is one of the most common and unnatural-sounding mistakes you can make. But don’t worry! This isn’t a sign of failure. It’s a natural byproduct of your brain being hardwired to English logic. You’re not bad at Korean; you’re just very good at English.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dive deep into why this mistake happens, uncover the fundamental differences in how Koreans think about numbers, and give you the ultimate toolkit to master counting in Korean. We’ll cover word order, essential Korean counters, and the two different number systems. By the time you finish this article, you’ll be able to order coffee, buy fruit at the market, or introduce your pets with the confidence of a native speaker. Let’s get started!

Why “Two Siblings” is Wrong: The Core Difference in Word Order

First, let’s diagnose the problem. The mistake “두 명 동생” (du myeong dongsaeng) stems from a direct, word-for-word translation of English syntax. Understanding this fundamental difference is the most crucial step to fixing your counting in Korean forever.

In English, we operate on a simple and intuitive [Number] + [Noun] structure. We say “Two apples,” “Three people,” and “Five books.” The number acts as an adjective, describing the quantity of the noun that follows it. It’s so deeply ingrained in our language that we don’t even think about it.

Korean flips this logic completely on its head. The Korean language prioritizes the object being counted. The golden rule is to state what you are counting first, and then how many of it there are. The fundamental structure you must memorize is:

[Noun] + [Number] + [Counter]

That third element, the ‘Counter,’ is a special classifying word that is essential for natural speech. We’ll cover Korean counters in detail in the next section, but for now, let’s focus on the word order. See how this structure transforms the phrases:

• English: Two brothers
• Direct Translation Mistake: 두 명 동생 (X)
• Correct Korean: 동생 두 명 (O) (Literally: Sibling two people)

• English: Five apples
• Direct Translation Mistake: 다섯 개 사과 (X)
• Correct Korean: 사과 다섯 개 (O) (Literally: Apple five things)

• English: One cup of coffee
• Direct Translation Mistake: 한 잔 커피 (X)
• Correct Korean: 커피 한 잔 (O) (Literally: Coffee one cup)

As you can see, the object (동생, 사과, 커피) always comes first. This isn’t just a stylistic choice; it’s a non-negotiable rule of Korean grammar. At first, this will feel completely backward. Your English-wired brain will scream to put the number first. To overcome this, you must consciously train yourself to think: “What am I counting?” first, and then “How many of them are there?” second. This mental shift is the key to unlocking natural-sounding Korean.

Mastering Korean Counters: The Heart of Counting in Korean

Now that you’ve embraced the ‘object first’ word order, it’s time to tackle the next layer: 단위 명사 (danwi myeongsa), or Counter Nouns. While English uses counters occasionally (“a cup of coffee,” “a sheet of paper”), Korean uses them for nearly everything. You can’t just say “사과 다섯” (apple five); you need the counter to make the sentence grammatically complete and sound natural.

The counter you use depends on the category of the noun. It might seem daunting to memorize dozens of them, but you can handle over 90% of daily situations by mastering just a few essential ones. Here are the most important Korean counters you must know:

1. 명 (myeong) / 분 (bun): For people. 명 is the general, neutral counter. 분 is the honorific form used when referring to elders, customers, or esteemed individuals.
   • 학생 세 명 (haksaeng se myeong): three students
   • 선생님 한 분 (seonsaengnim han bun): one teacher (respectful)
2. 마리 (mari): For animals, including mammals, birds, fish, and insects.
   • 강아지 한 마리 (gangaji han mari): one puppy
   • 고양이 두 마리 (goyangi du mari): two cats
3. 개 (gae): The general-purpose counter for inanimate objects. When in doubt, 개 is your best friend. While using a more specific counter is always better, using 개 is far more natural than using no counter at all. It’s your safety net!
   • 사과 네 개 (sagwa ne gae): four apples
   • 가방 세 개 (gabang se gae): three bags
4. 권 (gwon): For books and other bound volumes like notebooks or magazines.
   • 책 두 권 (chaek du gwon): two books
5. 장 (jang): For flat, sheet-like items like paper, tickets, photos, or even leaves.
   • 종이 열 장 (jongi yeol jang): ten sheets of paper
   • 영화표 두 장 (yeonghwapyo du jang): two movie tickets
6. 대 (dae): For vehicles and machinery, like cars, computers, pianos, or TVs.
   • 자동차 한 대 (jadongcha han dae): one car
7. 병 (byeong) / 잔 (jan): For drinks. 병 is for bottles, and 잔 is for cups or glasses.
   • 물 두 병 (mul du byeong): two bottles of water
   • 커피 한 잔 (keopi han jan): one cup of coffee

Let’s apply this. If you want to say, “I bought two books yesterday,” you start with the base sentence “저는 어제 책을 샀어요.” Then, you insert the count using our formula: [Noun] + [Number] + [Counter]. The result is: “저는 어제 책 두 권을 샀어요.” Perfect, natural Korean!

Native Korean vs. Sino-Korean Numbers: The Final Puzzle Piece

The final hurdle in Korean counting is navigating its two distinct number systems: the Native Korean system (하나, 둘, 셋…) and the Sino-Korean system derived from Chinese (일, 이, 삼…). They have different use cases, and using the wrong one is a clear giveaway of a non-native speaker. Mastering this distinction is crucial for accurate counting in Korean.

Here’s the most important rule to remember: When counting physical items with a counter (from 1 to 99), you almost always use Native Korean numbers.

However, there’s a critical twist that many learners miss. The first four Native Korean numbers—and the number twenty—change their form when followed by a counter. This is not optional; it’s a mandatory rule for natural pronunciation.

The Golden Rule of Number Changes:
• 하나 (hana, 1) → 한 (han)
• 둘 (dul, 2) → 두 (du)
• 셋 (set, 3) → 세 (se)
• 넷 (net, 4) → 네 (ne)
• 스물 (seumul, 20) → 스무 (seumu)

Numbers from five (다섯) onward do not change. So, you would say “커피 한 잔 주세요” (One cup of coffee, please), not “하나 잔.” This is why our original mistake, “두 명 동생,” was closer than “둘 명 동생,” but the word order was still the fatal flaw.

So, when do you use the Sino-Korean numbers (일, 이, 삼…)? They are reserved for more abstract or systematic concepts:

• Money & Prices: 천오백 원 (cheon-obaek won) – 1,500 won
• Dates: 시월 이십오 일 (si-wol isip-o il) – October 25th
• Phone Numbers, Bus Numbers, Addresses: 삼이일에 오육칠팔 (sam-i-il-e o-yuk-chil-pal) – 321-5678
• Minutes and Seconds: 십오 분, 삼십 초 (sip-o bun, samsip cho) – 15 minutes, 30 seconds
• Floors in a Building: 십 층 (sip cheung) – 10th floor
• Numbers 100 and above: Even when counting with counters, numbers from 100 use the Sino-Korean system. e.g., 학생 백 명 (haksaeng baek myeong) – 100 students.

Notice the tricky exception with time: Hours use Native Korean numbers (한 시 – 1 o’clock), but minutes and seconds use Sino-Korean numbers! So, 1:15 is 한 시 십오 분 (han si sip-o bun).

Practice Time: Fixing Common Counting Mistakes

Theory is great, but practice makes perfect. Let’s correct some common mistakes made by English speakers to solidify your understanding of how to count in Korean.

Example 1: Ordering Apples

• ❌ Mistake: 저는 세 개 사과를 샀어요. (I bought three apples.)
• ✅ Correct: 저는 사과 세 개를 샀어요.
• Reasoning: The noun ‘사과’ (apple) must come before the quantity ‘세 개’ (three things). Also, remember that 셋 (3) changes to 세 before a counter.

Example 2: Describing Your Family

• ❌ Mistake: 우리 가족은 네 명 사람들이에요. (My family is four people.)
• ✅ Correct: 우리 가족은 네 명이에요.
• Reasoning: The counter ‘명’ already means ‘people,’ so adding the word ‘사람들’ (people) is redundant and sounds unnatural. ‘네 명’ is a complete phrase meaning ‘four people.’

Example 3: Ordering at a Café

• ❌ Mistake: 따뜻한 라떼 하나 잔 주세요. (A warm latte one cup, please.)
• ✅ Correct: 따뜻한 라떼 한 잔 주세요.
• Reasoning: The entire item being ordered, ‘따뜻한 라떼’ (warm latte), comes first. The quantity, ‘한 잔,’ follows. And critically, 하나 (1) changes to 한 before the counter ‘잔.’

Example 4: Counting Your Pens

• ❌ Mistake: 저는 펜 스물 자루 있어요. (I have twenty pens.)
• ✅ Correct: 저는 펜 스무 자루 있어요.
• Reasoning: This tests one of the special changing Korean numbers! The native number for twenty, 스물 (seumul), must change to 스무 (seumu) before a counter like 자루.

Conclusion: Your Journey to Confident Counting

Today, we’ve untangled one of the most persistent challenges in learning Korean. You now know that the secret to counting correctly isn’t about memorizing more vocabulary, but about rewiring your brain to adopt the Korean ‘object-first’ logic. It’s a small change in structure that makes a huge difference in fluency.

Let’s recap the three golden rules of counting in Korean:

• Rule 1: Remember the Word Order. It’s always [Noun] first, then [Number + Counter]. Think “What?” then “How many?”
• Rule 2: Use the Right Counter. Use 명 for people, 마리 for animals, and 개 for most objects. Using the correct counter makes your Korean sound polished and precise.
• Rule 3: Use the Right Number System. Use Native Korean numbers for counting things. And never forget the magic five: 1, 2, 3, 4, and 20 change to 한, 두, 세, 네, and 스무 before a counter.

Don’t be overwhelmed. The best way to master this is through consistent, real-world practice. Don’t just keep this knowledge in your head—use it! Look around you right now. How would you count the items on your desk in Korean? “책상 위에 펜 한 자루, 공책 두 권, 컴퓨터 한 대가 있네.” (On the desk, there is one pen, two notebooks, one computer.)

For more structured and interactive practice, the Podo Korean app can be your perfect learning partner. Download the app to reinforce today’s lesson with fun quizzes and real-life conversational scenarios. Turn awkward moments into confident conversations. Your Korean journey is a marathon, not a sprint, and we’re here to cheer you on every step of the way!