When counting items or talking about age, Koreans use two sets of numbers: native Korean numbers and Sino-Korean numbers. 아흔 (ahun) is the native Korean word for 90. You'll use native Korean numbers for counting things up to 99, like "90 apples." They are also used when talking about someone's age.
For example, if you want to say "90 years old," you would use 아흔. However, for things like phone numbers, dates, or prices, you would typically use Sino-Korean numbers. So, it's important to remember when to use 아흔 versus the Sino-Korean equivalent for 90.
When counting in Korean, there are two sets of numbers: native Korean numbers and Sino-Korean numbers. 아흔 (aheun) is a native Korean number and means ninety. You use native Korean numbers for counting things like people, age, and general quantities up to 99. For numbers 100 and above, you'll primarily use Sino-Korean numbers.
For example, if you want to say "ninety people," you would say "사람 아흔 명 (saram aheun myeong)." If you're talking about age, "아흔 살 (aheun sal)" means "ninety years old."
§ What does 아흔 (ah-heun) mean and when do people use it?
You're learning Korean numbers, which can be a bit tricky because there are two main counting systems: native Korean and Sino-Korean. Don't worry, it gets easier with practice! Today, we're focusing on 아흔 (ah-heun).
- DEFINITION
- 아흔 (ah-heun) means ninety, and it's part of the native Korean numbering system.
The native Korean numbers, including 아흔, are generally used for counting things, people, and for stating ages. You'll hear them a lot in everyday conversations. For example, if you're talking about your age or the number of items you have, you'll likely use native Korean numbers. The Sino-Korean numbers, on the other hand, are used for things like dates, money, addresses, and phone numbers.
So, when do you use 아흔?
- Counting objects: If you're counting ninety apples, ninety books, or ninety chairs, you'll use 아흔.
- Counting people: Ninety people in a room? 아흔 is the word you need.
- Stating age: If someone is ninety years old, you'll use 아흔. This is a very common use case.
Let's look at some examples to make this clearer.
우리 할머니는 올해 아흔 살이세요.
Translation hint: Our grandmother is ninety years old this year.
저는 아흔 권의 책을 가지고 있어요.
Translation hint: I have ninety books.
아흔 명의 학생들이 시험을 봤습니다.
Translation hint: Ninety students took the exam.
Understanding when to use native Korean numbers versus Sino-Korean numbers is a key part of speaking Korean naturally. For ninety, if you're counting general items, people, or ages, always reach for 아흔. Keep practicing, and you'll get the hang of it!
§ Mixing Native Korean and Sino-Korean Numbers
One of the most frequent errors learners make when using 아흔 (ninety) and other native Korean numbers is mixing them with Sino-Korean numbers. Korean has two distinct sets of numbers: native Korean and Sino-Korean. They are used in different contexts, and you cannot swap them or combine them directly.
- DEFINITION
- Native Korean numbers (하나, 둘, 셋, 넷, 다섯, 여섯, 일곱, 여덟, 아홉, 열, 스물, 서른, 마흔, 쉰, 예순, 일흔, 여든, 아흔) are typically used for counting items, age, hours, and certain units. Sino-Korean numbers (일, 이, 삼, 사, 오, 육, 칠, 팔, 구, 십, 백, 천, 만) are used for dates, money, addresses, phone numbers, minutes, seconds, and larger numbers.
For instance, you might say "아흔 살" (ninety years old) using the native Korean number for age, but you would say "구십 분" (ninety minutes) using the Sino-Korean number for minutes. Trying to say "아흔 분" or "구십 살" would be incorrect.
우리 할머니는 아흔 살이세요. (Our grandmother is ninety years old.)
회의는 구십 분 동안 진행될 거예요. (The meeting will last ninety minutes.)
§ Forgetting Counting Units with Native Korean Numbers
Native Korean numbers, especially when counting items or people, almost always require a counting unit (counter) immediately after the number. It's a common mistake to omit these units, which can make your Korean sound unnatural or even incorrect.
- DEFINITION
- Counting units are suffixes attached to numbers to specify what is being counted. Examples include 개 (for general items), 명 (for people), 마리 (for animals), 권 (for books), 대 (for vehicles/machines).
While 아흔 (ninety) might not be used for small quantities of items as frequently as lower numbers, if you were to count ninety people, you would say 아흔 명 (ninety people), not just 아흔. Similarly, for ninety units of something, you would use 아흔 개.
콘서트에 아흔 명의 사람들이 왔어요. (Ninety people came to the concert.)
§ Using 아흔 for Numbers Above Ninety-Nine
Native Korean numbers only go up to ninety-nine (아흔아홉). Beyond that, you must use Sino-Korean numbers. Some learners mistakenly try to form numbers like "one hundred" or "one hundred and ninety" using native Korean numbers, which is incorrect.
- For 100, use 백 (Sino-Korean).
- For 190, use 백구십 (Sino-Korean).
- For 1000, use 천 (Sino-Korean).
Remember, 아흔 is specifically for ninety. If you need to express a larger number that includes ninety, you'll likely be dealing with Sino-Korean numbers for the whole expression.
이 책은 백 페이지예요. (This book is one hundred pages.)
총 백구십 개의 사과가 있습니다. (There are a total of one hundred and ninety apples.)
Guide de prononciation
- Korean learners sometimes struggle with the 'eu' vowel sound (ɯ), which is a high-back unrounded vowel. It's often mispronounced as 'oo' (u) or 'uh' (ʌ).
- The 'h' sound (ㅎ) at the beginning can be very light or almost silent, especially in natural speech. Learners might over-aspirate it.
Grammaire à connaître
Native Korean numbers are generally used when counting items, people, or when talking about age. For example, to say "ninety apples," you would use 아흔 (ahun) followed by the counter for apples.
사과 아흔 개 (sahwa ahun gae) - ninety apples.
When expressing age, native Korean numbers are combined with the word 살 (sal), meaning 'years old.' So, 'ninety years old' would be 아흔 살.
아흔 살이에요. (ahun sal-i-e-yo.) - I am ninety years old.
Native Korean numbers are also used for hours when telling time. For example, "ninety o'clock" would be 아흔 시.
지금 아흔 시예요. (jigeum ahun si-ye-yo.) - It is ninety o'clock now.
Unlike Sino-Korean numbers, native Korean numbers have irregular forms when combined with certain counters, especially for larger numbers. However, 아흔 itself does not undergo such changes.
아흔 명 (ahun myeong) - ninety people.
Native Korean numbers are not used for dates, money, or telephone numbers. For these, Sino-Korean numbers are used. Remember to distinguish between the two number systems.
오늘은 구월 구일이에요. (oneureun guwol guil-i-e-yo.) - Today is September 9th. (Uses Sino-Korean for the date).
Exemples par niveau
그는 아흔이 넘었지만 여전히 정정하다.
He is over ninety but still vigorous.
넘다: to exceed, to be over
아흔 살 할머니가 손자들과 즐거운 시간을 보냈다.
The ninety-year-old grandmother had a good time with her grandchildren.
살: years old
아흔아홉 번 찍어 안 넘어가는 나무 없다.
There is no tree that cannot be felled with ninety-nine axe strokes. (Korean proverb meaning 'persistence pays off')
번: times, instances; 찍다: to chop; 넘어가지 않다: to not fall over
이 건물은 아흔 년 전에 지어졌다.
This building was built ninety years ago.
년: year; 전에: ago
아흔 개의 작은 조각들이 모여 하나의 예술 작품을 이룬다.
Ninety small pieces come together to form a single work of art.
개: counter for things; 모이다: to gather; 이루다: to form
그는 아흔이 가까워지면서 회고록을 쓰기 시작했다.
As he approached ninety, he began to write his memoirs.
가까워지다: to approach, to get closer; ~면서: while (doing something)
이 책은 아흔 페이지가 넘는 분량이다.
This book is over ninety pages long.
페이지: page; 분량: quantity, volume
그 마을의 최고령자는 아흔다섯 살이다.
The oldest person in that village is ninety-five years old.
최고령자: oldest person; 살: years old
그는 아흔이 넘은 나이에도 여전히 정정하게 산을 오르내리며 건강을 유지하고 있다.
He is still actively climbing mountains and maintaining his health even though he is over ninety years old.
아흔아홉 번의 시도 끝에 그는 마침내 완벽한 도자기를 만들어냈다.
After ninety-nine attempts, he finally created a perfect ceramic piece.
그녀는 아흔 살이 된 어머니를 위해 특별한 생일 잔치를 준비했다.
She prepared a special birthday party for her ninety-year-old mother.
마을 어르신들은 아흔이 넘은 나이에도 불구하고 매일 아침 광장에 모여 운동을 하신다.
Despite being over ninety years old, the village elders gather in the square every morning to exercise.
아흔 명의 학생들이 동시에 문제 해결 방안을 토론하는 모습은 인상적이었다.
It was impressive to see ninety students discussing solutions to the problem simultaneously.
그 박물관은 아흔 년이 넘는 역사를 자랑하며 수많은 유물을 소장하고 있다.
That museum boasts a history of over ninety years and houses numerous artifacts.
아흔 번째 생일을 맞은 할머니는 가족들에게 둘러싸여 행복한 시간을 보냈다.
The grandmother, celebrating her ninetieth birthday, spent a happy time surrounded by her family.
그는 아흔 권에 달하는 소설을 집필하며 한국 문학사에 큰 족적을 남겼다.
He wrote nearly ninety novels, leaving a significant mark on Korean literary history.
Modèles grammaticaux
Structures de phrases
아흔 살
저의 할머니는 아흔 살이세요. (My grandmother is ninety years old.)
아흔 개
사과가 아흔 개 있습니다. (There are ninety apples.)
아흔 명
모임에 아흔 명의 사람이 왔어요. (Ninety people came to the gathering.)
아흔 번
그는 이 단어를 아흔 번 연습했어요. (He practiced this word ninety times.)
아흔 시간
우리는 이 프로젝트에 아흔 시간을 보냈어요. (We spent ninety hours on this project.)
아흔 킬로미터
집에서 학교까지 아흔 킬로미터예요. (It's ninety kilometers from home to school.)
아흔 페이지
책은 아흔 페이지를 읽었어요. (I read ninety pages of the book.)
아흔 그루
공원에 아흔 그루의 나무가 있어요. (There are ninety trees in the park.)
Mémorise-le
Moyen mnémotechnique
Imagine a **hun**dred minus ten. So, 'a-hun' sounds a bit like 'a hun'dred, but not quite', hinting at 90.
Association visuelle
Picture ninety apples lined up. Now, draw a big 'A' over the first few, and a 'H' over the next few, and an 'N' over the last few, representing 'A-Heun'. You're literally tracing the word over the quantity it represents.
Word Web
Défi
Try counting backwards from 99 to 90 using native Korean numbers, focusing on 아흔. Then, make a list of 5 things you own 90 of (even if you don't really!) and say '아흔 [thing]'. For example, '아흔 연필' (ninety pencils).
Teste-toi 30 questions
저는 ___ 살이에요. (I am ninety years old.)
To say 'ninety' using native Korean numbers, you use '아흔'.
할머니께서는 ___ 번째 생신을 맞으셨어요. (My grandmother is celebrating her ninetieth birthday.)
When referring to 'ninetieth' in a native Korean counting context, '아흔' is the correct number to use.
그 건물은 ___ 층 높이입니다. (That building is ninety stories tall.)
When counting stories of a building using native Korean numbers, '아흔' means ninety.
이번 시험에는 ___ 점을 받았습니다. (I received ninety points on this exam.)
To express 'ninety' points using native Korean numbers, '아흔' is the appropriate choice.
이 책은 ___ 페이지로 되어 있습니다. (This book has ninety pages.)
When stating the number of pages using native Korean numbers, '아흔' signifies ninety.
그 회사는 ___ 년이 넘는 역사를 가지고 있습니다. (That company has a history of over ninety years.)
To say 'ninety' years when using native Korean numbers, '아흔' is correct.
The grandmother celebrated her ninetyth birthday.
This book is over ninety pages.
Ninety students took the exam.
Read this aloud:
우리 할아버지께서는 올해 아흔 살이세요.
Focus: 아흔 살이세요
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
이 건물은 아흔 년 전에 지어졌습니다.
Focus: 아흔 년 전에
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
저는 아흔 개의 사과를 샀습니다.
Focus: 아흔 개의
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
저는 내년에 ______ 살이 됩니다. (I will be ninety years old next year.)
'아흔' means ninety. The other options are 'nine', 'ninety-nine', and 'nine o'clock' respectively.
할머니께서는 ______ 년대에 지어진 오래된 집에 사십니다. (Grandma lives in an old house built in the nineties.)
'아흔' is used here to refer to the nineties (1990s).
이 책은 ______ 페이지가 넘습니다. (This book has over ninety pages.)
'아흔' means ninety. The other options are 'nine', 'ninety-one', and 'ninety-eight'.
한국어로 '아흔'은 숫자 90을 나타냅니다. (In Korean, '아흔' represents the number 90.)
'아흔' is the native Korean word for ninety.
'아흔 살'은 '90세'를 의미합니다. ( '아흔 살' means '90 years old'.)
'아흔 살' is the correct way to say ninety years old using native Korean numbers.
아흔은 시간을 말할 때 사용되는 숫자입니다. (아흔 is a number used when telling time.)
'아흔' is used for counting objects or age, not for telling time directly. For time, one would use '9시' (9 o'clock) or Sino-Korean numbers for minutes.
She is very hale and hearty despite being ninety years old.
Our grandmother is celebrating her ninetieth birthday next month.
An elderly person over ninety years old is personally farming.
Read this aloud:
아흔 살이 넘는 분들을 위한 특별 프로그램이 있습니다.
Focus: 아흔 (a-heun)
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
이 건물은 지은 지 벌써 아흔 년이 되었어요.
Focus: 아흔 (a-heun)
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
Read this aloud:
그 분은 아흔에도 여전히 활발하게 활동하고 계십니다.
Focus: 아흔 (a-heun)
Tu as dit :
Speech recognition is not supported in your browser. Try Chrome or Edge.
This sentence means 'He is almost ninety years old.' The order follows a typical Korean sentence structure of Subject-Adverb-Object-Verb (implied verb 'is').
This sentence means 'There are over ninety books.' '책이' (books) is the subject, '아흔 권' (ninety volumes/books) specifies the quantity, '넘게' (over/more than) modifies it, and '있어요' (there are) is the verb.
This sentence means 'Grandmother celebrated her ninetieth birthday.' '할머니는' (Grandmother) is the subject, '아흔 번째 생신을' (ninetieth birthday) is the object, and '맞이하셨다' (celebrated/met) is the verb.
/ 30 correct
Perfect score!
Exemple
할머니는 아흔이 넘으셨는데도 기억력이 좋으세요.
