I can buy the number of items I need at a store — 사과 두 개 주세요 — and ask for “more” and “this too”: 빵하고 우유 좀 주세요.
How many of what: 개, 하고, and 주세요
How many of what: 개, 하고, and 주세요
What for: to buy the amount you need. The order is the reverse of English “two pears”: thing → number → counter. “Two pears” is 배 두 개, literally “pear two items”. 개 is the counter for things and fruit; the number is native Korean, in its form before a counter: 한 개, 두 개, 열 개. 개 is written apart from the number: 여섯 개; after a figure it can be attached: 6개. See the table.
A request is the thing (+ number + 개) + 주세요 “please give me”. 좀 makes it softer: 우유 좀 주세요. 더 means “more”: 하나 더 주세요.
“And” between things is 하고, attached to the first word; after a 받침 and after a vowel the form is the same: 수박하고 참외, 배하고 감. 하고 never goes between verbs.
With the verb 사다, 을 / 를 goes after the thing or after the whole group: 감을 일곱 개 사요 = 감 일곱 개를 사요. With 주세요 it is usually left out.
The clerk greets you with 어서 오세요! “Welcome!” and hands you your purchase with 여기 있어요 “here you are”.
Common mistakes:
• ×두 배 → 배 두 개
• ×배 둘 개 → 배 두 개
• ×배 개 두 → 배 두 개
• ×감 하고 배 → 감하고 배 (하고 is attached)
• ×여섯개 → 여섯 개
First the thing, then the number
The number is native Korean, in the form before a counter.
| In English | Thing | Number | Counter |
|---|---|---|---|
| two pears | 배 | 두 | 개 |
| seven persimmons | 감 | 일곱 | 개 |
| one melon | 참외 | 한 | 개 |
| how many? | (thing) | 몇 | 개 |
More fruit at the stand
Recognize these words at the stand and on a shopping list.
| Word | Translation |
|---|---|
| 수박 | watermelon |
| 배 | pear |
| 참외 | Korean melon |
| 감 | persimmon |
Lesson notes
How many of what: 개, 하고, and 주세요
What for: to buy the amount you need. The order is the reverse of English “two pears”: thing → number → counter. “Two pears” is 배 두 개, literally “pear two items”. 개 is the counter for things and fruit; the number is native Korean, in its form before a counter: 한 개, 두 개, 열 개. 개 is written apart from the number: 여섯 개; after a figure it can be attached: 6개. See the table.
A request is the thing (+ number + 개) + 주세요 “please give me”. 좀 makes it softer: 우유 좀 주세요. 더 means “more”: 하나 더 주세요.
“And” between things is 하고, attached to the first word; after a 받침 and after a vowel the form is the same: 수박하고 참외, 배하고 감. 하고 never goes between verbs.
With the verb 사다, 을 / 를 goes after the thing or after the whole group: 감을 일곱 개 사요 = 감 일곱 개를 사요. With 주세요 it is usually left out.
The clerk greets you with 어서 오세요! “Welcome!” and hands you your purchase with 여기 있어요 “here you are”.
Common mistakes:
• ×두 배 → 배 두 개
• ×배 둘 개 → 배 두 개
• ×배 개 두 → 배 두 개
• ×감 하고 배 → 감하고 배 (하고 is attached)
• ×여섯개 → 여섯 개