얼마예요?Shopping and Quantities
Chapter Objectives
By the end of this chapter, you will be able to:
- Count people and objects using native Korean numbers from 1 to 99.
- Attach the counters 개, 명, 병, and 잔 to native Korean numbers to count objects, people, bottles, and cups/glasses.
- Ask how much something costs using 얼마예요? and understand answers using Sino-Korean numbers.
- Make a polite request for an item or quantity using 주세요.
- Read simple price labels and shopping signs.
- Combine quantity, counter, and price language to complete a simple shopping transaction in connected polite Korean.
Communication Scenario
Layla and Minjun stop at a small campus convenience store on their way back from the library. Layla wants to buy a few drinks and snacks for her roommates, but she needs to ask how many items cost, count out the right quantity, and make her request politely to the clerk.
- Korean uses two number systems. This chapter activates the native Korean number system, which is used with counters for people and everyday objects, alongside the Sino-Korean numbers you already use for prices, dates, and phone numbers.
- By the end of this chapter you will be able to ask a price, count out a quantity with the correct counter, and request an item politely, using only the systems activated through Chapter 9.
Core Vocabulary
The following productive vocabulary supports this chapter's communicative goal: shopping, counting, and asking prices.
숫자 — Native Korean numbers 1–20
| Number | Korean | Number | Korean |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 하나 | 11 | 열하나 |
| 2 | 둘 | 12 | 열둘 |
| 3 | 셋 | 13 | 열셋 |
| 4 | 넷 | 14 | 열넷 |
| 5 | 다섯 | 15 | 열다섯 |
| 6 | 여섯 | 16 | 열여섯 |
| 7 | 일곱 | 17 | 열일곱 |
| 8 | 여덟 | 18 | 열여덟 |
| 9 | 아홉 | 19 | 열아홉 |
| 10 | 열 | 20 | 스물 |
Tens beyond 20 follow a regular pattern (스물, 서른 "30", 마흔 "40", and so on) and combine with the numbers above, but this chapter's productive target is fluent use of 1–20 with counters, since that range covers nearly all everyday shopping quantities.
단위 — Counters
| Korean | Counts | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 개 | general objects | most common all-purpose counter |
| 명 | people | neutral, everyday counter for people |
| 병 | bottles | |
| 잔 | cups; glasses | used for drinks served in a cup or glass |
Spelling note: before a counter, native numbers 1–4 and 20 shorten: 하나→한, 둘→두, 셋→세, 넷→네, 스물→스무. You will use these shortened forms directly in the Grammar section.
가게 — Shopping vocabulary
| Korean | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 가게 | store; shop | native Korean noun |
| 편의점 | convenience store | Sino-Korean compound |
| 물 | water | |
| 사과 | apple | |
| 빵 | bread | loanword-derived native item |
| 우유 | milk | recycled from Chapter 8 reading |
| 원 | won (currency unit) | always follows a Sino-Korean number |
| 얼마 | how much | question word for price |
| 전부 | all together; in total | used when asking for a combined price |
동사 — Verb for this chapter
| Dictionary form | Chapter form | Meaning | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 주다 | 주세요 | please give (me) | polite request form; introduced here as a fixed pattern |
주세요 is presented here as a usable request pattern attached to a noun phrase. Its full grammatical analysis as an imperative-style ending is developed in later chapters.
Pronunciation Focus
This chapter does not introduce a new sound-change rule. It gives you controlled practice with the shortened native numbers before counters, and with distinguishing native numbers (하나, 둘, 셋...) from the Sino-Korean numbers you already use for prices (일, 이, 삼...).
Native numbers (하나, 둘, 셋) and Sino-Korean numbers (일, 이, 삼) sound completely different from each other. Mixing them up is a common beginner error, not a matter of accent. Listen for whether a number is followed by a counter like 개 or 명 (native) or by 원 (Sino-Korean).
Read the following aloud, paying attention to the shortened forms before counters.
한 개 · 두 개 · 세 개 · 네 개 · 한 명 · 두 명 · 한 병 · 두 병 · 한 잔 · 두 잔
받침 점검: 몇 개 links smoothly in fast speech; the final ㅊ of 몇 is pronounced as an unreleased ㄷ-family sound before a consonant-initial counter. Simply imitate the pronunciation as modeled; the formal rule is not assessed at this level.
Grammar and Sentence Patterns
문법 1 — Native Korean numbers with counters
Communicative purpose: count people, objects, bottles, and drinks accurately.
To count something in everyday Korean, use a native Korean number followed directly by a counter. The numbers 하나, 둘, 셋, 넷, and 스물 shorten to 한, 두, 세, 네, and 스무 immediately before a counter.
| Number | Shortened form | + counter | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| 하나 | 한 | 한 개 | one (object) |
| 둘 | 두 | 두 명 | two (people) |
| 셋 | 세 | 세 병 | three (bottles) |
| 넷 | 네 | 네 잔 | four (cups) |
- 사과 세 개 주세요. Please give me three apples. 사과 [noun] + 세 개 [number + counter] + 주세요 [request]
- 친구가 두 명 있어요. I have two friends.
- 물 한 병 주세요. Please give me one bottle of water.
The counted noun comes first, followed by the number and counter together, and then the rest of the sentence: 사과 세 개 ("apples, three of them"), not 세 개 사과. Do not attach a particle between the noun and the number-counter phrase.
문법 2 — Asking "how many?" with 몇
Communicative purpose: ask for a quantity before stating or receiving one.
몇 ("how many") is followed directly by a counter, just like a number.
- 사과 몇 개 있어요? How many apples do you have?
- 가족이 몇 명이에요? How many people are in your family? recycled from Chapter 3 family vocabulary
문법 3 — Asking price with 얼마예요? and Sino-Korean numbers
Communicative purpose: ask and understand the cost of an item.
Prices in Korean use Sino-Korean numbers (일, 이, 삼...), the same system you already use for dates and phone numbers, followed by the currency word 원. The question word for price is 얼마, used with the copula.
- 이거 얼마예요? How much is this?
- 천 원이에요. It's 1,000 won.
- 사과 세 개, 전부 얼마예요? Three apples — how much altogether?
문법 4 — Requests with 주세요
Communicative purpose: politely ask for an item, a quantity, or a service.
주세요 attaches directly to a noun phrase, usually a noun and a number-counter combination, to make a polite request. The particle 을/를 is often omitted here in everyday spoken requests.
- 빵 두 개 주세요. Please give me two pieces of bread.
- 물 한 병 주세요. Please give me one bottle of water.
At this stage, treat 주세요 as a fixed polite request pattern attached after a noun phrase. Its internal grammar — how it relates to the verb 주다 and the honorific ending system — is developed formally in a later chapter. You may use it productively for requests now.
Practice — Counting and requesting
- Fill in the shortened number: 사과 ___(3) 개 주세요.
- Fill in the counter: 친구가 다섯 ___ 있어요.
- Write a question asking how much a bag costs.
- Write a request for two bottles of water using 주세요.
Model Dialogue
Setting: Layla and Minjun stop at the campus convenience store on the way back from the library.
내용 이해 — Comprehension questions:
- How much does one apple cost?
- What two items does Layla buy, and how many of each?
- How much does Layla pay altogether?
- What does Minjun buy, and how much is it?
Listening
Ask your instructor, a language partner, or a text-to-speech tool to read the following two short passages aloud. Listen twice without reading, then complete the tasks below.
편의점에서
저는 편의점에서 물 세 병을 사요. 물은 한 병에 천 원이에요. 저는 빵도 두 개 사요. 빵은 한 개에 이천 원이에요.
우리 가족 이야기
우리 가족은 다섯 명이에요. 저는 언니가 한 명, 남동생이 두 명 있어요. 우리는 커피를 세 잔, 우유를 두 잔 마셔요.
듣기 과제 — Listening task: Listen and write the missing number and counter.
| 문장 | Number + Counter |
|---|---|
| 물 ______ 을/를 사요. | ______ |
| 빵 ______ 을/를 사요. | ______ |
| 가족이 ______ 이에요. | ______ |
| 커피를 ______ 마셔요. | ______ |
받아쓰기 — Dictation: Your partner or instructor reads one price sentence and one request sentence from the passages or dialogue above, once each at natural speed. Write what you hear in Hangeul.
- (price sentence)
- (request sentence)
Reading
Below is a simple shopping list and price sign that Layla wrote after her trip to the store. Read it and answer the questions below.
쇼핑 목록 — Shopping list
사과 세 개 — 삼천 원
물 두 병 — 이천 원
빵 한 개 — 이천오백 원
우유 한 병 — 이천 원
전부 구천오백 원이에요.
This reading recycles Sino-Korean numbers for price and native Korean numbers for quantity, side by side, exactly as they appear in real shopping contexts.
내용 이해 — Comprehension questions:
- How many apples and bottles of water did Layla buy?
- How much did the bread cost?
- How much did Layla pay in total?
- Which item on the list was the most expensive?
Writing Workshop
This chapter's writing task is a short shopping note, 쇼핑 목록과 가격 ("Shopping List and Prices"), listing items you want to buy with their quantities and prices, plus one polite request.
- List three items. Write each item with a native Korean number and the correct counter (개, 명, 병, or 잔 as appropriate).
- State a price for each item. Use Sino-Korean numbers and 원.
- Write a total. Use 전부 and 얼마예요? or a total price statement.
- Add one request sentence. Use 주세요 with a noun and a number-counter phrase.
- Revise. Check your draft against the editing checklist below.
체크리스트 — Editing checklist:
- Native Korean numbers (하나, 둘, 셋...) are used with counters, with 1–4 and 20 correctly shortened.
- Sino-Korean numbers (일, 이, 삼...) are used with 원 for prices.
- The correct counter (개, 명, 병, 잔) is chosen for each item.
- 주세요 is attached directly after a noun and number-counter phrase.
- Earlier systems (은/는, 이/가, 을/를, 에, 에서, -아요/어요, position nouns) are still used correctly where they appear.
- No sentence relies on grammar not yet activated (Chapter 10 and beyond).
Speaking Practice
통제 연습 — Controlled practice: Number and counter match
Working with a partner or alone, take turns saying a quantity aloud using the correct shortened number and counter: 3 apples (사과), 2 people (친구), 4 bottles (물), 1 cup (커피).
의사소통 과제 — Communicative task: 편의점 역할극
Work with a partner. One person plays the customer and one plays the clerk. The customer asks the price of two or three items, states a quantity with 주세요, and asks for the total with 전부 얼마예요? The clerk answers each price using Sino-Korean numbers and 원. Switch roles and repeat with different items.
- 이거 얼마예요?
- 사과 두 개 주세요.
- 전부 얼마예요?
- 물 몇 병 있어요?
혼자 하는 연습 — Solo alternative
Record yourself playing both roles of a short shopping exchange: ask the price of two items, request a quantity of each with 주세요, and state the total. Listen back and check your native versus Sino-Korean number choice against the Grammar section.
Culture and Communication
Convenience stores such as 편의점 are extremely common across South Korea and are used for quick everyday purchases, small meals, and even paying certain bills, making the shopping language in this chapter broadly useful in daily life.
Using native Korean numbers for counting objects and people, and Sino-Korean numbers for prices, dates, and phone numbers, is not optional stylistic variation — both systems are used constantly and interchangeably within a single shopping conversation, as shown in this chapter's dialogue.
Prices and currency shown in this chapter reflect South Korean won and typical campus-area pricing for illustration only. Actual prices vary by store, region, and time, and diaspora Korean-speaking communities outside South Korea often shop using local currencies while still using Korean number and counter vocabulary in conversation.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Error: 사과 삼 개 주세요.
Correction: 사과 세 개 주세요. — counters like 개, 명, 병, and 잔 take native Korean numbers, not Sino-Korean numbers.
Error: 하나 천 원이에요.
Correction: 천 원이에요. — 원 (currency) always takes Sino-Korean numbers, and does not need a separate native-number word in front of it.
Error: 하나 개 주세요.
Correction: 한 개 주세요. — 하나, 둘, 셋, 넷, and 스물 must shorten to 한, 두, 세, 네, and 스무 directly before a counter.
Error: 세 개 사과 주세요.
Correction: 사과 세 개 주세요. — the counted noun comes first, followed by the number and counter together.
Chapter Review
Section A — 어휘 (Vocabulary)
1. List the four counters introduced in this chapter and what each one counts.
2. Give the native Korean numbers for 1 through 10.
Section B — 문법 (Grammar)
1. Fill in the correct shortened number and counter:
- 사과 ___(1)___ 주세요.
- 친구가 ___(4)___ 있어요.
- 물 ___(2)___ 주세요.
2. Write a question asking the total price of two items using 전부.
3. Correct the errors:
- 사과 삼 개 주세요.
- 하나 개 주세요.
- 세 개 사과 주세요.
Section C — 독해 이해 (Reading Comprehension)
1. According to the shopping list, how much did the milk cost?
2. What was the total price for everything on the list?
Section D — 쓰기 (Writing)
1. Write a four-to-six sentence shopping list with quantities, prices, a total, and one 주세요 request, following the Writing Workshop checklist.
Section E — 말하기 (Speaking)
1. Without notes, role-play a short shopping exchange with a partner, asking and answering the price of two items and making one request.
누적 복습 — Cumulative review
This chapter recycles the copula, 은/는, 이/가, 을/를, -아요/어요, 에, 에서, position nouns, and Sino-Korean numbers for dates and prices from Chapters 1 through 8 inside the Model Dialogue, Reading, and Writing Workshop, alongside this chapter's new native Korean numbers, counters, and 주세요 requests. If any earlier item felt uncertain while completing this chapter, return to Chapters 1 through 8 before continuing to Chapter 10.
Practical Performance Task
수행 과제
편의점에서 — At the Convenience Store
You will complete a simple shopping transaction, in speech and in writing, using only the systems activated through Chapter 9.
- Written: Write your shopping list and price note from the Writing Workshop, including at least three items with native-number-plus-counter quantities, Sino-Korean prices, a total, and one 주세요 request.
- Spoken: Role-play your shopping list aloud with a partner or record yourself playing both customer and clerk, then answer one unscripted follow-up question about the price or quantity of another item.
- Reflection: Write one English sentence identifying which part of this chapter — choosing native versus Sino-Korean numbers, shortening numbers before counters, or 주세요 word order — still feels least automatic, and one specific thing you will review before Chapter 10.
| Criterion | What is evaluated |
|---|---|
| Native number accuracy | Correct native Korean numbers, including shortening before counters |
| Sino-Korean number accuracy | Correct Sino-Korean numbers used with 원 for prices |
| Counter accuracy | Correct choice of 개, 명, 병, or 잔 for each item |
| Request accuracy | Correct use and word order of 주세요 |
| Price-question accuracy | Correct use of 얼마예요? and 전부 |
| Cumulative accuracy | Correct continued use of 은/는, 이/가, 을/를, -아요/어요, 에, 에서, and position nouns where relevant |
| Scope discipline | No structures used beyond Chapters 1–9 |
Answer Key
Grammar Practice
1. 사과 세 개 주세요. 2. 친구가 다섯 명 있어요. 3. 가방이 얼마예요? 4. 물 두 병 주세요.
Dialogue — Comprehension
- One apple costs 1,000 won.
- Layla buys three apples and two bottles of water.
- Layla pays 5,000 won altogether.
- Minjun buys one piece of bread for 2,500 won.
Listening comprehension
- 물 세 병을 사요. — three bottles
- 빵 두 개를 사요. — two pieces
- 가족이 다섯 명이에요. — five people
- 커피를 세 잔 마셔요. — three cups
Reading comprehension
- Layla bought three apples and two bottles of water.
- The bread cost 2,500 won.
- Layla paid 9,500 won in total.
- The bread was the most expensive item.
Chapter Review — Section B
- (a) 사과 한 개 주세요. (b) 친구가 네 명 있어요. (c) 물 두 병 주세요.
- Any accurate example, e.g. 사과하고 빵, 전부 얼마예요?
- (a) → 사과 세 개 주세요. (counters take native numbers) (b) → 한 개 주세요. (하나 shortens to 한 before a counter) (c) → 사과 세 개 주세요. (noun comes before the number-counter phrase)
Section D — Sample shopping list and prices
사과 세 개 — 삼천 원이에요. 물 두 병 — 이천 원이에요. 빵 한 개 — 이천오백 원이에요. 전부 칠천오백 원이에요. 사과 세 개 주세요.
Check that: native Korean numbers and counters are used for quantities, with correct shortening; Sino-Korean numbers and 원 are used for prices; 주세요 attaches directly after a noun and number-counter phrase; earlier systems (은/는, 이/가, 을/를, -아요/어요, 에, 에서, position nouns) remain accurate where used.
Looking Ahead
지금 할 수 있는 것 — What you can do now
You can count people and objects with native Korean numbers and counters, ask and understand prices with Sino-Korean numbers, and make a polite request with 주세요. Combined with Chapters 1 through 8, you can now introduce yourself, describe your family, state dates, talk about food and drink, describe your daily routine, locate people and places, and complete a simple shopping transaction — all in connected polite Korean.