Korean Counter 년: How to Count years

Use Sino-Korean numbers with 년 to count calendar years, duration.

The Rule

년 is the counter for years: calendar years, duration. In Korean, you can't just say a number + noun. You MUST use a counter word between them. This is like English "two SHEETS of paper" or "three CUPS of coffee" — except Korean does this for EVERYTHING. Even "three apples" needs a counter: 사과 세 개.

Why English Speakers Get It Wrong

English only uses counters for uncountable nouns ("a glass of water", "a piece of cake"). Korean uses counters for ALL nouns — even ones English counts directly. The second trap: Korean has TWO number systems. 년 uses Sino-Korean (일, 이, 삼...) numbers. Using the wrong system is a common mistake that sounds immediately wrong to Korean ears.

How It Works

Pattern: Noun + Number + 년 Sino-Korean numbers: 일(1), 이(2), 삼(3), 사(4), 오(5), 육(6), 칠(7), 팔(8), 구(9), 십(10) The counter 년 comes right after the number. The noun can come before or after the number+counter, but before is more natural in conversation.

Real Examples

• 이천이십육 년이에요. (icheonisipyuk nyeonieyo.) — "It's the year 2026." [Always Sino-Korean for years] • 삼 년 동안 한국에 살았어요. (sam nyeon dongan hanguke sarateoyo.) — "I lived in Korea for 3 years." [삼 = sino 3]

Common Mistakes

❌ Using native Korean numbers with 년 ✅ Use Sino-Korean numbers: 이천이십육 년이에요. → 년 always takes Sino-Korean numbers. Mixing number systems is one of the most common counter mistakes. ❌ Saying the number without a counter (e.g., "사과 세") ✅ Always include the counter: 이천이십육 년이에요. → Dropping the counter sounds incomplete in Korean, like saying "three of" without finishing the phrase in English.

Quick Tip

Start with the 5 most common counters: 개 (things), 명 (people), 마리 (animals), 잔 (cups), 병 (bottles). Once these are automatic, add 년 to your toolkit. Practice counting things you see daily: "커피 두 잔", "사람 세 명". The more you use counters in real situations, the faster they become natural.

년 = years. Uses Sino-Korean numbers.

Examples

이천이십육 년이에요. — icheonisipyuk nyeonieyo. — It's the year 2026.

삼 년 동안 한국에 살았어요. — sam nyeon dongan hanguke sarateoyo. — I lived in Korea for 3 years.