Welcome to our blog post on Korean vocabulary related to days, months, seasons, and years! Whether you’re learning Korean for travel, work, or personal interest, understanding how to express time-related concepts is essential for effective communication. In this post, we will delve into the Korean words for days of the week, months, seasons, and years, providing you with a comprehensive guide to expand your language skills. Along with explanations, we will also include interactive exercises to practice and reinforce your knowledge. Get ready to enhance your Korean language proficiency and confidently navigate conversations involving time expressions. Let’s dive in and explore the fascinating world of Korean time vocabulary!
Days of the week
- Each day of the week in Korean ends with “요일” (yoil), which means ‘day of the week’.
- The first part of each word represents a different element or celestial body.
| Korean | Romanization | English |
| 월요일 | Wo-ryo-il | Monday |
| 화요일 | Hwa-yo-il | Tuesday |
| 수요일 | Su-yo-il | Wednesday |
| 목요일 | Mok-yo-il | Thursday |
| 금요일 | Geum-yo-il | Friday |
| 토요일 | To-yo-il | Saturday |
| 일요일 | I-ryo-il | Sunday |
| 일 | Il | Day* |
| 하루 | Ha-ru | Day* |
| 날 | Nal | Day* |
| 주 | Ju | Week |
| 그저께 | Geu-jeo-kke | Day before yesterday |
| 어제 | Eo-je | Yesterday |
| 오늘 | O-neul | Today |
| 내일 | Nae-il | Tomorrow |
| 모레 | Mo-re | Day after tomorrow |
| 매일 | Mae-il | Everyday |
| 매주 | Mae-ju | Every week |
| 평일 | Peyong-il | Weekday |
| 주말 | Ju-mal | Weekend |
| 지난주 | Ji-nan-ju | Last week |
| 이번주 | I-beon-ju | This week |
| 다음주 | Da-eum-ju | Next week |
The difference between “일”, “하루” and “날
In Korean, “일” (il), “하루” (haru), and “날” (nal) can all be translated as “day” in English, but they have different nuances and usage:
일 is a Sino Korean word and is usually used in terms of a “date” rather than “day”.
- to refer to a specific day of the week or a specific date on the calendar (월요일/Monday,6일/6th).
- It is also a quantifier so it is used as a counting noun (매일/everyday, 2일 동안/ for two days).
- 제 생일은 다음 달이에요 – My birthday is next month.
- 오늘 6월 21일이에요 – Today is 21st of June.
- 2일 동안 공부 열심히 했어요 – I was studying diligently for 2 days.
하루 is a pure Korean word and specifically refers to a 24-hour period or a “day” as a unit of time.
- Commonly used to talk about daily routines, activities, or events that occur within a day. (하루 일정/ daily schedule, 하루에 세 번/ three times a day).
- 하루 종일 아무것도 못 먹었어요 – I couldn’t eat anything for the whole day.
- 하루에 한 번씩 운동을 해요 – I exercise once a day.
날 is also a pure Korean word and is more general term that can refer to both “day” and “date”.
- It is often used when describing a day or to say what kind of day it is.
- 생일 잘 보냈어요 – I spent my birthday well.
- 생일 날 잘 보냈어요 – I spent the day of my birthday well.
- 오늘 너무 좋은 날이였어요 – Today was a great day.
- 요즘에 비 오는 날이 많아요 – There are a lot of rainy days these days.
In summary, 일 (il) refers to a specific day of the week or a specific calendar date, 하루 (haru) refers to a 24-hour period or a day as a unit of time, and 날 (nal) is a more general term that can encompass both “day” and “date” in various contexts.
Different meanings of each day in Korean
The Korean days of the week have their origins in Chinese characters, which were used to represent the days of the week in both Chinese and Korean languages. Here are the Chinese characters associated with each Korean day of the week:
월 = 月 = moon
화 = 火 = fire
수 = 水 = water
목 = 木 = wood
금 = 金 = gold, metal
토 = 土 = earth, soil
일 = 日 = sun
The characters 曜日 (yào rì) in Chinese represent “day” or “day of the week,” while the preceding character indicates the associated element or celestial body. These Chinese characters are still used in Korean to represent the days of the week, even though the pronunciation may differ between the two languages.
- 월요일 (wol-yoil) – 月曜日 (yuè yào rì) – Moon Day:
- The character 月 (yuè) represents the moon in both Chinese and Korean.
- This day is associated with the moon’s influence and is often seen as a calm and reflective day.
- 화요일 (hwa-yoil) – 火曜日 (huǒ yào rì) – Fire Day:
- The character 火 (huǒ) represents fire.
- It symbolizes energy, passion, and action.
- 수요일 (su-yoil) – 水曜日 (shuǐ yào rì) – Water Day:
- The character 水 (shuǐ) represents water.
- It signifies adaptability, flexibility, and harmony.
- 목요일 (mok-yoil) – 木曜日 (mù yào rì) – Wood Day:
- The character 木 (mù) represents wood or tree.
- It symbolizes growth, stability, and grounding.
- 금요일 (geum-yoil) – 金曜日 (jīn yào rì) – Gold Day:
- The character 金 (jīn) represents gold or metal.
- It signifies wealth, abundance, and prosperity.
- 토요일 (to-yoil) – 土曜日 (tǔ yào rì) – Earth Day:
- The character 土 (tǔ) represents earth or soil.
- It symbolizes stability, grounding, and practicality.
- 일요일 (il-yoil) – 日曜日 (rì yào rì) – Sun Day:
- The character 日 (rì) represents the sun.
- It represents brightness, warmth, and vitality.
These characters not only provide a way to express the days of the week but also carry cultural and philosophical significance. The associations with elements and celestial bodies reflect traditional East Asian cosmology and the influence of nature in people’s lives.
Months of the year
- Each month in Korean is named using a combination of Sino-Korean numbers and the word “월” (wol), which means ‘month’.
- This system is quite logical and easy to learn, especially if you are familiar with Sino-Korean numbers.
| Korean | Romanization | English |
| 월 | Wol | Month |
| 달 | Dal | Month (when counting) |
| 일월 | Il-wol | January |
| 이월 | I-wol | February |
| 삼월 | Sam-wol | March |
| 사월 | Sa-wo | April |
| 오월 | O-wol | May |
| 유월 | Yu-wol | June |
| 칠월 | Chil-wol | July |
| 팔월 | Pal-wol | August |
| 구월 | Gu-wol | September |
| 십월 | Shi-wol | October |
| 십일월 | Shib-ir-wol | November |
| 십이월 | Shib-i-wol | December |
| 작년에 | Jak-neyon-e | Last year |
| 올해 | Ol-hae | This year |
| 내년에 | Nae-neyon-e | Next year |
Difference between “월” and “달”
월 and 달 both mean “month” in Korean, but they have some differences. 월 is a Sino-Korean word, which means it has Chinese origins, while 달 is a native Korean word.
- “월” is the general term used to indicate “month.” It is commonly used when talking about the calendar month or when stating the month in a numerical sense. For example, “1월” (ilwol) means “January,” and “12월” (yeolwol) means “December.” It is also used in phrases like “한 달” (han dal), meaning “one month,” or “이번 달” (ibeon dal), meaning “this month.”
- “달” is a more poetic or literary term for “month” in Korean. It often carries a sense of romanticism or a nostalgic tone. It is commonly used in literature, songs, or poetry. For instance, “달빛” (dalbit) means “moonlight,” and “달을 바라보다” (daleul baraboda) means “to gaze at the moon.” This term is more evocative and can be used to convey emotions associated with the moon or the passing of time.
Counting months in Korean
In Korean, both “개월” (gaewol) and “달” (dal) are words used to refer to “month.” However, there is a difference in their usage and nuance:
- 개월 (Gaewol): “개월” is a Sino-Korean word used specifically to indicate the duration or age in months. It is commonly used when talking about the age of a person or the duration of a certain period. For example, “3개월” (samgaewol) means “3 months” or “3-month period,” and “아기가 6개월이 되었어요” (agiga yukgaewol-i doeeosseoyo) means “The baby turned 6 months old.”
- 개월 is used with Sino-Korean numbers i.e. 삼개월 (3 months)
- 달 (Dal): “달” is a native Korean word that can be used in various contexts related to “month.” It can be used to indicate the month on the calendar or when expressing the concept of a month in a general sense. For example, “1월” (ilwol) means “January,” and “한 달” (han dal) means “one month” or “a month.” It is the more commonly used term when referring to a specific month or mentioning months in everyday conversations.
- 달 is used with native Korean numbers i.e. 한 달 (1 month)
Date in Korean
In Korean, the typical format for expressing the full date is “Year + Month + Day.” Here’s an example: 2023년 5월 19일 (i-jeon-i-ship-sam-neyon-o-wol-sip-gu-il). It translates to “May 19th, 2023.” Remember, the year comes first, followed by the month and then the day.
Now that you’re familiar with the Korean vocabulary for days, months, and years, let’s put it all together. Here are some useful phrases that incorporate these time elements, which you can use in various contexts.
Asking About the Date:
- 오늘은 몇 월 며칠이에요? (Oneuleun myeot wol myeochirieyo?) – “What is today’s date?”
- 내일은 무슨 요일이에요? (Naeileun museun yoil-ieyo?) – “What day of the week is tomorrow?”
Talking About Birthdays:
- 제 생일은 이월 삼일이에요. (Je saengireun iwol samirieyo.) – “My birthday is February 3rd.”
- 친구의 생일은 언제예요? (Chinguui saengireun eonjeyeyo?) – “When is your friend’s birthday?”
Discussing Historical or Future Events:
- 한국전쟁은 천구백오십년에 시작됐어요. (Hangukjeonjaengeun cheongubaeko-shipnyeone sijakdwaesseoyo.) – “The Korean War started in 1950.”
- 이천삼십년에 화성에 갈 거예요. (Icheon-samsipnyeone hwaseonge gal geoyeyo.) – “We will go to Mars in 2030.”
Making Appointments or Plans:
- 목요일에 만날까요? (Mokyoire mannalkkayo?) – “Shall we meet on Thursday?”
- 열한시에 영화를 볼 거예요. (Yeolhansie yeonghwareul bol geoyeyo.) – “I will watch a movie at eleven o’clock.”
Using these phrases in your conversations will help you practice and reinforce your knowledge of Korean days, months, and years.
Furthermore, they are essential for navigating social interactions, planning events, and understanding cultural references in Korea.
Activity 1
Fill in the blanks with the appropriate days, months, or years in Korean and translate them to English or a language of your choice.
- 오늘은 ________요일이에요. (Monday)
- 다음 ________에 제 생일이에요. (month)
- 우리는 ________에 결혼할 거예요. (Next year)
- 다음 주 ________에 시험이 있어요. (Wednesday)
- 저는 한 ____ 동안 미국에 여행할 거에요. (month)
- 내 생일은 3월 ________일이에요. (14th)
- 저는 ________에 새로운 직장에 입사했어요. (Last year)
- 우리는 매주 ________요일에 수영해요. (Saturday)
Activity 2
Find any words relating to days, months, years.
Activity 1 Answers
- 오늘은 월요일이에요. (Monday) – Today is Monday.
- 다음 달에 제 생일이에요. (month) – It’s my birthday next month.
- 우리는 내년에 결혼 할 거예요. (Next year) – We will get married next year.
- 다음 주 수요일에 시험이 있어요. (Wednesday) – I have an exam next week on Wednesday.
- 저는 한 달 동안 미국에 여행 할 거에요. (month) – I will be travelling USA for a month.
- 내 생일은 3월 십사일일이에요. (14th) – My birthday is on the 14th March.
- 저는 작년에 새로운 직장에 입사했어요. (Last year) – I joined a new company last year.
- 우리는 매주 토요일에 수영해요. (Saturday) – We swim every week on a Saturday.
Activity 2 Answers
