🏠 Beginner · Lesson 6

Common Korean Nouns: 명사

🏷️ With Audio Buttons 📊 Beginner 🔖 Vocabulary 📝 Particle Usage Included

Nouns (명사) are the building blocks of every Korean sentence. Unlike English, Korean nouns do not change form for gender or number — one word covers both singular and plural. This lesson organises the most essential Korean nouns into eight practical categories, from people and family to counters and possessives, so you can start building real sentences right away.

1 People Nouns (사람 명사)

These words describe people and their roles. They are among the first nouns you will use in real Korean conversations — introducing yourself, asking about others, or talking about your day.

Korean	Romanization	English
사람	saram サラム	person / human
남자	namja ナムジャ	man / boy
여자	yeoja ヨジャ	woman / girl
아이	ai アイ	child / kid
어른	eoreun オルン	adult
학생	haksaeng ハクセン	student
선생님	seonsaengnim ソンセンニム	teacher
친구	chingu チング	friend
이웃	iut イウッ	neighbor
손님	sonnim ソンニム	guest / customer
의사	uisa ウィサ	doctor
직원	jigwon ジグォン	employee / staff member

2 Family Nouns (가족 명사)

Korean family vocabulary is more complex than English — many terms change depending on your gender as the speaker. For example, an older brother is called 형 by male speakers and 오빠 by female speakers. Always learn both forms.

Korean	Romanization	English	Note
아버지 / 아빠	abeoji / appa アボジ / アッパ	father / dad	Formal / informal
어머니 / 엄마	eomeoni / eomma オモニ / オンマ	mother / mom	Formal / informal
형 / 오빠	hyeong / oppa ヒョン / オッパ	older brother	형 = male speaker · 오빠 = female speaker
누나 / 언니	nuna / eonni ヌナ / オンニ	older sister	누나 = male speaker · 언니 = female speaker
남동생	namdongsaeng ナムドンセン	younger brother	Any speaker
여동생	yeodongsaeng ヨドンセン	younger sister	Any speaker
할아버지	harabeoji ハラボジ	grandfather
할머니	halmeoni ハルモニ	grandmother
남편	nampyeon ナムピョン	husband
아내 / 부인	anae / buin アネ / ブイン	wife	아내 = plain · 부인 = formal/respectful

💡

Important!

Korean has different words for "older sibling" depending on your own gender. If you are male: your older brother is 형 and your older sister is 누나. If you are female: your older brother is 오빠 and your older sister is 언니. Using the wrong word is a very common mistake among learners — memorise both sets early!

3 Place Nouns (장소 명사)

Place nouns are essential for giving and receiving directions, making plans, and describing your daily routine. These fifteen locations cover the most common places in everyday Korean life.

Korean	Romanization	English
집	jip ジプ	house / home
학교	hakgyo ハッキョ	school
회사	hoesa フェサ	company / office
식당	sikdang シクタン	restaurant
카페	kape カペ	café
병원	byeongwon ビョンウォン	hospital / clinic
은행	eunhaeng ウンヘン	bank
편의점	pyeonuijeom ピョヌイジョム	convenience store
공항	gonghang コンハン	airport
지하철역	jihacheol yeok ジハチョルヨク	subway station
시장	sijang シジャン	market
도서관	doseogwan トソグァン	library
공원	gongwon コンウォン	park
영화관	yeonghwagwan ヨンファグァン	cinema / movie theater
호텔	hotel ホテル	hotel

4 Time Nouns (시간 명사)

Korean time expressions are used very frequently in daily conversation. Unlike English, these words typically appear before the verb they modify. Mastering them lets you place any action in past, present, or future time.

Korean	Romanization	English
오늘	oneul オヌル	today
내일	naeil ネイル	tomorrow
어제	eoje オジェ	yesterday
모레	more モレ	day after tomorrow
지금	jigeum チグム	now
아침	achim アチム	morning / breakfast
점심	jeomsim チョムシム	noon / lunch
저녁	jeonyeok チョニョク	evening / dinner
밤	bam バム	night
주말	jumal チュマル	weekend
평일	pyeongil ピョンギル	weekday
이번 주	ibeon ju イボンジュ	this week
다음 주	daeum ju タウムジュ	next week
지난 주	jinan ju ジナンジュ	last week
이번 달	ibeon dal イボンダル	this month
올해	olhae オルへ	this year
월요일	woryoil ウォリョイル	Monday
금요일	geumyoil クミョイル	Friday

5 Object Nouns — Everyday Things (사물 명사)

These everyday objects appear in beginner conversations about daily life, shopping, and describing your surroundings. Note that 차 can mean both "tea" and "car" — context always makes the meaning clear.

Korean	Romanization	English
책	chaek チェク	book
가방	gabang カバン	bag
옷	ot オッ	clothes / clothing
신발	sinbal シンバル	shoes / footwear
핸드폰 / 스마트폰	haendeupon / seumateupon ヘンドゥポン / スマトゥポン	mobile phone / smartphone
컴퓨터	keompyuteo コムピュトッ	computer
열쇠	yeolsoe ヨルスェ	key
지갑	jigap ジガプ	wallet
음식	eumsik ウムシク	food
물	mul ムル	water
커피	keopi コピ	coffee
차	cha チャ	tea (hot drink) / car — context determines meaning
돈	don トン	money
표	pyo ピョ	ticket
우산	usan ウサン	umbrella
선물	seonmul ソンムル	gift / present

6 Korean Counters (수사 / 단위 명사)

In Korean, you cannot simply put a number before a noun the way English does. You must use a counter word — a classifier that categorises the type of object being counted. The counter comes after the noun and after the number: 사과 세 개 (apple three [general-object-counter] = three apples). This is similar to English "two cups of coffee" or "a sheet of paper" — except Korean requires this for everything.

Counter	Romanization	Used For	Example
개	gae ゲ	general objects (most things)	사과 세 개 — 3 apples
명 / 분	myeong / bun ミョン / プン	people (명 = plain, 분 = respectful)	학생 다섯 명 — 5 students
권	gwon クォン	books, bound volumes	책 두 권 — 2 books
잔	jan ジャン	drinks served in cups or glasses	커피 한 잔 — 1 cup of coffee
장	jang ジャン	flat thin things (paper, photos, tickets)	종이 열 장 — 10 sheets of paper
병	byeong ビョン	bottles	물 한 병 — 1 bottle of water
마리	mari マリ	animals	고양이 두 마리 — 2 cats
번	beon ボン	times (occurrences) / ordinal numbers	첫 번째 — first / 세 번 — 3 times

📘 Counters in Full Sentences

사과를 세 개 샀어요.

Sagwareul se gae sasseoyo.

I bought three apples.

학생이 열 명 있어요.

Haksaengi yeol myeong isseoyo.

There are ten students.

커피 한 잔 주세요.

Keopi han jan juseyo.

Please give me one cup of coffee.

고양이가 두 마리 있어요.

Goyangi-ga du mari isseoyo.

There are two cats.

7 Possessives with Nouns (의)

To show possession in Korean — "A's B" — you place the particle 의 (ui) between the possessor and the possessed noun. In natural spoken Korean, 의 is often dropped or contracted, especially in pronouns.

Korean	Romanization	English
친구의 책	chingu-ui chaek チングウィチェク	friend's book
선생님의 교실	seonsaengnim-ui gyosil ソンセンニムウィキョシル	teacher's classroom
나의 → 내	na-ui → nae ナウィ → ネ	my (casual — contracted in speech)
저의 → 제	jeo-ui → je チョウィ → チェ	my (polite — contracted in speech)
너의 → 네	neo-ui → ne ノウィ → ネ	your (casual — contracted in speech)
제 가방	je gabang チェカバン	my bag (polite, contracted)

💡

Pronunciation Tip

In spoken Korean, 의 after pronouns is almost always contracted: 나의 → 내, 저의 → 제, 너의 → 네. When written or in formal contexts, 의 is kept. Note that 내 (my) and 네 (your) sound very similar in many regional accents, so speakers sometimes add 나의 or 너의 in full for clarity.

8 Practice — Noun Sentences

Put it all together. Read each sentence aloud, listen to the pronunciation, and try to build similar sentences using the vocabulary from this lesson.

📘 Full Sentences with Nouns

저는 학생이에요.

Jeoneun haksaengieyo.

I am a student.

오늘 친구를 만나요.

Oneul chingureul mannayo.

Today I'm meeting a friend.

학교에 가요.

Hakgyoe gayo.

I'm going to school.

책 세 권 있어요.

Chaek se gwon isseoyo.

I have three books.

내일 병원에 가요.

Naeil byeongwone gayo.

I'm going to the hospital tomorrow.

이 커피 제 거예요.

I keopi je geoyeyo.

This coffee is mine.

ℹ️

Study Tip

The fastest way to build vocabulary is to connect each noun to a real memory. Walk through your home and label objects in Korean. Name the places on your commute. Write today's date using Korean time words. Active recall — retrieving a word without looking — is far more effective than passive reading. Try covering the Korean column and testing yourself after each section.