Which 3 do I use?
| Use | Korean | Sounds like | English |
|---|---|---|---|
| AgeNative | 세 살 | se sal | 3 years old |
| Counting thingsNative | 세 개 | se gae | 3 items |
| PeopleNative | 세 명 | se myeong | 3 people |
| Hour on the clockNative | 세 시 | se si | 3 o'clock |
| MinutesSino | 삼 분 | sam bun | 3 minutes |
| MoneySino | 삼 원 | sam won | ₩3 |
| Price in thousandsSino | 삼천 원 | samcheon won | ₩3,000 |
| MonthSino | 삼월 | samwol | March |
| DateSino | 삼 일 | sam il | the 3rd of the month |
| Floor, room, busSino | 삼 층 | sam cheung | floor 3 |
| OrderNative | 세 번째 | se beonjjae | number 3 in order |
Good to know
- Before a counter word, 셋 shortens to 세: 세 개 (3 things), 세 살 (3 years old).
How 삼 is built
삼 is one of the nine basic digits, 일 to 구.
삼ㅅ+ㅏ+ㅁ
Need a bigger number, a price or a phone number? The Korean number converter handles any number, both systems, dates and times.
Frequently asked questions
How do you say 3 in Korean?
There are two ways: 삼 (sam) from the Sino-Korean system and 셋 (set) from the native Korean system.
How do you say "I am 3 years old" in Korean?
세 살이에요 (se sarieyo). Age uses native Korean numbers.
How do you say ₩3,000 in Korean?
삼천 원 (samcheon won). Money always uses Sino-Korean numbers.
Romanization: Revised Romanization of Korean, with sound changes. Audio: a recorded native-sounding Korean voice.
Last checked: 2026-10-20