Korean for Beginners: TOPIK 1 Speaking – Ask & Tell the Time

Introduction

Welcome to your first step in learning Korean! This article focuses on a crucial TOPIK 1 speaking skill: asking and telling the time. We’ll practice simple phrases, useful vocabulary, and build confidence for basic conversations. Remember, communication is key – don’t worry about perfect pronunciation at this stage!

Essential Vocabulary

• 시간 (sigan) – Time
• 지금 (jigeum) – Now
• 몇 시 (myeot si) – What time is it?
• 시 (si) – Hour
• 분 (bun) – Minute
• 초 (cho) – Second
• 열 (yeon) – Ten
• 오십 (osip) – Fifty
• 오전 (ojeon) – AM (morning)
• 오후 (ohu) – PM (afternoon/evening)

Asking the Time

To ask someone what time it is, you’ll use “몇 시에요?” (myeot si-eyo?). This is the polite form. Here are some variations:

• 몇 시인지요? (myeot si-inji yo?) – What’s the time? (More formal)

Example:

You: 몇 시인지요? (myeot si inji yo?)

Telling the Time

When telling the time, you need to know how to say hours and minutes. Here are some common phrases:

• 오전이에요 (ojeon-ieyo) – It’s AM
• 오후에요 (ohu-eyo) – It’s PM
• 세 시 십 분이에요 (se si sip bun-ieyo) – It’s three ten.
• 네 시 오십 분이에요 (ne si osip bun-ieyo) – It’s four fifty.

Example:

Friend: 두 시 열분이에요 (du si sip bun-ieyo) – It’s two ten.

You: 알겠습니다. (algetseumnida) – I understand / Got it.

A Realistic Dialogue

Here’s a full dialogue you might encounter:

  나: 지금 몇 시에요? (jigeum myeot si-eyo?) – What time is it now?
  친구: 오전이에요. 세 시 오십 분이에요. (ojeon-ieyo. se si osip bun-ieyo) – It's AM. It’s three fifty.
  나: 네, 알겠습니다. (ne, algetseumnida) - Yes, I understand.

Common Mistakes & Corrections

• Mistake: Saying “시” instead of “분” when talking about minutes. (e.g., “세 시 시 분”) Correction: Always use “분” for minutes – “세 시 열분” (se si yeol bun) – three ten.
• Mistake: Forgetting the ending particle “요” after asking a question. Correction: Always include “요” at the end of questions like “몇 시에요?”

Practice Time!

Try creating your own simple dialogues using the vocabulary and phrases we’ve learned. Focus on listening to native speakers and repeating their sentences. Even small steps can lead to big progress!