Learn Korean: Number + 번

Let’s take a look at the Korean sentence pattern Number + 번. We use this to express how many times an action is done, was done, or will be done. It works in all tenses and it also works in different kinds of sentences. 번 is actually a counter similar to 개 and 명 (if you happened to come across them). What does it count? Actions. For example, we say I watched it the movie / three times. The word three times, also known as thrice, is expressed through 번. To count actions, we use Pure-Korean numbers. They are 하나, 둘, 셋, and so on. However, numbers one to four undergo a little change when combined with 번. 하나 (one) becomes 한, 둘 (two) becomes 두, 셋 (three) becomes 세, and 넷 (four) becomes 네. The rest of the digits remain the same. Hence, three times in Korean is 세 번. 번 is placed normally right before the verb. In the above sentence, the main verb is 영화를 보다 (to watch a movie). Its past tense is 봤다. The actual sentence is (그 영화) 세 번 봤어(요).

한국 한 번 가봤어요.

I have been to Korean once.

저 열 번쯤 사귀었어요.

I dated about ten times. (쯤 means about or around that number)

두 번 말해.

Say it twice.