Key facts
- The pattern: native number (short form) plus 번째, as in 세 번째.
- First: 첫 번째, because 첫 stands in for 한.
- Birth order: 첫째, 둘째, 셋째, and 막내 for the youngest.
- Rank: 등 after a Sino number, so 1등 is 일 등.
- Not ordinals: dates such as 1일 are cardinal numbers and belong to the dates section.
Ordinal Numbers in Korean: the Essentials
An ordinal number tells the position of something in a sequence, such as first, second or third. In Korean the common pattern is a native number followed by the bound noun 번째 (beonjjae), which means "-th in order". A bound noun is a word that cannot stand alone and always follows another word. The number takes its short form, which is the form used before a counter. In a sentence the ordinal comes before its noun: 세 번째 문 is the third door, and 첫 번째 질문 is the first question.
| English | Korean | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | 첫 번째 | 첫 replaces 한 |
| 2nd | 두 번째 | short form of 둘 |
| 3rd | 세 번째 | short form of 셋 |
| 4th | 네 번째 | short form of 넷 |
| 10th | 열 번째 | 열 needs no change |
| 20th | 스무 번째 | short form of 스물 |
| 100th | 백 번째 | Sino-Korean, because native numbers stop at 99 |
Why 첫 and not 한? The word 첫 is a separate word meaning "first", used before nouns in 첫눈 (the first snow) and 첫사랑 (first love). It takes over from 한 only when the number stands alone, so 한 번째 is not the standard form. Inside a larger number, 한 stays: 열한 번째 is 11th and 스물한 번째 is 21st.
The words 번째 and 번 are close but different. The counter 번 counts times (세 번 is three times), and 번째 gives order (세 번째 is the third time). The page on the 번 counter covers the counter. The pages in this section cover the ordinals. Dates are a separate topic: 1일 means the first day of the month and uses the Sino-Korean number 일, so it lives in the dates section and not here.
What Pages Are in This Section?
The Ordinal Numbers section has two lessons. The first teaches the standard 번째 pattern from first to hundredth, and the second covers the other forms Koreans use for siblings, numbered units, rank and rounds.
First, Second, Third
First, second, third in Korean builds the 번째 pattern step by step. It gives a table from 첫 번째 to 열 번째 with audio, explains the irregular 첫, shows how to ask 몇 번째예요? and compares ordinals with counters. It also warns about a common slip: a floor is 이 층, not 두 번째 층. Start here if you can count in native Korean and want to say the order of things.
Other Ordinal Forms
Korean ordinals covers the forms that are not 번째. It explains 첫째, 둘째 and 막내 for brothers and sisters, 제 for numbered units such as 제1과 (lesson 1), 등 for ranks such as 1등 (first place) and 차 for rounds such as the after-dinner 2차. Read it after the first lesson, or first if your question is about family or competitions.
Is There a Short Way to Say First in Korean?
Yes. Use 첫 on its own before a noun, as in 첫 수업 (the first class), or use 처음 for the first time. People say 첫 번째 when they are counting through a list, and 첫 plus a noun when they are naming the first of something. In a list of reasons, 첫째 means "firstly".
Where Should You Start?
Start with the lesson that matches your question. Four situations cover most visitors.
- "How do I say first, second, third?" Open first, second, third in Korean.
- "How do I say my eldest sister or the youngest child?" Open Korean ordinals for 첫째, 둘째 and 막내.
- "How do I say first place or lesson 1?" The same page covers 등 and 제.
- "How do I say first floor or the 1st of May?" Neither uses 번째. Floors use the counter 층 and dates use Sino-Korean numbers, covered in the Korean Numbers section.
Before either lesson, make sure you know the native numbers 1 to 10, covered in native Korean numbers 1-10.
Comparing the Ordinal Forms
The table compares the five common forms. Choose the form by what you are ordering, not by the English word.
| Form | Used for | Number system | Example | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 번째 | sequences, turns, items | native | 세 번째 | third |
| -째 | siblings, weeks, lists | native | 둘째 딸 | second daughter |
| 제 | numbered units | Sino | 제1과 | lesson 1 |
| 등 | rank, prizes | Sino | 일 등 | first place |
| 차 | rounds, stages | Sino | 이 차 | second round |
The pattern in the table is the key to the section: sequences and family order use native numbers, while units, ranks and rounds use Sino-Korean numbers. The page on Sino vs native Korean numbers gives the underlying rule.
Limitation: this section covers the main ordinal forms and their everyday uses. It does not cover written legal numbering (제1조) or Chinese-character ordinals beyond the examples above.
Ordinal Numbers in Korean: What to Remember
Ordinal numbers in Korean come down to four habits. Check each one with the example beside it.
- Use the short form of the native number. Say 세 번째, not 셋 번째.
- Replace 한 with 첫 only for plain first. Say 첫 번째, but 열한 번째 for 11th.
- Switch to Sino-Korean when a native number is missing. The 100th is 백 번째, and ranks and units take Sino numbers: 일 등, 제1과.
- Match the form to what you are ordering. Use 번째 for steps, 째 for siblings and lists, 제 for units, 등 for rank and 차 for rounds.
A quick self-check: say "the third door" (세 번째 문), "the youngest child" (막내) and "second place" (이 등). If those come out right, you are ready for the two lessons. If one fails, go to the lesson that covers it.
The pages below this hub build on this overview, and each one links back to it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a word for second that is not 두 번째?
Yes. 둘째 means second in a list or second in birth order, as in 둘째 딸 (the second daughter). The form 두 번째 counts steps, turns and times in a sequence. Both come from the native number 둘, but 번째 is the general pattern and 째 is the compact one for family and enumerations.
How do I say the first time?
Say 처음, as in 한국에 처음 왔어요 (I came to Korea for the first time). The phrase 첫 번째 means first in a series, such as the first of three attempts. When you mean first experience, 처음 or 처음으로 is the usual choice, and 첫 번째 is the choice when you are counting a sequence.
How do I say first floor in Korean?
Say 일 층, written 1층. Floors use the Sino-Korean counter 층, not the ordinal 번째, so the second floor is 이 층 and the third is 삼 층. In Korea 1층 is the ground floor. A phrase such as 첫 번째 층 would mean the first floor in a list you are visiting, which is rare.
How do I say 21st in Korean?
Say 스물한 번째. The number 21 is 스물하나, and before 번째 it takes the short form 스물한. Only the plain number 1 changes to 첫. Eleventh is 열한 번째 and twentieth is 스무 번째. The twenty-first is therefore regular, built as 스물한 plus 번째.