Key Facts
- Hangul: 돈; Revised Romanization: don
- Part of speech: noun
- Origin: native Korean
- Register: Neutral everyday word.
Money in Korean: What Does 돈 Mean?
돈 has the single sense "money" and a neutral register, fine in any situation. For money in a specific form, Korean uses 현금 (cash) and 동전 (coin).
How Do You Pronounce 돈?
One syllable, don. Say the d with the tongue tip on the ridge behind the upper teeth and finish with a clear n; there is no vowel after it.
Example Sentences with 돈
돈이 없어요.
doni eopseoyo.
I have no money.
States that you have none. The verb 없어요 means "there is not".
돈을 많이 벌고 싶어요.
doneul mani beolgo sipeoyo.
I want to earn a lot of money.
Combines 돈 with 벌고 싶어요, a wish to earn. Notice the verb is 벌다, not "make".
돈 좀 빌려 주세요.
don jom billyeo juseyo.
Please lend me some money.
A request. 좀 softens it, and 빌려 주세요 means "please lend".
Common Phrases and Collocations
The four verbs matter more than the noun: 돈을 벌다 (earn), 돈을 쓰다 (spend), 돈을 모으다 (save) and 돈을 내다 (pay).
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 돈을 벌다 | to earn money |
| 돈을 쓰다 | to spend money |
| 돈을 모으다 | to save money |
| 돈을 내다 | to pay money |
The Mistake to Avoid
English speakers translate "make money" word for word.
- Wrong: 돈을 만들다
- Right: 돈을 벌다 (to earn money)
만들다 means to make an object; for income, the natural verb is 벌다.
돈 Compared with Similar Words
Two related nouns describe money in physical form.
| Word | Meaning | Contrast with money |
|---|---|---|
| 돈 | money | This page's word |
| 현금 | cash | Physical money. |
| 동전 | coin | A coin. |
Where Does the Word Come From?
돈 is a native Korean word, so there is no hanja breakdown to learn.
Paying for Coffee without Cash
Two friends have finished their coffee. One checks their wallet; the other offers to cover the bill.
Mina
현금이 없어요.
Hyeongeumi eopseoyo.
I don’t have any cash.
Jun
제가 돈을 낼게요.
Jega doneul naelgeyo.
I’ll pay.
Mina
그럼 제가 나중에 보내 드릴게요.
Geureom jega najunge bonae deurilgeyo.
Then I’ll send you the money later.
Jun
네, 고마워요.
Ne, gomawoyo.
Okay, thank you.
현금이 없어요 narrows the problem to cash. 돈이 없어요 would be a broader statement about having no money. 돈을 낼게요 offers to pay this bill; it does not mean “I will earn money”. In the third line, the money is understood and does not need repeating.
How Do You Choose the Verb after 돈?
돈을 벌다 is earning through work or another source of income. 돈을 모으다 focuses on accumulating money, such as saving toward a trip. A person can earn money and spend all of it, so the two phrases describe different results.
돈을 쓰다 is spending money. It may describe a purchase or someone’s spending habits, without saying how much was paid. 돈을 내다 focuses on handing over or paying money for something. At a café, an offer with 내다 normally concerns the bill in front of you.
돈이 들다 means “to cost money”. Here money takes 이 rather than 을 because the phrase describes money being needed for an activity. A hobby can cost money even when no one is asking for payment at that moment. This is useful when discussing whether a plan is affordable.
돈을 빌리다 is borrowing money, and 돈을 빌려주다 is lending it. The direction matters. In 돈 좀 빌려 주세요, the speaker asks the listener to lend money to them. The request is polite in form, but it is still a personal favor; 좀 does not remove that social weight.
Where Will You Hear 돈 Rather than a Price?
Friends use 돈 when discussing savings, rent or splitting a bill. A cashier usually gives a specific amount in 원, the currency unit, rather than simply saying 돈. To ask a shop’s price, 얼마예요?, “How much is it?”, is more useful than naming money alone.
돈이 없어요 can describe a tight budget, not only an empty wallet. Someone may say it to explain why they cannot afford a trip. If you only mean that you have no notes or coins with you, 현금이 없어요 is more precise and leaves open the possibility of another payment method.
In dramas, 돈 can appear in arguments about debt or family support. The noun itself is neutral; the demand, accusation or request around it creates the tension. An ordinary sentence about saving money uses the same word without that dramatic force.
용돈 means spending money or an allowance. It can refer to money parents give a child, or money set aside for personal use. Unlike 돈 alone, the word suggests a purpose or budget for everyday spending.
Words for Payments and a Wallet
| Korean | Meaning | One useful distinction |
|---|---|---|
| 원 | won | The unit after a Korean price. |
| 지폐 | banknote | Paper money rather than a coin. |
| 동전 | coin | A physical coin, often needed for small payments. |
| 잔돈 | small change | Small denominations, useful when paying cash. |
| 거스름돈 | change returned | Money a seller returns after overpayment. |
| 지갑 | wallet | The object that holds money or cards. |
The money vocabulary lesson teaches payment words together. 잔돈 and 거스름돈 can overlap in a cash exchange, but they emphasize different things. 잔돈 concerns small denominations; 거스름돈 concerns the amount owed back to the customer. Paying with a large note may involve both.
Quick Self-Test
- Which phrase means earn money: 돈을 벌다 or 돈을 쓰다?
- Which is more precise for “I have no cash”: 현금이 없어요 or 돈이 없어요?
- What is the money a seller returns after you overpay called?
Show answers
- 돈을 벌다. 돈을 쓰다 means spend money.
- 현금이 없어요 specifies cash.
- 거스름돈, change returned to the customer.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do you say "money" in Korean?
Say 돈 (don).
How do you say "to earn money"?
Use 돈을 벌다. The verb 벌다 is the natural one.
Is 돈을 만들다 correct?
It is the mistake to avoid. Use 돈을 벌다 for "make money".
What is the word for cash?
현금 means cash, the physical form of money.
Related Words and What to Learn Next
- Theme list: Money groups 돈 with its neighbours.
- Browse the Korean words A to Z index for words near money.
- Drill money in the vocabulary flashcard decks.