Lesson 10

Money & Shopping: Prices and Calculations

Learn to read and use Korean won amounts, ask prices, give change, and handle money in everyday situations.

Korean won amounts are read in Sino-Korean using a grouping system based on 만 (10,000) rather than 1,000. This is the same as Japanese 万 and is one of the first concrete advantages Japanese speakers have when handling Korean money. 10,000 won is 만 원 (one 만), 100,000 won is 십만 원 (ten 만), 1,000,000 won is 백만 원 (hundred 만).

In 2026 most Korean payment is cashless, but knowing how to read amounts on receipts, ATMs, and price tags remains essential. Common phrases at the cash register: 얼마예요? (how much?), 카드 되나요? (can I pay by card?), 영수증 주세요 (receipt please), 봉투 필요해요 (I need a bag — note that bags often cost extra in Korea). Practice especially with prices in the 5,000–50,000 won range, which is where most everyday transactions sit.

Korean Number Units: 천, 만, 십만, 백만

Korean groups large numbers by 만(10,000), not 1,000. 천(1,000), 만(10,000), 십만(100,000), 백만(1,000,000), 천만(10,000,000), 억(100,000,000). Example: 35,000 = 삼만 오천 (3-만 5-천).

이 구두는 칠만 오천 원이에요.i guduneun chilman ocheon wonieyoThese shoes are 75,000 won.

스마트폰은 보통 오십만 원이 넘어요.seumateupon eun botong osipman woni neomeoyoSmartphones usually cost over 500,000 won.

Asking Price & Negotiating

Key shopping expressions: 얼마예요?(How much?), 깎아 주세요(Please lower the price), 너무 비싸요(Too expensive), 조금 더 싸게 해 주세요(Please make it a bit cheaper), 합계가 얼마예요?(What is the total?).

조금 더 싸게 해 주실 수 있어요?jogeum deo ssage hae jusil su isseoyoCan you make it a little cheaper?

두 개에 얼마예요?du gaee eolmayeyoHow much for two?

원wonKorean won (currency)

Examples이거 얼마예요? — 오천 원이에요.igeo eolmayeyo — ocheon wonieyoHow much is this? — It's 5,000 won.

천cheon1,000 (one thousand)

Examples천 원짜리 동전 있어요?cheon wonjjari dongjeon isseoyoDo you have a 1,000 won coin?

만man10,000 (ten thousand)

Examples만 원 드릴게요.man won deurilgeyoI'll give you 10,000 won.

얼마eolmahow much

Examples이 가방 얼마예요?i gabang eolmayeyoHow much is this bag?

거스름돈geureumdeonchange (money returned)

Examples거스름돈은 삼천 원이에요.geureumdeon eun samcheon wonieyoThe change is 3,000 won.

영수증yeongsujeungreceipt

Examples영수증 주세요.yeongsujeung juseyoPlease give me a receipt.

Cultural & Language Note

Korean groups large numbers in units of 만 (10,000) rather than thousands, which is why 100,000 is 십만 — literally 'ten ten-thousands'. Japanese does exactly the same with 万, so Japanese speakers can convert instantly while English speakers must rebuild their mental grouping. With the won trading in the low thousands to the dollar, everyday prices routinely reach five and six figures.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Koreans say 만 원, never 일만 원 — the 일 is dropped for exactly 10,000, though it returns in 십일만. Learners also apply English grouping and try to say '100 thousand' as 백천, which is meaningless in Korean. Practise reading prices off real menus; the grouping becomes automatic much faster than drilling abstract numbers.