열둘
yeoldul[jʌ̹ɭt͈uɭ]
The English phrase twelve can be translated into Korean as either 열둘 (yeoldul) or 십이.
Meaning: cardinal number 12 (num)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 열둘 | yeoldul | [jʌ̹ɭt͈uɭ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 십이 | sibi | [ɕʰibi] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
Which one should you use?
Use the native Korean form 열둘 when counting items or people directly. Use the Sino-Korean form 십이 for mathematical calculations, dates, phone numbers or when used with specific counters like months.
How does it change in a sentence?
When the native Korean number 열둘 is used immediately before a counter (like 'people' or 'bottles'), the final consonant is dropped to become 열두.
How do you pronounce it?
yeoldul
Did you know?
- When expressing a dozen in a marketplace, Koreans often use the word 다스 (daseu), which is a loanword from the English 'dozen'.
- In Korea, the number 십이 is deeply tied to the zodiac because the traditional calendar is based on a twelve-year cycle of animals.
- The word 열 (yeol) in the native form 열둘 means 'ten', but it can also mean 'heat' or 'fever' depending on the Hanja characters used in different words.
Examples in context
- 일년은 십이개월이다.A year has twelve months.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use the Sino-Korean form 십이 when referring to months.Tatoeba #5339280 by Sudajaengi, translation #73060 by CM
- 안녕하세요? 십이 명이 참석하셨습니다.Hello? Twelve people have attended.
- 어제 우리 집에 열두 명이 왔어.Yesterday, twelve people came to our house.
- 저는 열두 살이에요.I am twelve years old.
- 사과가 열둘 있어요.sagwaga yeoldul isseoyo.There are twelve apples.
Example conversation
Jihoon and Minji are counting eggs in the kitchen.
- 지훈 Ji-hun민지 씨, 계란이 몇 개 있어요?Minji ssi, gyeran-i myeot gae isseoyo?Minji, how many eggs are there?
- 민지 Min-ji여기 열둘 있어요, 지훈 씨.yeogi yeoldul isseoyo, Jihoon ssi.There are twelve here, Jihoon.
- 지훈 Ji-hun정말 다행이네요.jeongmal dahaeng-ineyo.That is a relief.
- 민지 Min-ji네, 충분해요.ne, chungbunhaeyo.Yes, it is enough.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “twelve” translations and entries 열둘, 십이, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
