년
nyeon[ɲʌ̹n]
The English word "year" is translated into Korean as 년 (nyeon). Wiktionary also lists 연 (yeon) and 해 (hae).
Meaning: time it takes for the Earth to complete one revolution around the Sun (noun)
Ways to say it
| Korean | Romanization (Wiktionary) | IPA |
|---|---|---|
| 년 | nyeon | [ɲʌ̹n] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 연 | yeon | [jʌ̹n] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
| 해 | hae | [hɛ] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) [he̞] (SK Standard, Seoul, narrow) |
The term refers to the time it takes for the Earth to complete one revolution around the Sun. While 년 is a standard counter for specific numbers of years, please note that if you wish to describe a person's age, you should use the word 나이 instead.
Which one should you use?
The forms of the word differ based on their origin and usage. In contrast, 해 is a native Korean word. The form 연 is also a variation of the word. For official or administrative contexts, such as referring to a specific fiscal or calendar year, the term 연도 is used.
How does it change in a sentence?
년 serves as the standard counter used after numbers to indicate a specific number of years, such as 1년 (one year) or 3년 (three years).
How do you pronounce it?
nyeon
Did you know?
- The word 년 can be used as a derogatory term for a woman when used as a noun rather than a counter for time.
- Korean has a traditional 'counting age' system where a baby is considered one 해 old at birth.
- The native Korean word 해 is not only used for 'year' but is also the word for 'the Sun', linking the passage of time directly to the celestial body.
Examples in context
- 일 년에는 사계절이 있어.There are four seasons in a year.This sentence shows how to express the presence of seasons within 년.Tatoeba #8361510 by Eunhee, translation #27392 by CM
- 4월은 일 년의 네 번째 달이다.April is the fourth month of the year.This sentence illustrates how to describe a month's position within 년.Tatoeba #11106750 by intertime, translation #72588 by Eldad
- 평균적으로 보잉 747은 일 년에 열 대의 차가 소비하는 만큼의 연료를 한 시간에 사용합니다.On average, a Boeing 747 uses as much fuel in an hour, as ten cars do in a year.This sentence demonstrates using 년 to compare fuel consumption over a specific timeframe.Tatoeba #13426286 by catp, translation #12414370 by Nandixer
- 그 사건은 2005 년 에 일어났어요.That incident happened in the year 2005.
- 저는 5 년 동안 한국에서 살았어요.I lived in Korea for 5 years.
- 2 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Subin and Dohyun are talking about their study plans.
- 수빈 Su-bin도현 씨는 한국어를 공부한 지 몇 년 됐어요?Dohyeon ssineun hangugeoreul gongbuhan ji myeot nyeon dwaesseoyo?Dohyun, how many years has it been since you studied Korean?
- 도현 Do-hyeon저는 이제 일 년 정도 되었어요.Jeoneun ije il nyeon jeongdo doeosseoyo.It has been about one year for me now.
- 수빈 Su-bin와, 정말 빨리 배우시네요!Wa, jeongmal ppalli baeusineyo!Wow, you are learning really fast!
- 도현 Do-hyeon감사합니다. 수빈 씨는요?Gamsahamnida. Subin ssineunyo?Thank you. How about you, Subin?
Sources
- Wiktionary, “year” translations and entries 년, 연, 해, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
