Korean Dictionary
How to say "Forty" in Korean
“Forty” in Korean is 마흔 (pronounced "maheun").
마흔
maheun
Usage & Context
The native Korean number for forty, used in casual counting and age expressions. The Sino-Korean 사십 (sasip) is used in formal contexts.
Example Sentence
엄마가 마흔 살이에요.
Mom is forty years old.
How to use 마흔 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Forty” is 마흔, romanized as maheun.
Usage tip
Learn this word together with a complete Korean sentence. Meaning often depends on particles, politeness level, and word order.
Common mistake
Do not rely only on the English meaning. Read the Korean example sentence and notice the particles, word order, and politeness level around 마흔.
Pronunciation Guide
The '마' (ma) sounds like 'mah' in 'mama'. The '흔' (heun) is pronounced like 'hoon' in 'moon' but with a very soft, almost whispered 'h' sound at the beginning.
More Example Sentences
Reflecting on personal priorities as one ages.
마흔 살이 되니 건강이 중요하네요.
As I turned forty, health became important.
Sharing an accomplishment or reading habit.
마흔 권의 책을 읽었어요.
I read forty books.
Describing the capacity of a venue or space.
마흔 명까지 수용 가능해요.
It can accommodate up to forty people.
Cultural Context
마흔 (maheun) is the native Korean number for forty. Similar to other native Korean tens, it's primarily used for expressing age, such as '마흔 살' (maheun sal), and for counting items with native Korean counters. While 사십 (sasip) is the Sino-Korean equivalent, 마흔 is generally preferred in casual and everyday conversations, especially when discussing age, as it sounds more natural to native speakers.
Editorial note
We review entries like 마흔 for pronunciation, example sentence fit, and learner mistakes so the page answers more than a direct dictionary lookup.
Reviewed by Min-jung Park, Korean Language Teacher. Updated May 31, 2026. See our editorial standards.
Common Phrases
마흔 줄
In one's forties (colloquial)
마흔 번째
Fortieth (ordinal)
마흔 다 되다
To be almost forty
Related Expressions
사십
sasip
Forty (Sino-Korean)
마흔 살
maheun sal
Forty years old
마흔 개
maheun gae
Forty items
마흔 명
maheun myeong
Forty people
More Numbers and Time Words
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