Korean Dictionary
How to say "Thirty" in Korean
“Thirty” in Korean is 서른 (pronounced "seoreun").
서른
seoreun
Usage & Context
The native Korean number for thirty, used in casual counting and age expressions. The Sino-Korean 삼십 (samsip) is used in formal contexts.
Example Sentence
그는 서른 살이에요.
He is thirty years old.
How to use 서른 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Thirty” is 서른, romanized as seoreun.
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 서른.
Pronunciation Guide
The '서' (seo) sounds like 'saw' in 'sawdust' but with a softer 's'. The '른' (reun) is pronounced like 'run' in 'running', but the 'r' sound is a soft flap, similar to the 'tt' in 'butter' for American English speakers.
More Example Sentences
Talking about a significant life event in someone's past.
그는 서른 살에 결혼했어요.
He got married at thirty years old.
Discussing an approximate quantity for an order with a colleague.
서른 개쯤 주문할까요?
Shall we order about thirty pieces?
Informing about the estimated number of attendees for an event.
서른 분 오실 예정이에요.
About thirty people are expected to come.
Cultural Context
서른 (seoreun) is the native Korean number for thirty. It's very commonly used for age, as in '서른 살' (seoreun sal), and for counting items with native Korean counters. While 삼십 (samsip) is the Sino-Korean equivalent, 서른 is generally preferred in everyday spoken Korean, especially when referring to age, as it sounds more natural and less formal.
Editorial note
We review entries like 서른 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
서른 살 넘다
To be over thirty
서른 번째
Thirtieth (ordinal)
서른 즈음
Around thirty (years old)
Related Expressions
삼십
samsip
Thirty (Sino-Korean)
서른 살
seoreun sal
Thirty years old
서른 개
seoreun gae
Thirty items
서른 명
seoreun myeong
Thirty people
More Numbers and Time Words
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