Korean Dictionary
How to say "Time" in Korean
“Time” in Korean is 시간 (pronounced "Sigan").
시간
Sigan
Usage & Context
Korean uses two number systems for telling time — native Korean numbers for hours and Sino-Korean numbers for minutes. '몇 시예요?' means 'What time is it?'
Example Sentence
시간이 없어요.
I don't have time.
How to use 시간 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Time” is 시간, romanized as Sigan.
Usage tip
Practice this word inside a full daily-life sentence, because particles and sentence endings make the Korean sound natural.
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 시간.
Pronunciation Guide
Pronounced 'shi-gan' — 'si' is a soft 'shee,' and 'gan' rhymes with 'gahn.' Both syllables equal.
More Example Sentences
reflecting on a busy month
시간이 너무 빨리 가요.
Time passes so fast.
checking someone's availability
지금 시간이 얼마나 있어요?
How much time do you have now?
declining an invitation
시간이 없어서 못 가요.
I don't have time so I can't go.
Cultural Context
시간 means both 'time' and 'hour' — 한 시간 means 'one hour,' while 시간이 없어요 means 'I have no time.' Koreans often say 시간 내요 ('make time') when inviting someone, similar to English. The 빨리빨리 (hurry hurry) culture makes time-related complaints especially common.
Editorial note
We review entries like 시간 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
시간 있어요?
Do you have time?
시간이 없어요.
I have no time.
몇 시예요?
What time is it?
Related Expressions
시
si
o'clock / hour
분
bun
minute
지금
jigeum
now
시계
sigye
clock / watch
More Daily Life Words
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