Korean Dictionary
How to say "Twenty" in Korean
“Twenty” in Korean is 스무 (pronounced "seumu").
스무
seumu
Usage & Context
The native Korean number for twenty, used in casual counting. The Sino-Korean 이십 (isip) is used in formal contexts and mathematical expressions.
Example Sentence
학생이 스무 명 있어요.
There are twenty students.
How to use 스무 naturally
Quick answer
The Korean word for “Twenty” is 스무, romanized as seumu.
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 스무.
Pronunciation Guide
The '스' (seu) sounds like 'suh' in 'sugar' but with a slightly tighter 's' sound. The '무' (mu) is pronounced like 'moo' in 'moon'.
More Example Sentences
Explaining the legal drinking age in Korea.
스무 살이 되면 술을 마실 수 있어요.
You can drink alcohol when you turn twenty.
Estimating a quantity of items needed for a task or purchase.
스무 개 정도 필요해요.
I need about twenty pieces.
Informing someone about the number of guests or attendees.
스무 분 모시고 갈게요.
I'll bring twenty people.
Cultural Context
스무 (seumu) is the native Korean word for twenty and is particularly significant for expressing age, especially '스무 살' (seumu sal), which means 'twenty years old'. Turning twenty marks legal adulthood in Korea, a major milestone often celebrated. While 이십 (isip) is the Sino-Korean equivalent, 스무 is almost exclusively used for age and general counting with native Korean counters.
Editorial note
We review entries like 스무 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
스무 살 되다
To turn twenty
스무 번
Twenty times
스무 장
Twenty sheets/tickets
Related Expressions
이십
isip
Twenty (Sino-Korean)
스무 살
seumu sal
Twenty years old
스무 개
seumu gae
Twenty items
스무 명
seumu myeong
Twenty people
More Numbers and Time Words
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