Easy Korean - Level 3, Unit 5: Approximate Time (About, Around)

When you want to say "about", "around", or "approximately" in relation to time, quantity, or age, Korean has three common words you can use: 쯤 (jjeum), 정도 (jeong-do), and 약 (yak).

1. 쯤 (jjeum) - About / Around

쯤 is a suffix, meaning it attaches directly to the end of a noun (like time, price, age) without a space. It is the most common and casual way to say "about."

• 한 시 (1 o'clock) + 쯤 = 한 시쯤 (around 1 o'clock)
• 천 원 (1,000 won) + 쯤 = 천 원쯤 (about 1,000 won)
• 내일 (tomorrow) + 쯤 = 내일쯤 (around tomorrow)

Example: 내일 두 시쯤 만날까요? (Shall we meet around 2 o'clock tomorrow?)

2. 정도 (jeong-do) - About / Approximately

정도 is a standalone noun that means "degree" or "extent." It functions similarly to 쯤 but is used with a space after the noun. It often sounds slightly more formal or exact than 쯤.

• 한 달 (one month) + 정도 = 한 달 정도 (about one month)
• 5분 (5 minutes) + 정도 = 5분 정도 (about 5 minutes)

Example: 한국에서 1년 정도 살았어요. (I lived in Korea for about a year.)

3. 약 (yak) - Approximately / About

약 is placed before the noun. It means "approximately" and is often used together with 쯤 or 정도 to emphasize the estimation.

• 약 + 한 시간 = 약 한 시간 (about one hour)
• 약 + 만 원 = 약 만 원 (about 10,000 won)

You can combine them like this: * 약 한 시간 쯤 (approximately around one hour) * 약 한 시간 정도 (approximately about one hour)

Example Sentences

1. 오늘 몇 시쯤 끝나요? (Around what time do you finish today?)
2. 역까지 10분 정도 걸려요. (It takes about 10 minutes to the station.)
3. 파티에 사람 20명 쯤 왔어요. (About 20 people came to the party.)
4. 약 100달러가 필요해요. (I need approximately 100 dollars.)