Visiting Korea in April? Master Korean Months!
Introduction
Hello! This is [Daily Hangeul], here to upgrade your Korean skills! 👋
Are you planning a trip to Korea anytime soon? Lately, my social media feed is full of beautiful photos of Korea—from the pink cherry blossoms of spring to the snowy cafes of winter. Everyone seems to be asking, “When is the best time to go?”
To join this conversation, you need to know how to say “In [Month].” Whether you are booking a flight, making a restaurant reservation, or telling a friend when you’ll arrive, today’s lesson is essential!
Let’s learn how to talk about your plans using months! ✈️📅
Key Expressions
Here are the 4 essential expressions you need to discuss dates and plans.
1. 몇 월에?
- Pronunciation: [Myeot-wore?]
- English Meaning: In what month? / When?
- Details: This is how you ask “In which month?” It combines 몇 (how many/what number), 월 (month), and the time particle 에 (at/in).
- 💡 Pronunciation Tip (Liaison):
- You might expect to say ‘Myeot-wol-e’, but it flows together!
- The bottom consonant ‘ㅌ’ (t) in ‘몇’ moves to the next block, and the ‘ㄹ’ (l) in ‘월’ moves to ‘에’.
- So, it sounds like [Myeo-dwo-re]. This flow makes your Korean sound smooth and natural!
2. 4월에
- Pronunciation: [Sa-wore]
- English Meaning: In April
- Details: April is the 4th month. In Korean, we use Sino-Korean numbers (Il, I, Sam, Sa…) for months. So, 4 (Sa) + Month (Wol) + In (E) = Sa-wol-e.
- 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
- Remember the rule above? The ‘ㄹ’ (l) at the bottom of ‘월’ slides over to the empty ‘ㅇ’ spot in ‘에’.
- Sa-wol-e becomes [Sa-wore].
3. 10월에
- Pronunciation: [Si-wore]
- English Meaning: In October
- Details: Important! The number 10 is usually “Sip” (십). However, for October, the “p” sound disappears to make it easier to say. It is not Sip-wol, but Si-wol (시월).
- 💡 Pronunciation Tip:
- Since it is Si-wol, adding ‘in’ (에) makes it [Si-wore]. Be careful not to say “Sip-wore”!
4. 가요
- Pronunciation: [Gayo]
- English Meaning: I go / I am going
- Details: This is a polite ending used for movement. You can put it after the time to say, “I am going in [Month].”
Real Conversation Example
Let’s see how A and B talk about their travel plans. They are talking about the latest trend: visiting K-Drama filming locations!
A: 한국에 몇 월에 가요?
(When/In what month are you going to Korea?)B: 저는 4월에 가요. 벚꽃이 예뻐요!
(I am going in April. The cherry blossoms are pretty!)A: 와! 저는 10월에 가요.
(Wow! I am going in October.)
Culture Tip & Trends: The “Golden Season”
🌸 Why is everyone talking about April and October?
In Korea, there is a huge travel trend called “Season Hunting.” Because Korean summers can be very hot and humid, and winters very cold, the “Golden Months” for travelers are April (Spring) and October (Autumn).
- In April (4월에): You will see everyone taking photos with cherry blossoms (beot-kkot). It is the most “Instagrammable” time of the year!
- In October (10월에): The weather is perfect—cool and crisp. Koreans love to go hiking to see the red and orange autumn leaves (danpung).
If you use today’s expressions to say, “저는 10월에 한국에 가요” (I’m going to Korea in October), Koreans will instantly nod and say, “Oh, you picked the best time!” 👍
Wrap-up & Quiz
Today we learned how to use the particle “에” (in/at) with months. Remember the Liaison rule (linking sounds) to sound like a native speaker!
📝 Mini Quiz!
How would you say “I go in December” in Korean?
(Hint: 12 is “Sip-i”)
- 12월 가요.
- 12월에 가요.
Answer in the comments below! 👇
(Don’t forget to practice saying it out loud: Sip-i-wore gayo!)
See you in the next lesson! Annyeong! 👋
