Confusing Words · TOPIK I
몇 vs 얼마 vs 어느
how many / what number · how much · which
몇 counts and always needs a counter after it. 얼마 asks about an amount, above all a price. 어느 picks one out of a set of choices.
At a glance
| Word | Core meaning | Nuance | Typical pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| 몇 | how many, what number | Always followed by a counter: 몇 개, 몇 명, 몇 시, 몇 살. Never stands alone. | 몇 + counter 몇 시, 몇 살, 몇 개 |
| 얼마 | how much | Amounts you don’t count one by one, especially price: 얼마예요? 얼마나 = how (long/far/much). | 얼마예요? 얼마나 + adjective/verb |
| 어느 | which | Choosing from a set: 어느 나라, 어느 쪽, 어느 것 (= 어느 거). | 어느 + noun 어느 나라, 어느 쪽 |
How they differ
1. 몇 needs a counter. 몇 개 (how many things), 몇 명 (how many people), 몇 시 (what time), 몇 살 (how old). It never stands alone: 몇이에요? ✕. Note it also covers “what number”: 몇 번 버스 (which bus number), 몇 층 (what floor).
2. 얼마 = price and amounts. 이거 얼마예요? (How much is this?) ○ / 이거 몇이에요? ✕. English “how much / how many” doesn’t decide it: countable items take 몇 + counter, while price and uncounted quantities take 얼마.
3. 얼마나 + verb/adjective = “how …”. 얼마나 걸려요? (how long does it take?), 얼마나 멀어요? (how far is it?), 얼마나 자주 (how often). Here English “how” is not 어떻게.
4. 어느 chooses; 무슨 asks what kind. 어느 나라 사람이에요? (Which country are you from?) ○. Use 어느 when there is a fixed set of options (countries, sides, two drinks on the table). 무슨 음식 asks what kind of food, not which one.
| Sentence | 몇 | 얼마 | 어느 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 이 가방은 ___예요? | ✕ | ◎ | ✕ |
| 지금 ___ 시예요? | ◎ | ✕ | ✕ |
| ___ 나라에서 왔어요? | ✕ | ✕ | ◎ |
| 사과를 ___ 개 살까요? | ◎ | ✕ | ✕ |
| 빨간색하고 파란색 중에서 ___ 것이 좋아요? | ✕ | ✕ | ◎ |
◎ natural ○ possible △ awkward ✕ wrong
In use
동생은 몇 살이에요?
How old is your younger sibling?
가족이 몇 명이에요?
How many people are in your family?
이 커피는 얼마예요?
How much is this coffee?
집에서 학교까지 얼마나 걸려요?
How long does it take from your house to school?
어느 나라 사람이에요?
What country are you from?
화장실이 어느 쪽에 있어요?
Which way is the restroom?
One step further
Counters are the key to 몇: native-Korean numbers go with 개, 명, 시, 살, while Sino-Korean ones go with 월, 층, 번 (number). Answer a 얼마 question with a price: 오천 원이에요. For comparing options with 어느, see 보다: 어느 쪽이 더 좋아요?
Common mistakes
이 사과는 몇이에요?
이 사과는 얼마예요?
몇 must be followed by a counter; for “How much is it?” use 얼마예요.
얼마 사람이 왔어요?
몇 명이 왔어요?
To count people or things, use 몇 + counter (몇 명), not 얼마.
무슨 나라에서 왔어요?
어느 나라에서 왔어요?
When choosing one from a known set (countries, sides), use 어느; 무슨 asks about kind or content.
Practice
Fill in the blank with the right word: 몇, 얼마, 어느
1. 이 바지는 ___예요?
Answer
얼마 — Asking a price = 얼마예요?
2. 생일이 ___ 월이에요?
Answer
몇 — Month number = 몇 월.
3. 한국 음식하고 일본 음식 중에서 ___ 쪽이 더 좋아요?
Answer
어느 — Choosing between two options = 어느.
4. 교실에 학생이 ___ 명 있어요?
Answer
몇 — Counting people = 몇 명.
5. 서울에서 부산까지 기차로 ___나 걸려요?
Answer
얼마 — How long it takes = 얼마나 걸려요?
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