In Korean, hours are read using native Korean numbers while minutes are read using Sino-Korean
numbers. When referring to a time when an action takes place, the particle 에 is attached to the end of the time noun.
Although the literal meanings of 오전 and 오후 are ‘before noon’ and ‘afternoon’, respectively, in Korean 오전 is typically used to mean the morning hours while 오후 is used to mean the afternoon hours, furthermore, time can also be subdivided into smaller units, including 새벽 (daybreak), 아침 (morning), 점심 (noon, lunchtime), 저녁 (evening), 낮 (daytime) and 밤 (night).
Examples:
A: 지금 몇 시예요? What time is it now?
B: 오전 아홉 시 십 분이에요. (9:10 A.M.) It’s 9:10 in the morning.
A: 지금 몇 시예요? What time is it now?
B: 두 시 십 분 전이에요.
(= 한 시 오십 분이 에요.) (1:50)
It’s ten minutes to two. (= It’s 1:50.)
A: 몇 시에 일어나요? What time do you wake up?
B: 아침 일곱 시에 일어나요. (7：00)
I wake up at 7:00 in the morning.
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