정도 and 쯤: How to Say "About" and "Around" in Korean

In real conversation, you rarely know exact numbers. You're not sure if it takes exactly 30 minutes or exactly 10 people - it's about 30 minutes, around 10 people.

Korean has two words that handle this beautifully: 정도 and 쯤.

Both mean "about," "around," or "approximately" - but they work slightly differently and appear in different contexts. This post covers both, so you always know which one to reach for.

What Do 정도 and 쯤 Mean?

Both express approximation - but 정도 tends to emphasize degree or extent, while 쯤 is a particle that attaches directly to a word.

In many situations they're interchangeable. But understanding their individual feel will help you use them more naturally.

쯤 - The Approximation Particle

쯤 is a particle - it attaches directly after a number, time, or quantity to mean "about" or "around."

Structure: Number/Time/Quantity + 쯤

쯤 in Real Sentences

세 시쯤 만나요.

• Literal: 3 o'clock-about meet
• Natural: Let's meet around 3 o'clock.

거기까지 삼십 분쯤 걸려요.

• Natural: It takes about 30 minutes to get there.

사람이 열 명쯤 왔어요.

• Natural: About 10 people came.

한 시간쯤 기다렸어요.

• Natural: I waited for about an hour.

얼마쯤 해요?

• Natural: How much is it roughly?

몇 시쯤 올 거예요?

• Natural: Around what time will you come?

정도 - About / To That Extent

정도 is a noun meaning "degree," "extent," or "level." When used with numbers or quantities, it means "about" or "approximately." It often follows 이 or stands alone after a noun phrase.

Structure: Number/Quantity + 정도

정도 in Real Sentences

삼십 분 정도 걸려요.

• Natural: It takes about 30 minutes.

열 명 정도 필요해요.

• Natural: We need about 10 people.

이 정도면 충분해요.

• Natural: This much is enough.

그 정도는 알아요.

• Natural: I know that much.

얼마 정도예요?

• Natural: About how much is it?

어느 정도 할 수 있어요?

• Natural: To what extent can you do it?

쯤 vs 정도 - What's the Difference?

In many sentences, both work and the meaning is nearly identical. The subtle differences:

Both work:

삼십 분쯤 걸려요. (about 30 minutes) 삼십 분 정도 걸려요. (about 30 minutes)

Only 쯤 sounds natural:

세 시쯤 와요. (around 3 - time point) ~~세 시 정도 와요.~~ (unnatural for specific time points)

Only 정도 works:

이 정도면 괜찮아요. (this much is fine) 그 정도는 알아요. (I know that much) ~~이쯤이면 괜찮아요.~~ (awkward)

💡 Practical tip: For times and durations in conversation, 쯤 is your go-to. For degree and extent, or when you want to say "this much" / "that much," use 정도.

이 정도 / 그 정도 / 어느 정도 - Essential Expressions

These three phrases using 정도 come up constantly in Korean:

More examples:

이 정도는 괜찮아요.

• Natural: This level is fine. / This much is okay.

그 정도로 힘들어요?

• Natural: Is it that hard?

어느 정도 시간이 필요해요?

• Natural: How much time do you need?

한국어를 어느 정도 해요?

• Natural: How well do you speak Korean?

Approximation With Other Time Expressions

쯤 is especially useful with time words:

내일쯤 연락할게요.

• Natural: I'll contact you around tomorrow.

저녁쯤에 도착할 거예요.

• Natural: I'll arrive around evening.

다음 달쯤 한국에 갈 거예요.

• Natural: I'm going to Korea around next month.

Real Conversations Using 정도 and 쯤

📍 Conversation 1: Making plans

A: 몇 시에 만날까요? (What time shall we meet?)

B: 세 시쯤 어때요? (How about around 3?)

A: 좋아요. 거기까지 얼마나 걸려요? (Sounds good. How long does it take to get there?)

B: 지하철로 삼십 분 정도 걸려요. (It takes about 30 minutes by subway.)

A: 그럼 두 시 반쯤 출발할게요. (Then I'll leave around 2:30.)

📍 Conversation 2: Asking about Korean ability

A: 한국어 공부한 지 얼마나 됐어요? (How long have you been studying Korean?)

B: 육 개월 정도 됐어요. (It's been about 6 months.)

A: 어느 정도 할 수 있어요? (How well can you speak?)

B: 아직 많이 부족해요. 이 정도예요. (I still have a long way to go. I'm about at this level.)

A: 벌써 이 정도면 잘하는 거예요! (If you're already at this level, that's doing well!)

📍 Conversation 3: Shopping

A: 이 가방 얼마예요? (How much is this bag?)

B: 오만 원 정도예요. (It's about 50,000 won.)

A: 조금 비싸네요. 삼만 원쯤은 안 돼요? (That's a bit expensive. Is around 30,000 won possible?)

B: 글쎄요, 사만 원 정도는 할 수 있어요. (Hmm, I can do about 40,000 won.)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

❌ Mistake 1: Using 정도 for specific time points

❌ 세 시 정도 만나요. ✅ 세 시쯤 만나요.

For a specific point in time, 쯤 is more natural.

❌ Mistake 2: Confusing 이 정도 with 이쯤

✅ 이 정도면 충분해요. (This much is enough.) ⚠️ 이쯤에서 멈춰요. (Stop around here - 이쯤 works for location "around here," not degree)

❌ Mistake 3: Over-using approximation

In Korean, adding 쯤/정도 when you know the exact number sounds unnecessarily vague - save it for when you're genuinely unsure.

Quick Practice

Fill in the blank with 쯤 or 정도:

1. 다섯 시___ 도착할 거예요. (I'll arrive around 5.)
2. 이십 명___ 왔어요. (About 20 people came.)
3. 어느___ 알아요? (How much do you know?)
4. 한 시간___ 기다렸어요. (I waited about an hour.)
5. 이___ 면 충분해요. (This much is enough.)

Answers:

1. 다섯 시쯤
2. 이십 명쯤 / 이십 명 정도 (both fine)
3. 어느 정도
4. 한 시간쯤 / 한 시간 정도 (both fine)
5. 이 정도

Summary

정도 and 쯤 are small words with a big impact. They make your Korean sound natural and fluent — the way real speakers talk, not textbook-perfect but honest and human.

📚 This Is Chapter 9 of the A1 Masterclass

정도 and 쯤 are introduced in Chapter 9: 주말에 영화를 볼 거예요 of the Today Korean A1 Masterclass — where you'll learn to talk about plans, estimates, and approximate times naturally in Korean.

👉 See the full A1 curriculum