mil
/meel/
thousand
Mil means the number one thousand (1,000).
📝 In Action
Este teléfono cuesta mil euros.
A1This phone costs a thousand euros.
La ciudad fue fundada en el año mil novecientos.
A2The city was founded in the year nineteen hundred.
Necesito dos mil dólares para el viaje.
A1I need two thousand dollars for the trip.
💡 Grammar Points
Stays the Same in Plural
Unlike other numbers, 'mil' doesn't change when you put another number before it. It's 'dos mil' (2,000), 'cinco mil' (5,000), 'cien mil' (100,000), etc. The word 'mil' itself stays the same.
No 'Un' Needed
When you mean exactly 1,000, you just say 'mil', not 'un mil'. For example, 'Tengo mil libros' (I have a thousand books).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Saying 'un mil'
Mistake: "Compré un mil cosas en el mercado."
Correction: Compré mil cosas en el mercado. You only need to say 'mil' for 'one thousand'. The 'un' is not necessary and sounds unnatural.
⭐ Usage Tips
Use in Dates
'Mil' is essential for saying years, like 'mil novecientos noventa y nueve' for 1999 or 'dos mil veinticuatro' for 2024.
In the plural (miles), mil refers to a large, unspecified number, or thousands.
mil(Noun)
thousands
?A large, unspecified number
a ton
?Informal, for emphasis
,loads
?Informal, for emphasis
📝 In Action
Hay miles de personas en la playa.
A2There are thousands of people on the beach.
Te lo he dicho mil veces: ¡limpia tu cuarto!
B1I've told you a thousand times: clean your room!
¡Mil gracias por tu ayuda!
A2A thousand thanks for your help!
💡 Grammar Points
Using 'Miles de'
To say 'thousands of something', you use the pattern 'miles de + thing'. For example, 'miles de estrellas' (thousands of stars). Don't forget the 'de'!
❌ Common Pitfalls
Forgetting 'de'
Mistake: "Vi miles personas en el concierto."
Correction: Vi a miles de personas en el concierto. When using 'miles' to mean 'a lot of', you always need to add 'de' before the noun.
⭐ Usage Tips
For Exaggeration
You can use 'mil' (even in singular) to exaggerate, just like in English. 'Tengo mil cosas que hacer' doesn't mean you have exactly 1,000 tasks, it just means you're very busy.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: mil
Question 1 of 1
Which sentence uses 'mil' to mean 'a very large number' for exaggeration, not exactly 1,000?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I say 'un mil' or just 'mil' for the number 1,000?
Just say 'mil'. Unlike other numbers, you don't put 'un' (one) in front of it. For example, 'mil personas' (a thousand people).
How do I say 2,000 or 50,000? Does 'mil' change?
The word 'mil' itself doesn't change. You just put the number before it: 'dos mil' (2,000), 'cinco mil' (5,000), 'cincuenta mil' (50,000). It's simpler than in English where you have to add an 's'!
What's the difference between 'mil' and 'miles'?
'Mil' is used for the exact number 1,000 ('mil euros') or with other numbers ('dos mil euros'). 'Miles' (plural) is used to mean 'thousands of' in a general sense, like 'miles de personas' (thousands of people).