miles
MEE-less
📝 In Action
Hay miles de estrellas en el cielo.
A2There are thousands of stars in the sky.
Gastaron miles de euros en el viaje.
B1They spent thousands of euros on the trip.
Te lo he dicho miles de veces, ¡limpia tu cuarto!
B1I've told you thousands of times, clean your room!
El concierto atrajo a miles de fanáticos.
B1The concert attracted thousands of fans.
💡 Grammar Points
Always Use 'de' After 'Miles'
When you say 'thousands of something', you must put the word 'de' between 'miles' and the thing you're talking about. For example, 'miles de libros' (thousands of books).
Always Masculine and Plural
'Miles' itself is always treated as a masculine, plural word, even if the noun that follows it is feminine. For example, you say 'los miles de personas' (the thousands of people).
❌ Common Pitfalls
Confusing 'Miles' (Thousands) with 'Millas' (Miles)
Mistake: "Corrí cinco miles esta mañana."
Correction: Corrí cinco millas esta mañana. 'Miles' always means thousands. The word for the unit of distance is 'millas'. This is a very common mix-up for English speakers!
Forgetting the 'de'
Mistake: "En la biblioteca hay miles libros."
Correction: En la biblioteca hay miles de libros. Don't forget to add 'de' to connect 'miles' to the noun that comes after it.
⭐ Usage Tips
Using 'Miles' for Exaggeration
Just like in English, you can use 'miles' to exaggerate. If you've been waiting for a long time, you might say, '¡He esperado por miles de horas!' (I've waited for thousands of hours!).
Approximating with 'Unos Miles'
To say 'a few thousand,' you can use the phrase 'unos miles'. For example: 'El coche cuesta unos miles de dólares' (The car costs a few thousand dollars).
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: miles
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly says 'I traveled thousands of miles'?
📚 More Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between 'miles' and 'millares'?
They both mean 'thousands', but 'millares' is a bit more formal or literary. You'll hear 'miles' much more often in everyday conversation. For most situations, 'miles' is the word you want.
Can I say 'dos miles' for two thousand?
No, that's a great question! For specific numbers, you just use 'mil'. So, 'two thousand' is 'dos mil', 'three thousand' is 'tres mil', and so on. 'Mil' doesn't become plural in these cases. You only use 'miles' for unspecified large amounts, like 'thousands of cars'.