millón

/mee-YOHN/

million (1,000,000)

A gigantic transparent jar filled to the brim and overflowing with countless small, identical gold spheres, symbolizing the number one million.

When used as a number, 'millón' refers to the quantity 1,000,000.

millón(Noun)

mA2

million (1,000,000)

as a number or quantity

📝 In Action

Barcelona tiene más de un millón de habitantes.

Barcelona has more than a million inhabitants.

Me gustaría ganar un millón de euros en la lotería.

I would like to win a million euros in the lottery.

Se han vendido tres millones de copias del libro.

Three million copies of the book have been sold.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

un millón de veces – a million times
millones de dólares – millions of dollars

💡 Grammar Points

Using 'de' after millón

When 'millón' is followed by the thing being counted (like people or cars), you MUST use the word 'de' (of): 'un millón de coches'.

Singular vs. Plural

The number itself stays singular when it is exactly one ('un millón'), but becomes plural ('millones') for any number greater than one (dos millones, cien millones).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Forgetting 'un'

Mistake: "Compré millón de libros. (I bought million of books.)"

Correction: Compré **un** millón de libros. (You need the number 'one' before 'million' because it acts like a noun.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Counting in Spanish

Unlike 'mil' (thousand), 'millón' acts like a regular noun. This means it needs the article 'un' or another counting word before it.

A tiny person is standing next to a mountain of colorful, identical toy blocks that is ridiculously large and overwhelming, illustrating a hyperbolic, uncountable amount.

Informally, 'millón' can be used hyperbolically to mean 'loads' or 'a huge, uncountable amount.'

millón(Noun)

mB1

loads

a huge, uncountable amount (hyperbole)

a ton (of)

used for emphasis

Also:

zillion

informal exaggeration

📝 In Action

Gracias, me has ahorrado un millón de problemas.

Thanks, you've saved me a ton of trouble (a million problems).

Te lo dije un millón de veces, pero no escuchaste.

I told you a million times, but you didn't listen.

Ella tiene millones de ideas para el proyecto.

She has loads of ideas (millions of ideas) for the project.

Word Connections

Synonyms

muchísimo (a great deal)
un montón (a lot)

💡 Grammar Points

Idiomatic Use

When used to mean 'a lot,' it often appears in the plural form, 'millones,' especially when paired with 'de' and a plural noun.

⭐ Usage Tips

Use for Exaggeration

Using 'un millón' or 'millones' is a perfect way to dramatically exaggerate in casual speech, just like saying 'a million' in English.

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: millón

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'millón' when talking about money?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

millonario(millionaire) - noun

mil(thousand) - noun

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to use 'un' (one) before 'millón'?

Yes. Unlike 'mil' (thousand), 'millón' acts like a regular noun and must be preceded by 'un' (or 'dos', 'tres', etc.) when referring to the quantity. Always say 'un millón de personas', not just 'millón de personas'.

Why does 'millón' need 'de' afterward, but 'mil' (thousand) doesn't?

'Millón' (and 'billón', 'trillón', etc.) are treated as nouns in Spanish (the word 'million'). Nouns that describe an amount or container always need 'de' to connect to the things they contain: 'un millón de manzanas' (a million *of* apples). 'Mil' is treated more like a counting adjective, so it attaches directly: 'mil manzanas'.