Inklingo

How to Say "one thousand" in Spanish

English → Spanish

mil

meelmil

Number / AdjectiveA1Neutral
Use 'mil' when you are stating the number 1,000 directly, such as when giving a price or quantity.
A small red bird perched on a huge, neat pile of one thousand identical green apples.

Examples

Este teléfono cuesta mil euros.

This phone costs a thousand euros.

La ciudad fue fundada en el año mil novecientos.

The city was founded in the year nineteen hundred.

Necesito dos mil dólares para el viaje.

I need two thousand dollars for the trip.

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).

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.

luca

loo-kahˈluka

NounB1Informal
Use 'luca' as informal slang for a thousand units of currency, most commonly pesos, especially in Argentina and Uruguay.
A large, thick stack of paper money tied together with a simple band.

Examples

Préstame una luca para el café, por favor.

Lend me a thousand (pesos) for the coffee, please.

Esa camiseta me costó diez lucas en la feria.

That t-shirt cost me ten thousand in the street market.

Ando corto de plata, no tengo ni una luca.

I'm short on cash, I don't even have a single thousand.

Counting with Lucas

In Spanish, the standard word 'mil' (thousand) never changes to 'mils.' However, because 'luca' is a regular noun, you must make it plural by adding an 's': 'una luca,' 'dos lucas,' 'cien lucas.'

The Gender of Money Slang

Even though 'peso' is masculine, 'luca' is a feminine noun. You must use feminine articles like 'una' or 'las' when talking about it.

Using it in the wrong country

Mistake: “Using 'luca' in Spain or Mexico.”

Correction: In Spain, use 'pavo' for euros; in Mexico, use 'lana' or 'varo' for money. 'Luca' is specifically South American (Chile, Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay).

Formal Situations

Mistake: “Saying 'Son cinco lucas' to a bank teller.”

Correction: Keep 'luca' for friends and casual markets. In a bank or professional setting, always use 'mil pesos'.

Using 'luca' instead of 'mil'

The most common mistake is using the informal 'luca' in formal situations or when referring to the number 1,000 generally. Remember that 'mil' is the standard, universally understood term for the number itself.

Related Translations

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