Inklingo

How to Say "thousands" in Spanish

English → Spanish

mil

/meel//mil/

NounA2General
Use 'mil' when referring to a large, unspecified quantity of something, often used in phrases like 'thousands of [noun]'.
A vast, dense swarm of thousands of colorful butterflies filling the blue sky.

Examples

Había mil personas esperando en la fila.

There were thousands of people waiting in line.

Hay miles de personas en la playa.

There are thousands of people on the beach.

Te lo he dicho mil veces: ¡limpia tu cuarto!

I've told you a thousand times: clean your room!

¡Mil gracias por tu ayuda!

A thousand thanks for your help!

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'!

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.

miles

/MEE-less//ˈmiles/

NounA2General
Use 'miles' specifically when referring to a large quantity of something abstract or uncountable, like stars or emotions, emphasizing the vastness.
A vast, dense field covered entirely by small, brightly colored pebbles stretching far into the distance, symbolizing a large quantity.

Examples

El universo contiene miles de galaxias.

The universe contains thousands of galaxies.

Hay miles de estrellas en el cielo.

There are thousands of stars in the sky.

Gastaron miles de euros en el viaje.

They spent thousands of euros on the trip.

Te lo he dicho miles de veces, ¡limpia tu cuarto!

I've told you thousands of times, clean your room!

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).

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.

Choosing Between 'Mil' and 'Miles'

The most common mistake is using 'miles' interchangeably with 'mil' for any large number. Remember that 'miles' often carries a slightly more poetic or vast connotation, especially with uncountable nouns, while 'mil' is a more direct translation for a large quantity.

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