Mile in Irish (Míle): Meaning, Pronunciation & Examples

Q: What is the Irish for mile?

The Irish for mile is míle (pronounced “MEE-luh”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is mílte. Depending on context it can also mean thousand.

Q: What is the plural of mile in Irish?

The plural of míle is mílte; with the article, na mílte means “the miles”. The genitive plural is mílte, as in fad na mílte (the length of the miles).

Q: Does míle have more than one meaning?

Yes. Míle can mean mile or thousand, depending on context; the first is the most common.

How to say “mile” in Irish

Irish:: míle
English:: mile, thousand
Word type:: noun
Gender:: masculine, fourth declension
Pronunciation:: “MEE-luh” /ˈmʲiːlʲə/

Various forms

Plural:: mílte (miles)
Genitive singular:: míle, an mhíle (e.g. fad míle, the length of a mile)
Genitive plural:: mílte, na mílte (e.g. fad na mílte, the length of the miles)

What does “míle” mean?

“Míle” has two alternative meanings. The most common comes first.

mile: A unit of distance equal to about 1.6 kilometres.Also: miles, distance.

1 other meaning: thousand

2thousand: The number 1,000; also used loosely to mean a great many, as in 'míle buíochas'.Also: one thousand, a great many.

“Míle” with the article

The plural of mile in Irish is mílte. Here is míle after the article (an t-alt), in the singular and the plural.

an míle

the mile

No change after an

na mílte

the miles

Plural: no change after na

“Míle” in a sentence: Irish examples

Common Irish sentences using míle, the Irish word for mile.

Ritheann sí míle gach lá.

She runs a mile every day.

Tá sé dhá mhíle ón teach.

It is two miles from the house.

Níl sé ach cúpla míle ó Ghaillimh.

It's only a few miles from Galway.

Bhí na mílte daoine ag an gceolchoirm.

There were thousands of people at the concert.

Siúlaim an míle deireanach i gcónaí.

I always walk the last mile.

Go raibh míle maith agat as an gcabhair.

Thank you very much for the help.

Chosain an carr cúig mhíle euro.

The car cost five thousand euro.

Other nouns in Irish

More everyday Irish nouns to learn next.

carafriend rúnsecret BéarlaEnglish óldrinking gníomhaction ollscoiluniversity

Phrases with “míle”

Go raibh míle maith agatthank you very much Go raibh míle maith agatthanks a million Céad míle fáiltea hundred thousand welcomes

Mile in Irish: frequently asked questions

What is the Irish for mile?

The Irish for mile is míle (pronounced “MEE-luh”). It’s a masculine noun and the plural is mílte. Depending on context it can also mean thousand.

How do you pronounce míle in Irish?

Míle is said like “MEE-luh” (IPA /ˈmʲiːlʲə/).

What is the plural of mile in Irish?

The plural of míle is mílte; with the article, na mílte means “the miles”. The genitive plural is mílte, as in fad na mílte (the length of the miles).

Does míle have more than one meaning?

Yes. Míle can mean mile or thousand, depending on context; the first is the most common.

Why does míle change to mhíle?

After words like mo (my) and do (your) the first letter is lenited: mo mhíle. After ár (our) it stays ár míle, because m does not take eclipsis.

How do I tell 'mile' from 'thousand' when using míle?

Context decides: 'dhá mhíle ón teach' is two miles from the house, while 'dhá mhíle euro' is two thousand euro. To be explicit about distance you can say 'míle slí'.

What does 'míle' mean in greetings like 'míle fáilte'?

Here míle means a thousand used for emphasis, so 'míle fáilte' is a hearty welcome and 'míle buíochas' is a thousand thanks.

Mile in Irish (Míle): Meaning, Pronunciation, Usage