montón
/monˈton/masculine
The English phrase 'pile' can be translated into Spanish in several ways, most commonly as montón. Wiktionary also lists rimero and pila.
Meaning: mass of things heaped together, heap (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| montón | /monˈton/ | masculine |
| rimero | /riˈmeɾo/ | masculine |
| pila | /ˈpila/ | feminine |
| cúmulo | /ˈkumulo/ | masculine |
| hacina | /aˈθina/ /aˈsina/ |
feminine |
| tambache | /tambat͡ʃe/ (from spelling rules) | masculine |
| ruma | /ruma/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| tauca | /tauka/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| tonga | /ˈtonɡa/ | feminine |
| rima | /ˈrima/ | feminine |
| arcina | /aɾθina/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /aɾsina/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
The term refers to a mass of things heaped together. While many forms exist, it is often used idiomatically in the phrase un montón de to mean 'a lot of' or 'many' in casual conversation. For a more formal context emphasizing the idea of an accumulation or gathering, you might use acumulación.
Which one should you use?
While pila and montón both mean pile, montón is the more common general term for a disorganized heap. In contrast, pila often implies a stack or a more structured pile.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Cuba and Puerto Rico, the word jumo is used informally to refer to a pile or heap of objects.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of montón is montones, which is often used in the expression un montón de to emphasize a very large quantity.
How do you pronounce it?
/monˈton/
Did you know?
- The term pila can be used in the expression ponerse las pilas, which literally means 'to put in your batteries' but actually means 'to get your act together'.
- The word pila is used in Spanish to describe both a stack of objects and a battery.
- The word montón is actually a 'mountain' made larger. It combines monte for 'mountain' with the augmentative suffix -ón to describe a heap.
Examples in context
- Hay una pila de escombros donde el edificio solía estar.There is a pile of rubble where the building used to be.This sentence shows how to use pila to describe a pile of rubble.Tatoeba #5072138 by albrusgher, translation #2399374 by orcrist
- Tom tiene una pila entera de boletas de estacionamiento sin pagar.Tom has a whole pile of unpaid parking tickets.This sentence uses pila to describe a pile of tickets.Tatoeba #1355832 by marcelostockle, translation #1093712 by CK
- Hay un gran montón de escombro donde el edificio del colegio solía estar.There is a large pile of rubble where the school building used to be.This sentence uses montón to describe a large pile of rubble.Tatoeba #5072291 by albrusgher, translation #2332771 by orcrist
- Tenemos un montón de documentos para revisar antes de la reunión.We have a pile of documents to review before the meeting.
- El almacén tiene una acumulación de cajas que necesitamos clasificar.The warehouse has an accumulation of boxes that we need to classify.
- ¡Tienes un montón de post-it en tu escritorio! Estás muy organizado.You have a pile of post-its on your desk! You are very organized.
- Mi hermana tiene una pila de ropa en su habitación.My sister has a pile of clothes in her room.
- En el cuarto de mi hijo hay un mogollón de juguetes.In my son's room there is a large amount of toys.
- Necesito una montaña de libros para mi investigación.I need a mountain of books for my research.
- un montón de genteA lot of people
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are cleaning their living room.
- Javier¿Puedes ayudarme con este montón de libros?Can you help me with this pile of books?
- MaríaSí, Javier, yo los guardaré en el estante.Yes, Javier, I will put them on the shelf.
- JavierGracias, es un montón muy pesado.Thanks, it is a very heavy pile.
- MaríaNo te preocupes, lo terminaremos pronto.Don't worry, we will finish it soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “pile” translations and entries montón, rimero, pila, cúmulo, hacina, tonga, rima, arcina, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cúmulo, montón, pila, rimero, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
