1,000 in Roman numerals
1,000 is written M. M is a letter of its own.
The answer
M
1,000 in Roman numerals is M.
How M is built
1,000 has a letter of its own, M. In England, the Year 5 curriculum extends Roman numerals from 100 to 1,000. This page also shows examples within that larger range.
| Letter | Worth | England curriculum |
|---|---|---|
| I | 1 | Year 3 |
| V | 5 | Year 3 |
| X | 10 | Year 3 |
| L | 50 | Year 4 |
| C | 100 | Year 4 |
| D | 500 | Year 5 |
| M | 1,000 | Year 5 |
The mistake to watch for
Writing 1,000 as D
Wrong: D
D is only 500, half of 1,000. To remember M, think of mille, the Latin word for a thousand, which starts with M and gives us the word millennium.
Reading years in Roman numerals
In England, the Year 5 curriculum includes recognising years written in Roman numerals. You may also see them on foundation stones, old buildings and film credits. To read one, split the year into thousands, hundreds, tens and ones, and write each part.
1066, the year of the Battle of Hastings, is M (1,000) + LXVI (66) = MLXVI. There are no hundreds, and with no zero there is nothing to write for them.
Up to 100, the Roman numerals chart has every number, and the converter there checks each step.
Keep going
Questions parents ask
What is 1,000 in Roman numerals?
1,000 is M.
What comes before and after M?
999 is CMXCIX and 1,001 is MI. The whole numeral changes: CMXCIX becomes M.
Does M use subtraction?
No. M is a single letter, so there is nothing to take away.
What is the biggest letter in M?
M, which is 1,000. M is a single letter.
Where might you see M?
Roman numerals appear on old buildings and clock faces, and publication dates on title pages can be written this way. In standard notation, a year from 1000 to 1999 starts with M.
When do children learn M?
In England, Year 5 children learn to read Roman numerals to 1,000 (M) and recognise years written in Roman numerals. Year 4 reads numerals to 100 (C).
Want to practise more?
Explore the diagnostic for more practice activities.