What is the Plural of "Fish"?

Around 1.7 billion people speak English. Learning English isn't that hard, but remembering its tricky grammar rules is quite challenging.

If someone asks you what the plural of 'frog' is, you may reply, 'frogs'. If someone asks you what the plural of 'snake' is, you will reply 'snakes'. 

The reason? Most English words follow a simple pattern. You usually just add an -s or -es to the end of a noun to make it plural. For example, one dog becomes two dogs. However, some words are much trickier. These are called irregular plurals. 

These unique words stay exactly the same whether you have one or a hundred of them. It can be quite confusing for many people who are just starting to learn the language.

But do you know what the plural of "fish" is? In this article, we'll take a look at the history of the word and its specific rules of use.

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Plural for Fish

Source: Jagran Josh | Fish vs Fishes

The word "fish" has two possible plural forms: fish and fishes. Which one you use depends on the situation. Here is the simple, logical reasoning for why we use both:

• Same Kind: If you have ten fish of the same type (like ten goldfish), you just say 'fish'. The word doesn't change.
• Different Kinds: If you are looking at a mix of different species (like salmon, tuna, and shark), you can use fishes.
• Scientific Use: Scientists often use "fishes" when they are discussing various groups of sea life in a formal way.

Quick Rule Guide

Plural of Fish: Why does this happen?

English has a special rule for some animal names. Usually, we add an "s" to make a word plural, but for certain animals, the singular and plural forms are the same.

For example, we say "sheep" or "deer," whether there is one or many. This helps keep things simple when talking about groups.

The word "fishes" was added so people can tell the difference between a group of the same species and a group of different species.

Fish vs Fishes: What's the Difference | Examples

Source: Language Tool

Here are some simple examples to show how to use "fish" and "fishes" in everyday writing.

• In a Tank: "We have five gold fish swimming in the small tank in our living room."
• At the Market: "The fisherman caught plenty of fish this morning to sell at the docks."
• At the Aquarium: "The guide showed us all the colorful fishes in the tropical coral reef."
• In Science: "Researchers are studying the different fishes found in the deep parts of the Atlantic Ocean."

A Simple Breakdown

To make it easy, you can use this table to show the difference at a glance:

Fish Plural: Why "Fishes"?

It's good to know that "fishes" is not a mistake. While "fish" is more common, "fishes" is used when talking about different kinds of fish. It's another way to say "different types of fish."

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