What is the Plural of Fish? 

When you’re talking about more than one fish in general, you use the word ‘fish’. It’s the same whether you say “one fish” or “many fish.”

But if you’re talking about different kinds of fish, you might hear someone say ‘fishes’. This is used when someone wants to talk about many types of fish like scientists do.

In normal chat, though, when you see fish in a tank, a pond, or on your dinner plate, you will usually call them ‘fish’, not ‘fishes’.

What is the Plural of Fish in English?

The word ‘fish’ falls under the category of irregular nouns which generally don’t change form when they go from singular to plural. Therefore plural of fish is usually fish when referring to multiple fish of the same species or type.

For example:

• Singular usage: “I caught one fish” 
• Plural usage:  “I caught three fish” 

Both forms use fish in its plural form without changing its spelling.

Remember, you use the word ‘fish’ as a plural noun not only for groups of the same kind of fish but also when you don’t know or need to specify the exact number of fish.

For example: 

“On our fishing trip, we caught several fish.”

Can Both ‘Fish’ and ‘Fishes’ be Used as Plural Forms?

Yes, both ‘fish’ and ‘fishes’ can be used in the plural form, but they have specific uses. You use ‘fishes’ when you’re talking about more than one type (species) of fish, especially if you’re a scientist.

For example, a marine biologist might say: “There are several different fishes in this habitat.”

Here, ‘fishes’ means different types of fish species. Let’s explore this usage a bit more below.

In what context is ‘fishes’ considered grammatically correct?

When you’re talking about more than one fish from different species, you should use the term ‘fishes’. You’ll often see this usage in scientific situations where being exact is important.

For example, if you’re a marine biologist and you’re referring to a salmon as well as a cod, you would say:

 “I am studying these two fishes.”

Or, picture yourself at an aquarium with a variety of species on display. You would correctly refer to the collection by saying:

“The aquarium houses many different fishes.

Keep in mind, ‘fishes’ is not as commonly used as ‘fish’ and is usually saved for specific situations.

Examples of Using the Singular of Fish in A Sentence

“She selected a fresh fish for dinner at the market.”

“Do you know how to cook this type of fish?”

“Note how this fish swims against the current.”

“As a child my first pet was a small fish“

“Ask your guide to identify that unusual fish.”

Examples of Using the Plural of Fish in A Sentence

“You often see herds of deer in the woodland meadows.”

“During winter, you might spot a group of deer searching for food in the snow.”

“You can identify different species of deer by their antler shape.”

“In the early morning, you may find deer grazing in the fields.”

“If you go hiking in the national park, you’re likely to encounter deer near the trails.”

Plural of Fish: UK vs US english

When discussing the plural form of the word “fish,” you’ll find that both UK and US English handle it similarly. 

In general usage, “fish” serves as both the singular and plural form when referring to multiple fish of the same species. If you’re talking about different species, the plural can be “fishes” in both varieties of English. 

• Singular: fish
• Plural (same species): fish
• Plural (different species): fishes

These rules of pluralization are consistent across the Atlantic, so you won’t find a divergence between UK and US English in this regard.

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