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Plural forms that do not follow regular spelling patterns.
Some nouns form the plural in ways other than adding -s or -es.
Irregular plurals follow historical spelling patterns and must often be learned individually.
The child is playing in the yard.
Ребенок играет во дворе.
"Child" has the irregular plural "children".
The children are playing in the yard.
Дети играют во дворе.
"Children" is the irregular plural of "child".
One man is waiting outside.
Один мужчина ждет снаружи.
"Man" has the irregular plural "men".
Several men are waiting outside.
Несколько мужчин ждут снаружи.
"Men" is the irregular plural of "man".
She lost a tooth at school.
Она потеряла зуб в школе.
"Tooth" has the irregular plural "teeth".
She brushed her teeth before bed.
Она почистила зубы перед сном.
"Teeth" is the irregular plural of "tooth".
I saw a mouse in the garage.
Я увидел мышь в гараже.
"Mouse" has the irregular plural "mice".
We saw several mice in the garage.
Мы увидели несколько мышей в гараже.
"Mice" is the irregular plural of "mouse".
Some nouns form the plural by changing the internal vowel.
Examples include man → men, woman → women, foot → feet, tooth → teeth, goose → geese and mouse → mice.
One man is waiting at the bus stop.
Один мужчина ждет на автобусной остановке.
"Man" changes its internal vowel to form the plural "men".
Two men are waiting at the bus stop.
Два мужчины ждут на автобусной остановке.
"Men" is formed by changing the vowel in "man".
The woman is talking to the doctor.
Женщина разговаривает с врачом.
"Woman" has the irregular plural "women".
The women are talking to the doctor.
Женщины разговаривают с врачом.
"Women" is formed with a vowel change and a different pronunciation.
My foot hurts after the hike.
У меня болит нога после похода.
"Foot" has the irregular plural "feet".
My feet hurt after the hike.
У меня болят ноги после похода.
"Feet" is formed by changing the internal vowel of "foot".
The goose is near the pond.
Гусь возле пруда.
"Goose" has the irregular plural "geese".
The geese are near the pond.
Гуси возле пруда.
"Geese" is formed by changing the internal vowel of "goose".
A small number of nouns form the plural with -en.
Examples include child → children and ox → oxen.
The child is asleep.
Ребенок спит.
"Child" has the irregular plural "children", which ends in "-en".
The children are asleep.
Дети спят.
"Children" is an irregular plural ending in "-en".
The farmer owns one ox.
Фермер владеет одним волом.
"Ox" has the irregular plural "oxen".
The farmer owns several oxen.
Фермер владеет несколькими волами.
"Oxen" is the traditional plural of "ox".
The children visited the farm.
Дети посетили ферму.
"Children" is much more common in modern English than other "-en" plurals.
The oxen pulled the wagon.
Волы тянули повозку.
"Oxen" is a traditional irregular plural ending in "-en".
The children are waiting for the school bus.
Дети ждут школьный автобус.
"Children" is an irregular plural rather than a regular form such as "childs".
The oxen were kept in a large barn.
Волов держали в большом амбаре.
"Oxen" takes plural agreement.
Some nouns have identical singular and plural forms.
Examples include sheep, deer, fish (in many contexts), aircraft, spacecraft, series and species.
I saw one sheep in the field.
Я увидел одну овцу в поле.
"Sheep" has the same singular and plural form.
I saw ten sheep in the field.
Я увидел десять овец в поле.
"Sheep" remains unchanged after a plural number.
A deer crossed the road.
Олень перешел дорогу.
"Deer" is singular here.
Several deer crossed the road.
Несколько оленей перешли дорогу.
"Deer" has the same form in the plural.
The fish is in the tank.
Рыба находится в аквариуме.
"Fish" is singular here.
The fish are swimming near the rocks.
Рыбы плавают возле камней.
"Fish" is plural here without a change in form.
The aircraft is ready for takeoff.
Самолет готов к взлету.
"Aircraft" is singular in this sentence.
The aircraft are ready for takeoff.
Самолеты готовы к взлету.
"Aircraft" is plural here, but its form remains unchanged.
Some Latin nouns retain their traditional plural forms.
Examples include datum → data, bacterium → bacteria, curriculum → curricula and alumnus → alumni.
The researcher recorded one datum.
Исследователь записал один факт.
"Datum" is the traditional singular of "data".
The report contains several data points.
Отчет содержит несколько точек данных.
"Data" is traditionally the plural of "datum", although modern English also commonly uses "data" as a mass noun.
The bacterium was identified in the sample.
Бактерия была обнаружена в образце.
"Bacterium" is the singular form.
Several bacteria were found in the sample.
В образце обнаружили несколько бактерий.
"Bacteria" is the traditional plural of "bacterium".
The professor assigned a new curriculum.
Профессор назначил новую учебную программу.
"Curriculum" is singular.
The university offers several curricula.
Университет предлагает несколько учебных программ.
"Curricula" is the traditional plural of "curriculum".
The professor is an alumnus of Harvard.
Профессор — выпускник Гарварда.
"Alumnus" is a traditional singular Latin-derived noun.
The alumni returned for the university anniversary.
Выпускники вернулись на годовщину университета.
"Alumni" is the traditional plural of "alumnus".
Some Greek nouns retain traditional plural forms.
Examples include phenomenon → phenomena, criterion → criteria and analysis → analyses.
The scientist studied one phenomenon.
Ученый изучал одно явление.
"Phenomenon" is singular.
Scientists studied several phenomena.
Ученые изучали несколько явлений.
"Phenomena" is the traditional plural of "phenomenon".
Cost is an important criterion.
Стоимость — важный критерий.
"Criterion" is singular.
We use several criteria to evaluate the candidates.
Мы используем несколько критериев для оценки кандидатов.
"Criteria" is the traditional plural of "criterion".
The doctor explained the analysis.
Врач объяснил анализ.
"Analysis" is singular.
The report includes several analyses.
Отчет включает несколько анализов.
"Analyses" is the traditional plural of "analysis".
The crisis affected local businesses.
Кризис повлиял на местный бизнес.
"Crisis" is singular.
Several crises affected the economy.
Несколько кризисов повлияли на экономику.
"Crises" is the plural of "crisis".
Some borrowed nouns have both English and traditional plural forms.
Examples include formulas/formulae, indexes/indices, appendixes/appendices and cactuses/cacti.
The scientists compared several formulas.
Ученые сравнили несколько формул.
"Formulas" is a common English plural of "formula".
The paper includes mathematical formulae.
В статье приведены математические формулы.
"Formulae" is a traditional plural that is still used, especially in technical contexts.
The database contains several indexes.
База данных содержит несколько индексов.
"Indexes" is a common English plural of "index".
The book includes detailed indices.
Книга содержит подробные указатели.
"Indices" is a traditional plural of "index".
The textbook has several appendixes.
В учебнике несколько приложений.
"Appendixes" is a standard English plural.
The medical journal contains several appendices.
Медицинский журнал содержит несколько приложений.
"Appendices" is the traditional plural of "appendix".
The desert has several cactuses.
В пустыне несколько кактусов.
"Cactuses" is a standard English plural of "cactus".
The botanical garden contains many cacti.
В ботаническом саду много кактусов.
"Cacti" is the traditional Latin plural of "cactus".
Many nouns ending in -is form the plural by changing -is to -es.
Examples include analysis → analyses, crisis → crises, thesis → theses and hypothesis → hypotheses.
The doctor explained the analysis.
Врач объяснил анализ.
"Analysis" is singular.
The report contains several analyses.
Отчет содержит несколько анализов.
"Analyses" is the plural of "analysis".
The crisis lasted several months.
Кризис длился несколько месяцев.
"Crisis" is singular.
Several crises affected the country.
Несколько кризисов повлияли на страну.
"Crises" is the plural of "crisis".
The student wrote a thesis.
Студент написал диссертацию.
"Thesis" is singular.
The university published several theses.
Университет опубликовал несколько диссертаций.
"Theses" is the plural of "thesis".
The researcher proposed a new hypothesis.
Исследователь выдвинул новую гипотезу.
"Hypothesis" is singular.
The paper compares several hypotheses.
В статье сравнивается несколько гипотез.
"Hypotheses" is the plural of "hypothesis".
Many Greek nouns ending in -on form the plural in -a.
Examples include phenomenon → phenomena and criterion → criteria.
The professor described the phenomenon.
Профессор описал явление.
"Phenomenon" is singular.
Scientists studied several phenomena.
Ученые изучали несколько явлений.
"Phenomena" is the traditional plural of "phenomenon".
The result met the main criterion.
Результат соответствовал главному критерию.
"Criterion" is singular.
The study used several criteria.
В исследовании использовалось несколько критериев.
"Criteria" is the traditional plural of "criterion".
The professor explained one electron-related phenomenon.
Профессор объяснил одно явление, связанное с электронами.
"Phenomenon" remains singular after the modifier.
The researchers observed many strange phenomena.
Исследователи наблюдали много странных явлений.
"Phenomena" is used after "many".
Reliability is one important criterion.
Надежность — один важный критерий.
"Criterion" is a singular noun ending in "-on".
Reliability and price are two important criteria.
Надежность и цена — два важных критерия.
"Criteria" is plural and does not simply add "-s" to "criterion".
Some plural forms differ in meaning from their singular forms.
Examples include people/persons, fishes/fish and brothers/brethren.
Three people were waiting outside.
Три человека ждали снаружи.
"People" is the usual plural of "person".
The police questioned several persons in the investigation.
Полиция допросила нескольких лиц в рамках расследования.
"Persons" is more formal and is often used in legal or official language.
We caught five fish at the lake.
Мы поймали пять рыб на озере.
"Fish" is the ordinary plural when referring to fish individually as a group.
The aquarium contains several different fishes.
В аквариуме содержится несколько разных видов рыб.
"Fishes" can emphasize different species or kinds of fish.
The two brothers live in Texas.
Два брата живут в Техасе.
"Brothers" is the normal plural of "brother".
The brothers met for Thanksgiving.
Братья встретились на День благодарения.
"Brothers" normally refers to biological or figurative brothers.
The two brothers-in-law attended the wedding.
Два брата мужа или жены присутствовали на свадьбе.
"Brothers-in-law" is the normal plural of "brother-in-law".
The monks of the old order were called brethren.
Монахов старого ордена называли братьями.
"Brethren" is a specialized or literary plural of "brother" rather than the normal everyday plural.
Some compound nouns form the plural on the main noun rather than at the end.
Examples include mothers-in-law, commanders-in-chief and passers-by.
My mother-in-law is visiting this weekend.
Моя теща или свекровь приезжает в эти выходные.
"Mother-in-law" is singular.
My mothers-in-law are visiting this weekend.
Мои тещи или свекрови приезжают в эти выходные.
"Mothers-in-law" forms the plural on the main noun "mother".
The commander-in-chief gave a speech.
Главнокомандующий выступил с речью.
"Commander-in-chief" is singular.
The commanders-in-chief met at the summit.
Главнокомандующие встретились на саммите.
"Commanders-in-chief" pluralizes the main noun "commander".
A passer-by called the police.
Прохожий вызвал полицию.
"Passer-by" is singular.
Several passers-by stopped to help.
Несколько прохожих остановились помочь.
"Passers-by" forms the plural on "passer".
The editor-in-chief approved the article.
Главный редактор утвердил статью.
"Editor-in-chief" is singular.
The editors-in-chief met after the conference.
Главные редакторы встретились после конференции.
"Editors-in-chief" places the plural ending on the main noun.
Some nouns exist only in the plural form.
Examples include clothes, trousers, scissors, binoculars, surroundings and premises.
These clothes are clean.
Эта одежда чистая.
"Clothes" is normally used only in the plural form.
My trousers are in the closet.
Мои брюки в шкафу.
"Trousers" takes plural agreement.
The scissors are on the desk.
Ножницы лежат на столе.
"Scissors" has plural grammatical form.
The binoculars are in my backpack.
Бинокль находится в моем рюкзаке.
"Binoculars" is normally plural-only.
All my belongings are in the car.
Все мои вещи находятся в машине.
"Belongings" is normally used in the plural.
The surroundings are very quiet at night.
Окрестности очень тихие ночью.
"Surroundings" normally takes plural agreement.
The premises are closed after midnight.
Помещение закрыто после полуночи.
"Premises" commonly takes plural agreement when it refers to a building or property.
My jeans are still wet.
Мои джинсы все еще мокрые.
"Jeans" is normally plural-only.
Some nouns end in -s but are grammatically singular.
Examples include news, mathematics, physics, economics and linguistics when referring to academic subjects.
The news is on at six.
Новости идут в шесть.
"News" ends in "-s" but is grammatically singular.
Mathematics is my favorite subject.
Математика — мой любимый предмет.
"Mathematics" is singular when referring to the academic subject.
Physics is difficult for some students.
Физика сложна для некоторых студентов.
"Physics" takes singular agreement.
Economics is taught at many universities.
Экономику преподают во многих университетах.
"Economics" is singular as an academic subject.
Linguistics is a fascinating field.
Лингвистика — увлекательная область.
"Linguistics" takes a singular verb.
The latest news was surprising.
Последние новости были удивительными.
"News" remains singular despite its final "-s".
Statistics is required for this course.
Для этого курса требуется статистика.
"Statistics" is singular when it refers to the academic subject.
The United States is a large country.
Соединенные Штаты — большая страна.
"United States" is plural in form but names one country and takes singular agreement.
Subject-verb agreement follows the grammatical number of the noun.
Irregular plural nouns take plural verbs, while singular nouns ending in -s usually take singular verbs.
The children are playing outside.
Дети играют снаружи.
"Children" is plural and takes "are".
The men work downtown.
Мужчины работают в центре.
"Men" is plural and takes "work".
The women are waiting for the bus.
Женщины ждут автобус.
"Women" is plural and takes "are".
The feet are cold.
Ноги мерзнут.
"Feet" is plural and takes "are".
The teeth are healthy.
Зубы здоровые.
"Teeth" is plural and takes "are".
The mice are hiding under the cabinets.
Мыши прячутся под шкафами.
"Mice" is plural and takes "are".
The geese are crossing the road.
Гуси переходят дорогу.
"Geese" is plural and takes "are".
The police are investigating the accident.
Полиция расследует аварию.
"Police" is a special plural noun and takes plural agreement.
Do not apply regular plural endings to irregular nouns.
Common errors include childs, mouses, criterions, phenomenons and informations. Learn irregular forms individually.
The children are playing outside.
Дети играют снаружи.
Do not form the plural as "childs"; the correct form is "children".
Several mice were found in the garage.
В гараже обнаружили несколько мышей.
Do not use "mouses" for the ordinary plural of the animal; use "mice".
The criteria are listed on the website.
Критерии перечислены на сайте.
Use "criteria" as the traditional plural of "criterion", not "criterions" in standard formal usage.
Scientists studied several phenomena.
Ученые изучали несколько явлений.
Use "phenomena", not the incorrect regular plural "phenomenons" in formal English.
The information is useful.
Информация полезна.
Do not use "informations"; "information" is normally uncountable.
The women are waiting outside.
Женщины ждут снаружи.
Do not use "womans"; the irregular plural is "women".
These scissors are sharp.
Эти ножницы острые.
Do not force a singular form such as "scissor" when referring to the complete tool.
The news is surprising.
Новости удивительны.
Do not use "news are" simply because "news" ends in "-s"; the noun is grammatically singular.