What Is the Plural of Puppy?

Few things are as enjoyable as having a puppy run around you in playful joy. Perhaps the only improvement is having more than one puppy around. If you find yourself in such a favorable circumstance, how do you spell the plural of such a cheerful group?

For that matter, how do you spell other English words that end in “y”? We’ll answer that in today’s post.

The Plural of Puppy

The plural of the word puppy is puppies.

That’s the quick answer (if you are looking for one). The following sentences show correct spelling and usage:

I couldn’t decide among the three puppies at the shelter, so I adopted them all.

My neighbor’s dog is cute, but her four puppies are absolutely adorable.

My coworker tried to participate in a video meeting, but her puppies kept interrupting.

Each of these spellings is accurate, and there are no alternate spellings.

The Meaning of the Word Puppy

As many people are aware, puppy is a noun meaning “a young dog.” It typically refers to a domestic canine less than one year old. The equivalent for a cat or feline is kitten.

Occasionally you may come across alternate slang meanings for this word. In particular, in some regions of America people may refer to small children as puppies or pups for short.

Example

While I was running in the park, I saw a youth soccer match with lots of pups chasing the ball.

This isn’t a standard spelling or usage, but you can usually interpret the meaning from the context.

Why Is Puppies the Plural of Puppy?

Many English words ending with “y” are pluralized with “ies.” Here are a few more examples:

Baby becomes babies.

Emergency becomes emergencies.

Quality becomes qualities.

However, that rule isn’t universal. Here are a few examples that don’t follow that convention:

Donkey becomes donkeys.

Valley becomes valleys.

Alley becomes alleys.

The distinction between endings amounts to this: When a word has a vowel (i.e., a, e, i, o, or u) that comes before the letter “y,” you add “s” to make it plural (donkey > donkeys). If a consonant (or any other letter) comes before the “y,” add an “ies” (baby > babies).

Pop Quiz

Provide the correctly spelled plural word in each sentence.

1. Did you see those (guy) who just crossed the street?

2. Viktor likes to study celestial (body) through his telescope.

3. The civil engineers are discussing the impact of the new proposed (highway).

4. Look at all of the (eddy) there in the water.

5. Seattle is one of my favorite (city).

 

Pop Quiz Answers

1. Did you see those guys who just crossed the street?

2. Viktor likes to study celestial bodies through his telescope.

3. The civil engineers are discussing the impact of the new proposed highways.

4. Look at all of the eddies there in the water.

5. Seattle is one of my favorite cities.

Need More Grammar Advice?

Our website includes a large archive of useful information about grammar in American English, including tips, articles, quizzes, and more. We also add new posts every week. Be sure to review other topics of interest to you. If you ever have a thought or a question about a grammar subject, you can share it in the comments at the end of the article you’re reading!

If the article or the existing discussions do not address a thought or question you have on the subject, please use the "Comment" box at the bottom of this page.