What is mango plural?

Answered by Douglas Hiatt

The plural form of the word “mango” has been a topic of confusion for many English speakers. While some words follow a predictable pattern when forming their plurals, the word “mango” seems to defy these conventional rules. So, what is the plural form of mango?

Surprisingly, both “mangos” and “mangoes” are considered acceptable spellings for the plural form of mango. That’s right – you can use either spelling, and you won’t be wrong. It ultimately comes down to personal preference or regional differences.

Let’s delve a bit deeper into the reasons behind this linguistic peculiarity. The word “mango” originates from Portuguese, where it is spelled “manga.” When the English language adopted the word, it underwent some changes, including the addition of the “-o” suffix to make it a singular noun. However, when it comes to forming the plural, there are two acceptable options.

The use of “mangos” as the plural form is more commonly seen in American English. It follows the general rule of adding an “-s” to the end of a noun to indicate plurality. This straightforward approach aligns with the pluralization of many other words in the English language, such as “dogs,” “cats,” or “trees.”

On the other hand, “mangoes” is the plural form more commonly used in British English, following a pattern known as the “vowel + o” plural. This pattern can be observed in words like “potato” (potatoes), “tomato” (tomatoes), and “hero” (heroes). So, when it comes to mangoes, British English speakers tend to use the same rule.

It’s worth noting that both spellings have been in use for centuries, and both are widely accepted by English speakers around the world. Therefore, it’s simply a matter of personal preference or the regional conventions you adhere to. Whether you write “mangos” or “mangoes,” you can rest assured that your pluralization is grammatically correct.

The plural form of mango can be spelled as either “mangos” or “mangoes.” Both spellings are correct and widely accepted. So, next time you’re writing about multiple mangoes, feel free to choose the spelling that suits you best.