Plural of Buffalo: 5 Surprising Facts You Didn’t Know
Quick Answer
The plural of buffalo is buffalo or buffaloes. Both are correct. You can also write buffalos, but it is less common.
One: I saw one buffalo near the river.
Many: I saw ten buffalo near the river.
Also correct: I saw ten buffaloes near the river.
Buffalo, Buffaloes, or Buffalos — Which Is Right?
Look at these examples. Can you see what is different?
- one buffalo → many buffalo
- one buffalo → many buffaloes
- one buffalo → many buffalos (less common)
Did you notice? Buffalo is special. It has three plural forms, and all of them are correct. Most animal words just add -s, but buffalo can stay the same or add -es.
| One (singular) | More than one (plural) | How common? |
|---|---|---|
| buffalo | buffalo | Very common |
| buffalo | buffaloes | Very common |
| buffalo | buffalos | Less common |
When to Use Buffalo and When to Use Buffaloes
Both buffalo and buffaloes are good choices. Here is a simple way to pick:
- Use buffalo (no change) when you talk about the animal in general: “There are many buffalo in Africa.”
- Use buffaloes when you want to show a clear plural with -es: “The buffaloes crossed the road.”
- Use buffalos only if you see it in a text — it is correct, but less popular.
Buffalo works like some other animal words that can stay the same for one or many:
- deer → deer
- sheep → sheep
- fish → fish
- moose → moose
Easy way to remember: If you are not sure, use buffalo with no change. It is always correct.
The Rule in One Line: One buffalo, many buffalo or buffaloes — both are correct.
How to Use Buffalo in Everyday English
- We saw a herd of buffalo on the nature show last night. (many buffalo)
- A buffalo is drinking water near the lake. (one buffalo)
- The buffaloes moved slowly across the field. (many — with -es)
- The baby buffalo stayed close to its mother. (one buffalo)
- There are wild buffalo in parts of Asia and Africa. (many buffalo)
You are doing great. Now let’s look at the mistakes many learners make with this word.
Two Mistakes to Avoid With Buffalo
Even advanced learners mix up the plural of buffalo sometimes — so if you get confused, you are not alone. Your brain wants to follow the normal rule and just add -s, but buffalo has its own pattern.
Mistake 1: Using the wrong verb for many
✗ The buffalo is running across the field. (talking about many)
✓ The buffalo are running across the field. (talking about many)
Mistake 2: Thinking only one form is correct
✗ “Buffaloes is wrong — you must say buffalo.”
✓ Both buffalo and buffaloes are correct for more than one.
How to remember: Think of the word buffalo like the word tomato. The plural of tomato is tomatoes (with -es). Buffalo works the same way — but buffalo can ALSO stay the same, which tomato cannot.
Other animal words that stay the same for one or many: deer → deer, sheep → sheep, fish → fish, moose → moose.
Test Yourself: Buffalo or Buffaloes?
Choose the correct answer for each sentence. Click Check to see if you are right.
1. We saw a large herd of _______ in the national park.
2. The _______ crossed the river slowly this morning.
3. One _______ is standing near the tree.
4. There are wild _______ in parts of Africa and Asia.
5. The baby _______ stayed close to its mother all day.
Keep Going — You Are Building Something
You just learned the plural of buffalo — and you know it can be buffalo or buffaloes. That is one more word you will never get wrong again.
But here is something interesting. The word deer also stays the same for one or many — one deer, two deer. But unlike buffalo, you can NEVER say “deers.” Why do some animal words allow -es and others do not?
Next lesson: What Is the Plural of Deer?
Source
Definition of buffalo — Dictionary.com
My name is Khamis Maiouf. I am the creator of the English Teacher Site, dedicated to providing valuable resources and insights for students around the world. With a passion for education and a commitment to helping students enhance their skills, I aim to make English teaching more effective and enjoyable for both educators and students.
