Plural of Potato: Is It Potatoes or Potatos?
Quick Answer
The plural of potato is potatoes. The spelling “potatos” is not correct.
One: I baked one potato for dinner.
More than one: We bought five potatoes at the shop.
Potato Becomes Potatoes — See the Pattern
Look at these words. Can you see what happens?
- one potato → two potatoes
- one tomato → two tomatoes
- one hero → two heroes
- one volcano → two volcanoes
Did you see the pattern? These words all end in a consonant + o. When that happens, you add -es to make the plural — not just -s.
| One (singular) | More than one (plural) |
|---|---|
| potato | potatoes |
| tomato | tomatoes |
| hero | heroes |
| echo | echoes |
Why Potatoes and Not Potatos
In English, when a word ends in a consonant + o, you usually add -es to make it plural:
- potato → potatoes (not “potatos”)
- tomato → tomatoes (not “tomatos”)
- hero → heroes (not “heros”)
But when a word ends in a vowel + o, you just add -s:
- video → videos
- radio → radios
- zoo → zoos
The letter before the -o tells you what to do. In “potato,” the letter before the -o is t (a consonant), so you add -es.
Easy way to remember: Potato and tomato are best friends. They both end in -ato, and they both add -es. If you can remember one, you know both.
The Rule in One Line: Consonant + o = add -es. One potato, two potatoes.
How to Use Potatoes in Everyday English
- Can you peel the potatoes for me? (more than one)
- This potato is too small for baking. (just one)
- We need six potatoes for the soup. (more than one)
- He grows potatoes in his garden every year. (more than one)
- She cut one potato into thin slices. (just one)
You are doing great. Now let’s look at the mistakes many learners make with this word.
The Most Common Mistake With Potato
Even advanced learners write “potatos” sometimes — so if you have made this mistake, you are not alone. It feels like just adding -s should work, but English has a special rule for words ending in consonant + o.
Mistake: Writing “potatos” instead of “potatoes”
✗ I boiled some potatos for dinner.
✓ I boiled some potatoes for dinner.
✗ She bought ten potatos at the market.
✓ She bought ten potatoes at the market.
✗ The potatos in the bag look fresh.
✓ The potatoes in the bag look fresh.
How to remember: Think of the word tomatoes. Potato and tomato both end in -ato, and they both become -atoes. If you can spell one, you can spell both.
Other words like this: tomato → tomatoes, hero → heroes, echo → echoes, volcano → volcanoes, mango → mangoes.
Test Yourself: Potato or Potatoes?
Choose the correct answer for each sentence. Click Check to see if you are right.
1. She bought five _______ at the shop.
2. Can you pass me that _______ please?
3. We need more _______ for the soup.
4. This _______ is too big for one person.
5. The farmer grows _______ on his land every year.
Keep Going — You Are Building Something
You just learned that potato becomes potatoes. That is one more plural you will never get wrong again.
But here is something interesting — the word mango also ends in -o, just like potato and tomato. So you would think the plural is “mangoes,” right? But some people write mangos instead. Are both correct? Or is only one right?
Next lesson: What Is the Plural of Mango?
Sources
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.
