The Plural of Wolf: Wolves
Quick answer
The plural of wolf is wolves: one wolf, two wolves. Use wolves when you mean more than one of the animals.
Wolf Becomes Wolves
For this noun, change the final -f to -ves. Compare one animal with several animals:
- There is one wolf near the river.
- Two wolves are near the river.
- A pack of wolves crossed the forest.
Some -f and -fe Nouns Change to -ves
Learn each noun with its plural. These common nouns follow the same spelling pattern as wolf:
- one leaf → two leaves
- one half → two halves
- one shelf → two shelves
- one knife → two knives
- one life → two lives
This is not a rule for every word ending in -f. Some keep the f and add -s: one roof, two roofs; one chief, two chiefs. If you are unsure, check the plural in a dictionary.
Wolves Is a Noun; Wolfs Can Be a Verb
For the animals, write We saw three wolves. Do not write three wolfs.
The spelling wolfs does exist as a verb. He wolfs down his lunch means he eats it very quickly. It is a different use of the word, not a plural noun.
Use the Number to Choose the Form
- There is only one wolf in this picture.
- The wolves howled at the moon.
- My favourite animal is the wolf.
- The farmer saw several wolves near his sheep.
Remember: one wolf, but two wolves. The questions below use the animal noun. Read each sentence before choosing the singular or plural.
Test Yourself: Wolves or Wolfs?
Choose the correct answer for each sentence. Click Check to see if you are right.
1. A pack of _______ was seen near the village.
2. There is only one _______ left in this area.
3. The _______ howled at the moon all night.
4. The farmer was worried about _______ near his sheep.
5. My favourite animal is the _______.
Practise the Pattern
Write one sentence about a single wolf and one about several wolves. Then practise another pair, such as one leaf, two leaves.
Some nouns ending in -f change to -ves, but others do not. Scarf has two accepted plurals: scarves and scarfs. The next lesson compares them.
Next lesson: What Is the Plural of Scarf?
Sources
Definition of wolf — Cambridge Dictionary
Further reference: Merriam-Webster: wolf as a noun and verb.
I’m Khamis Maiouf. I’m studying Health and Social Care and have completed Functional Skills Level 2 in English and Level 3 Hairdressing. I have taught ESOL in my community and helped students with GCSE English. I run English Teacher Site to help people learn and practise English.