basses
The plural of "bass" is basses. bass is also used.
Meaning: a low singing voice or instrument, or a kind of fish (noun)
Ways to say it
| Plural |
|---|
| basses |
| bass |
Nouns that end in s, x, z, ch or sh add -es to make the plural, so bass becomes basses.
Which one should you use?
Use basses for singers and instruments. For the fish, the plural is usually bass.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use a plural verb with basses: the basses are. The possessive plural adds only an apostrophe: basses'.
How do you pronounce it?
bass is pronounced /beɪs/. The plural ending sounds like /ɪz/, so the plural has one more syllable than the singular.
What mistakes should you avoid?
Do not use an apostrophe to make a plural. basses means more than one, while an apostrophe shows that something belongs to someone.
Did you know?
- The -es ending comes from the Old English plural ending -as, which became the standard plural in Middle English.
Examples in context
- The choir has four basses.Singular: The choir has one bass.
- We caught two bass in the lake.Singular: We caught one bass in the lake.
