Is it “wifes” or “wives”? If you're unsure about the correct plural of “wife,” you're not alone — this is a classic spelling mistake that even native speakers make.

In this post, we'll explain the correct form, show you why the mistake happens, and give you a simple trick to remember it forever — with examples, a comparison table, and a quick quiz.

What Does “Wives” Mean?

“Wives” is the correct plural of the word wife. It refers to more than one married woman.

Examples:

• “The soldiers said goodbye to their wives.”
• “Many of his friends brought their wives to the event.”

What Does “Wifes” Mean?

“Wifes” is not a real word in English. It is a common misspelling of the plural form of “wife.”

Even though it may seem logical (like adding “-s” to most plurals), it’s incorrect. The correct form is “wives.”

Key Differences: Wifes vs Wives

Word	Status	Meaning	Example
Wives	✅ Correct	Plural of “wife”	“The wives arrived early.”
Wifes	❌ Incorrect	✘ Misspelling	“The wifes cooked dinner.” ❌

Common Mistakes

• ❌ Adding “-s” to form “wifes” (regular rule doesn’t apply).
• ❌ Assuming “wife” behaves like “car → cars.”
• ✅ Correct form is “wives” — the “f” changes to “v” before adding “-es.”

Easy Tricks to Remember

• 🧠 Rule: If a word ends in “-fe” → change to “-ves” in plural.
• 💡 Think: “life → lives,” “knife → knives,” “wife → wives.”
• 📌 Visualize the “v” as a sign of the plural change in tricky words.

Quick Practice Exercise

Select the correct word for each sentence:

1. They both love their --Choose-- wifes wives very much.
2. The soldiers waved goodbye to their --Choose-- wifes wives .
3. His --Choose-- wifes wives are both doctors.
4. The --Choose-- wifes wives went shopping together.

Check Answers

Bonus Resources

• See more spelling tips on AulaPlanet → Full category
• Cambridge Dictionary: “Wife” definition
• Wikipedia: English Plural Rules

Conclusion

Although “wifes” might seem like a reasonable plural, it’s not correct. Always use “wives” when talking about more than one wife. It’s one of those English exceptions — and now you know how to get it right every time!

📲 Keep learning more spelling rules and common confusions with AulaPlanet.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)