Is it Mangoes or Mangos? (Grammar, Examples)

Is it mangoes or mangos? Just when we feel we understand the English language and have a firm hold over it, we trip. The correct form of a tense, the use of commas and hyphens, the use of and, and so many other challenges we face. 

One such challenge is using the right spellings of different words. English is a trippy language this way. Knowing the correct spellings of plural forms of words is mind-boggling. 

A very common example of this dilemma is Mangoes or Mangos. Which spelling is right? Which word to use?

Mangoes or Mangos?

Definition of Mango

Mango is defined as a topical usually large fruit with a firm yellowish-red skin, hard central stone, and juicy aromatic pulp. 

An evergreen tree – Mangifera indica bears the fruit. They are mostly found in India and Southeast Asia.

Etymology

The etymology of the word mango includes multiple languages. This English word originated in the 16th century from the Portuguese word, manga, from the Malay mangga, and ultimately from the Tamil man (“mango tree”) + kay (“fruit”). 

Plural of Mango: Mangoes or Mangos?

If this is a question that confuses you, you are not alone. The answer is, you will be correct if you use either of the spellings. Well, what to do? The English language is complicated. 

Let us understand the rules of plurals at play here.

Different nouns have different rules to convert them into their plural forms. Nouns that end with a vowel + “o” will always end with an “s”. For example, radios and zoos. 

The confusion starts when consonants enter the picture. Numerous nouns ending with a consonant + “o” will be transformed into a plural with a simple “s”. For example, logos, kilos, and pianos to name a few. In other cases or exceptions, nouns ending with consonant + “o”, will end with “es”. For example, embargoes, heroes, and torpedoes.

Adding to this confusion, the spellings of such nouns also depend on the individual’s choice, such as in the case of mangoes and mangos. It also depends on the choice of the majority of people in a region or a country.

Mangoes or Mangos: Is there any difference?

Which is the correct form of the plural for Mango? This debate has been going on for decades. There is no such difference between mangoes and mangos. The use depends on the individual’s choice, and either will be right. 

According to Google’s Ngram Viewer, the data shows that the use of mangoes is much higher than that of mangos around the world. It shows that there is a higher frequency or that more people choose mangoes over mangos.

Mangoes and Mangos in Sentences

Mangoes:

• A balanced diet includes a variety of fruits such as bananas, papayas, oranges, mangoes, and strawberries, among others.
• I love the season of summer. I get to relish juicy mangoes – the king of fruits, and love to drink chilled mango shakes.

Mangos:

• My cousin enjoys mangos sliced into strips, while my sister and I enjoy them cut into pieces.
• All over India, mangos are the most cherished of fruits. They are made into pickles, chutneys, shakes, and so many other dishes. 

So you now know how the rules of grammar affect the spellings of plural forms of different words. In the case of mangoes or mangos, both spellings are correct. You can make your own personal choice between the two, you will be right.