# Would you say "two pair" or "two pairs"? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 1, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547 "2010-06-01T20:23:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Electric\_Warrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547/1 "2010-06-01T20:23:53Z")
There have been a few regional dialect survey type threads on here lately, so now I would like to satisfy my curiosity about who says what where. I have always grown up saying “two pairs of socks” but I have recently encountered the other usage, most recently yesterday on a package of socks in a store. So here is a poll! And after you’ve answered the poll, if you feel like it, please post where you grew up and/or any other relevant data that might affect your answer, such as if your parent(s) grew up in a place with a different regional dialect from your own. As for me, I say “two pairs”. I am from the Virginia suburbs of Washington, DC. My mother spent her childhood moving around the deep South and my father is from the suburbs of Chicago. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547/2 "2010-06-01T20:27:36Z")
“Two pairs” – born in Australia, spent a lot of early childhood in England. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547/3 "2010-06-01T20:28:08Z")
Grew up mostly in New York (suburb near Manhattan). And I say two pairs. It’s a normal word, so it gets an “s” when it’s pluralized. Have never heard of “two pair.” ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547/4 "2010-06-01T20:29:16Z")
One pair Two pairs Three pairs Anything over one is plural. ---
**Author:** ![Electric\_Warrior](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@Electric\_Warrior](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electric_Warrior)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547/5 "2010-06-01T20:31:14Z")
I hope the person who said ‘both but differently’ replies! Though I suspect maybe the difference is what type of thing you have more than one pair of. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547/6 "2010-06-01T20:34:07Z")
UK. A pair is a singular noun describing a plural (like “a brace” where it comes to pheasants). Therefore the plural is “pairs”. Though there are words used in the UK that don’t take the natural plural form - such as when we’re expressing body weight in stone. And prices in quid. Slightly tenuously connected, in Ireland the plural of the euro currency is “euro” and the plural of the euro cent is “cent”. But they say “a scissors” so what do they know? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547/7 "2010-06-01T20:35:58Z")
My mother, from the Midwest, would say pairs. My father, from the South, would say pair. I say pairs. ---
**Author:** ![MeanOldLady](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/meanoldlady/32/10737_2.png) [@MeanOldLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MeanOldLady)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547/8 "2010-06-01T20:37:45Z")
> [@Harmonious\_Discord](#): > > One pair > Two pairs > Three pairs > > Anything over one is plural. Right. If there are two of them, why would you use the singular? ---
**Author:** ![statsman1982](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e79b87/32.png) [@statsman1982](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/statsman1982)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547/9 "2010-06-01T20:38:33Z")
Born and raised in New Mexico, now live in West Texas. I say pair **s**. I think in standard American English, collective nouns are usually singular (a committee **writes** an opinion, e.g.), and thus take an “s” to be made plural. I don’t see anything special about “pairs.” However, I am in the minority in my neck of the woods. I have always, always, always, heard “two pair of boots,” or “two pair of pants.” To me, it always sounds like something a cowboy would say. ---
**Author:** ![Hedda\_Rosa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hedda_rosa/32/1204_2.png) [@Hedda\_Rosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hedda_Rosa)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547/10 "2010-06-01T20:41:17Z")
Raised Chicago and upstate NY, now live in CA. I’d say “two pairs”. ---
**Author:** ![akennett](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ee59a6/32.png) [@akennett](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/akennett)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547/11 "2010-06-01T20:44:52Z")
“Two pair” in poker. “Two pairs” in everything else. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547/12 "2010-06-01T20:56:44Z")
I agree with adding -s, of course. My Mom, who is from Northern Ohio like me but comes from western Pennsylvania roots and lived in western Pennsylvania as a girl, tends to omit the -s. I’m guessing it’s more an old-fashioned usage than regional dialect, and my Mom’s generation must have been the last to talk like that. I’ve always wondered why some people omit the -s, but have never seen an explanation for it. Edit: Unless it’s like \*fish \*or \*deer \*-- “just one of those things.” ---
**Author:** ![overlyverbose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/9dc877/32.png) [@overlyverbose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/overlyverbose)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547/13 "2010-06-01T21:00:44Z")
Two pairs - I’m originally from southern Indiana. ---
**Author:** ![Peremensoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ce7236/32.png) [@Peremensoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peremensoe)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547/14 "2010-06-01T21:06:33Z")
Pair = all paired items are the same, as in a bundle of identical socks. In this sense, “pair” is effectively part of the number, not part of the item description. Pairs = each pair is different from the other pairs. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547/15 "2010-06-01T21:30:25Z")
> [@akennett](#): > > “Two pair” in poker. > “Two pairs” in everything else. Concur. ---
**Author:** ![Negative\_Lite](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Negative\_Lite](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Negative_Lite)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547/16 "2010-06-01T21:34:23Z")
_Both but differently_ because you must say “Two pair” in poker. ---
**Author:** ![Cyningablod](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Cyningablod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyningablod)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547/17 "2010-06-01T21:41:05Z")
I grew up in the Upland South of the US (Tennessee) and while I **don’t** practice the “pair” singular-as-plural thing, a lot of my kinfolk do. More than one pair = pairs. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547/18 "2010-06-01T21:44:11Z")
> [@akennett](#): > > “Two pair” in poker. > “Two pairs” in everything else. It’s “two pair” in poker and everything else. You all are all wrong! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mauvaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mauvaise/32/11084_2.png) [@Mauvaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mauvaise)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547/19 "2010-06-01T21:57:53Z")
> [@akennett](#): > > “Two pair” in poker. > “Two pairs” in everything else. Yep. I was trying to see if I used “two pair” in any other context, but I think only in poker. ---
**Author:** ![Yeticus\_Rex](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/a698b9/32.png) [@Yeticus\_Rex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yeticus_Rex)\ **Post date:** [June 1, 2010, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547/20 "2010-06-01T22:27:01Z")
> [@akennett](#): > > “Two pair” in poker. > “Two pairs” in everything else. Dittos. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/would-you-say-two-pair-or-two-pairs/541547.md?page=2)