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Plurals of words ending in '-z': 'lápiz' becomes 'lápices'

In Spanish, a noun that ends in a consonant usually adds -es to form its plural. With words ending in z there is one extra step: the z turns into a c. So lápiz becomes lápices, luz becomes luces and pez becomes peces. The sound does not change at all. Only the spelling does.

English speakers trip over this because English simply adds -es to words like box or buzz, so the natural guess is lápizes or vozes. Those forms look reasonable but are spelling mistakes in Spanish. The good news is that the rule has no exceptions among everyday words, so once you know it, you can apply it every time.

Word list
actrizfA1 actress actrices = actresses arrozmA1 rice arroces = kinds of rice, rice dishes lápizmA1 pencil lápices = pencils (accent kept) narizfA1 nose narices = noses pezmA1 fish peces = fish (plural) cruzfA2 cross cruces = crosses juezmA2 judge jueces = judges luzfA2 light luces = lights maízmA2 corn maíces = kinds of corn (rare, accent kept) pazfA2 peace hacer las paces = to make up rara vezA2 rarely raras veces = rarely (vez → veces) vozfA2 voice voces = voices altavozmB1 speaker altavoces = speakers cicatrizfB1 scar cicatrices = scars nuezfB1 walnut nueces = walnuts albornozmB2 bathrobe albornoces = bathrobes antifazfB2 mask antifaces = masks disfrazmB2 costume disfraces = costumes emperatrizfB2 empress emperatrices = empresses lombrizfB2 worm lombrices = worms raízfB2 root raíces = roots (accent kept) aprendizmC1 intern aprendices = trainees avestruzmC1 ostrich avestruces = ostriches capatazmC1 foreman capataces = foremen disfrazmC1 disguise disfraces = disguises matizmC1 shade matices = shades portavozC1 spokesperson portavoces = spokespeople barnizmC2 varnish barnices = varnishes (types) hozfC2 sickle hoces = sickles tamizmC2 sieve tamices = sieves
How it works

Spanish spelling avoids the combinations ze and zi. Before e and i, the same sound is written with c. In Spain it sounds like the th in think, and in Latin America it sounds like s. When you add the plural ending -es, the z would end up right before an e, so it is replaced by c.

  • Singular ending in -z: drop the z.
  • Add -ces.
  • voz → voces, nariz → narices, juez → jueces.

You already know a very common case of this: vez (time, occasion) becomes veces, as in a veces (sometimes) or muchas veces (many times).

Necesito comprar lápices nuevos.
(I need to buy new pencils.)
The words
People

Many words for people end in -z, including feminine forms in -triz: actriz, emperatriz, juez, aprendiz, capataz and portavoz.

Las actrices fueron increíbles.
(The actresses were incredible.)
Los jueces van a decidir mañana.
(The judges are going to decide tomorrow.)
La empresa tiene tres aprendices este verano.
(The company has three trainees this summer.)

Emperatrices, capataces and portavoces follow the same pattern.

The body, sound and light

Here you find nariz, cicatriz, voz, altavoz, luz and cruz.

Por favor, apaga las luces antes de salir.
(Please turn off the lights before you leave.)
Oigo voces en la cocina.
(I can hear voices in the kitchen.)
Los altavoces no funcionan.
(The speakers don't work.)

Likewise narices, cicatrices and cruces.

Animals and plants

This group includes pez, avestruz, lombriz, raíz, nuez and maíz.

Mi hijo tiene dos peces rojos.
(My son has two goldfish.)
Este árbol tiene raíces muy profundas.
(This tree has very deep roots.)
Después de la lluvia hay muchas lombrices en el jardín.
(After the rain there are lots of worms in the garden.)

You will also meet avestruces and nueces.

Objects and other nouns

Disfraz, antifaz, matiz, hoz, tamiz and barniz work the same way.

Los niños llevaban disfraces de piratas.
(The children were wearing pirate costumes.)
Este azul tiene muchos matices.
(This blue has many shades.)

The same goes for antifaces, hoces, tamices and barnices.

Watch out
Accents stay where they are

Lápiz keeps its accent in lápices, and raíz and maíz keep theirs in raíces and maíces. The stressed syllable does not move, so the written accent stays.

Uncountable nouns

Arroz, maíz, barniz and paz are usually singular. When they do appear in the plural, they follow the rule: arroces means kinds of rice or rice dishes. With paz, the plural lives on in a very common expression:

Al final, los dos hermanos hicieron las paces.
(In the end, the two brothers made up.)
The typical mistake

Writing lápizes, pezes or luzes. You will not hear the error, but it is very visible on paper. Whenever a z would land in front of an e, swap it for a c.

Summary

If a noun ends in -z, change the z to c and add -es: lápiz → lápices, luz → luces, vez → veces. The pronunciation stays the same, any written accent stays in place, and a form like lápizes is always wrong.