diff --git a/cloudbot/util/formatting.py b/cloudbot/util/formatting.py
index 1357455de..32d67bbfa 100644
--- a/cloudbot/util/formatting.py
+++ b/cloudbot/util/formatting.py
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@
 import copy
 import html.entities
 import re
+import warnings
 from html.parser import HTMLParser
 
 from cloudbot.util.colors import strip_irc
@@ -247,11 +248,65 @@ def pluralize(num=0, text=''):
     Takes a number and a string, and pluralizes that string using the number and combines the results.
     :rtype: str
     """
-    return "{:,} {}{}".format(num, text, "s"[num == 1:])
+    warnings.warn(
+        "formatting.pluralize() is deprecated, please use one of the other formatting.pluralize_*() functions",
+        DeprecationWarning
+    )
+    return pluralize_suffix(num, text)
 
 
-# alternate form
-pluralise = pluralize
+def pluralise(num=0, text=''):
+    """
+    Takes a number and a string, and pluralizes that string using the number and combines the results.
+    :rtype: str
+    """
+    warnings.warn(
+        "formatting.pluralise() is deprecated, please use one of the other formatting.pluralise_*() functions",
+        DeprecationWarning
+    )
+    return pluralise_suffix(num, text)
+
+
+def pluralize_suffix(num=0, text='', suffix='s'):
+    """
+    Takes a number and a string, and pluralizes that string using the number and combines the results.
+    :rtype: str
+    """
+    return pluralize_select(num, text, text + suffix)
+
+
+pluralise_suffix = pluralize_suffix
+
+
+def pluralize_select(count, single, plural):
+    return "{:,} {}".format(count, single if count == 1 else plural)
+
+
+pluralise_select = pluralize_select
+
+
+def pluralize_auto(count, thing):
+    if thing.endswith(('s', 'ss', 'sh', 'ch', 'x', 'z')):
+        return pluralize_suffix(count, thing, 'es')
+    elif thing.endswith(('f', 'fe')):
+        return pluralize_select(count, thing, thing.rsplit('f', 1)[0] + 'ves')
+    elif thing.endswith('y') and thing[-2:-1].lower() not in "aeiou":
+        return pluralize_select(count, thing, thing[:-1] + 'ies')
+    elif thing.endswith('y') and thing[-2:-1].lower() in "aeiou":
+        return pluralize_suffix(count, thing)
+    elif thing.endswith('o'):
+        return pluralize_suffix(count, thing, 'es')
+    elif thing.endswith('us'):
+        return pluralize_select(count, thing, thing[:-2] + 'i')
+    elif thing.endswith('is'):
+        return pluralize_select(count, thing, thing[:-2] + 'es')
+    elif thing.endswith('on'):
+        return pluralize_select(count, thing, thing[:-2] + 'a')
+    else:
+        return pluralize_suffix(count, thing)
+
+
+pluralise_auto = pluralize_auto
 
 
 def dict_format(args, formats):
diff --git a/cloudbot/util/test/test_formatting.py b/cloudbot/util/test/test_formatting.py
index c8faa90fa..daca8ab7e 100644
--- a/cloudbot/util/test/test_formatting.py
+++ b/cloudbot/util/test/test_formatting.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
-from cloudbot.util.formatting import munge, dict_format, pluralize, strip_colors, truncate, truncate_str, \
-    strip_html, multi_replace, multiword_replace, truncate_words, smart_split, get_text_list, ireplace, chunk_str
+from cloudbot.util.formatting import munge, dict_format, strip_colors, truncate, truncate_str, \
+    strip_html, multi_replace, multiword_replace, truncate_words, smart_split, get_text_list, ireplace, chunk_str, \
+    pluralize_suffix
 
 test_munge_input = "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog"
 test_munge_count = 3
@@ -55,8 +56,8 @@ def test_dict_format():
 
 
 def test_pluralize():
-    assert pluralize(test_pluralize_num_a, test_pluralize_text) == test_pluralize_result_a
-    assert pluralize(test_pluralize_num_b, test_pluralize_text) == test_pluralize_result_b
+    assert pluralize_suffix(test_pluralize_num_a, test_pluralize_text) == test_pluralize_result_a
+    assert pluralize_suffix(test_pluralize_num_b, test_pluralize_text) == test_pluralize_result_b
 
 
 def test_strip_colors():
diff --git a/plugins/chain.py b/plugins/chain.py
index 4167b68a9..0842d02af 100644
--- a/plugins/chain.py
+++ b/plugins/chain.py
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
 from cloudbot import hook
 from cloudbot.event import CommandEvent
 from cloudbot.util import database
-from cloudbot.util.formatting import chunk_str, pluralize
+from cloudbot.util.formatting import chunk_str, pluralize_auto
 
 commands = Table(
     'chain_commands',
@@ -103,7 +103,7 @@ def chainallow(text, db, notice_doc, bot):
         res = db.execute(commands.delete().where(commands.c.hook == hook_name))
         db.commit()
         load_cache(db)
-        return "Deleted {}.".format(pluralize(res.rowcount, "row"))
+        return "Deleted {}.".format(pluralize_auto(res.rowcount, "row"))
     else:
         return notice_doc()
 
diff --git a/plugins/duckhunt.py b/plugins/duckhunt.py
index 66a4fde37..62793dcf4 100644
--- a/plugins/duckhunt.py
+++ b/plugins/duckhunt.py
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@
 from cloudbot import hook
 from cloudbot.event import EventType
 from cloudbot.util import database
-from cloudbot.util.formatting import pluralize
+from cloudbot.util.formatting import pluralize_auto
 
 duck_tail = "・゜゜・。。・゜゜"
 duck = ["\_o< ", "\_O< ", "\_0< ", "\_\u00f6< ", "\_\u00f8< ", "\_\u00f3< "]
@@ -392,7 +392,7 @@ def attack(event, nick, chan, message, db, conn, notice, attack):
             event.reply("An unknown error has occurred.")
             raise
 
-        message(msg.format(nick, shoot - deploy, pluralize(score, "duck"), chan))
+        message(msg.format(nick, shoot - deploy, pluralize_auto(score, "duck"), chan))
         set_ducktime(chan, conn.name)
 
 
diff --git a/plugins/reddit.py b/plugins/reddit.py
index c745c43d4..093679bed 100644
--- a/plugins/reddit.py
+++ b/plugins/reddit.py
@@ -49,8 +49,8 @@ def format_output(item, show_url=False):
     raw_time = datetime.fromtimestamp(int(item["created_utc"]))
     item["timesince"] = timeformat.time_since(raw_time, count=1, simple=True)
 
-    item["comments"] = formatting.pluralize(item["num_comments"], 'comment')
-    item["points"] = formatting.pluralize(item["score"], 'point')
+    item["comments"] = formatting.pluralize_auto(item["num_comments"], 'comment')
+    item["points"] = formatting.pluralize_auto(item["score"], 'point')
 
     if item["over_18"]:
         item["warning"] = " \x02NSFW\x02"
diff --git a/plugins/reddit_info.py b/plugins/reddit_info.py
index 40555921f..65062572f 100644
--- a/plugins/reddit_info.py
+++ b/plugins/reddit_info.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 from cloudbot import hook
 from cloudbot.util import colors
-from cloudbot.util.formatting import pluralize
+from cloudbot.util.formatting import pluralize_auto
 from cloudbot.util.pager import paginated_list
 
 search_pages = defaultdict(dict)
@@ -115,7 +115,7 @@ def karma(text, reply):
     if age > 365:
         age //= 365
         age_unit = "year"
-    out += "redditor for {}.".format(pluralize(age, age_unit))
+    out += "redditor for {}.".format(pluralize_auto(age, age_unit))
     return colors.parse(out)
 
 
@@ -143,7 +143,7 @@ def cake_day(text, reply):
     if age > 365:
         age //= 365
         age_unit = "year"
-    out += "they have been a redditor for {}.".format(pluralize(age, age_unit))
+    out += "they have been a redditor for {}.".format(pluralize_auto(age, age_unit))
     return out
 
 
diff --git a/plugins/voat.py b/plugins/voat.py
index 6d6b93b05..286ac7973 100644
--- a/plugins/voat.py
+++ b/plugins/voat.py
@@ -39,8 +39,8 @@ def format_output(item, show_url=False):
     raw_time = isodate.parse_date(item['Date'])
     item["timesince"] = timeformat.time_since(raw_time, count=1, simple=True)
 
-    item["comments"] = formatting.pluralize(item["CommentCount"], 'comment')
-    item["points"] = formatting.pluralize(item["Likes"], 'point')
+    item["comments"] = formatting.pluralize_auto(item["CommentCount"], 'comment')
+    item["points"] = formatting.pluralize_auto(item["Likes"], 'point')
 
     if item["Type"] == 2:
         item["warning"] = " \x02Link\x02"
diff --git a/plugins/youtube.py b/plugins/youtube.py
index a3815c1db..0c11ddb93 100644
--- a/plugins/youtube.py
+++ b/plugins/youtube.py
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 from cloudbot import hook
 from cloudbot.util import timeformat
-from cloudbot.util.formatting import pluralize
+from cloudbot.util.formatting import pluralize_auto
 
 youtube_re = re.compile(r'(?:youtube.*?(?:v=|/v/)|youtu\.be/|yooouuutuuube.*?id=)([-_a-zA-Z0-9]+)', re.I)
 
@@ -47,8 +47,8 @@ def get_video_description(video_id):
 
     if total_votes != 0:
         # format
-        likes = pluralize(int(statistics['likeCount']), "like")
-        dislikes = pluralize(int(statistics['dislikeCount']), "dislike")
+        likes = pluralize_auto(int(statistics['likeCount']), "like")
+        dislikes = pluralize_auto(int(statistics['dislikeCount']), "dislike")
 
         percent = 100 * float(statistics['likeCount']) / total_votes
         out += ' - {}, {} (\x02{:.1f}\x02%)'.format(likes,