flies
word · lemma: fly
/ˈfɫaɪz/
flyz
/flˈaɪz/
flyz
Definition
As a noun, 'flies' is the plural of 'fly', a small insect with wings. As a verb, it is the third-person singular form of 'fly', meaning to move through the air.
Usage & Nuances
This word has two very common uses, so context matters: 'The flies are annoying' (insects) vs. 'She flies to Paris' (verb). Learners often confuse the noun plural with the verb form because they are spelled the same.
Spanish: moscas - vuelaPortuguese (BR): moscas - voaPortuguese (PT): moscas - voaChinese (Simplified): 苍蝇 - 飞Chinese (Traditional): 蒼蠅 - 飛Hindi: मक्खियाँ - उड़ता हैArabic: ذباب - يطيرBengali: মাছি (noun) - উড়ে যায় (verb)Russian: мухи (сущ.) - летает (глагол)Japanese: ハエ (名詞) - 飛ぶ（動詞・三人称単数）Vietnamese: ruồi (danh từ) - bay (động từ, ngôi thứ ba số ít)Korean: 파리 (명사) - 날아간다 (동사, 3인칭 단수)Turkish: sinekler (isim) - uçar (fiil, 3. tekil şahıs)Urdu: مکھیاں (اسم) - اڑتا ہے (فعل، واحد غائب)Indonesian: lalat (kata benda) - terbang (kata kerja, orang ketiga tunggal)
Example Sentences
A bird flies over the house.
basic
She flies to London every year.
basic
Time flies when you're with the right person.
natural
The flies are on the window.
basic
He flies off the handle when things go wrong.
natural
News flies around this office, so be careful what you say.
natural