Journies Vs Journeys: Which is Correct?

Disclosure: This article may contain affiliate links, meaning that when you make a purchase, I earn a small commission. Affiliate links cost you nothing to use and help keep my content free. It is a win-win for us both! For more info, see the Disclosure Policy.

Journeys is a correct word. Journies is a common misspelling. Journeys is the plural form of “journey,” and journeys is the third-person singular present tense form of “journey.”

Let’s see why this is the case by looking at some sentences.

Journeys Meaning

Journeys is the plural spelling of “journey.” It can be used as a noun and a verb.

Journey as a Noun

A journey is a trip or a passage, especially a long or difficult one. Journeys is the plural of the noun “journey.”

Here are some example sentences using the word journeys (noun):

• After an exhausting number of flights and journeys, I was glad to be home finally.
• The journeys were long and difficult, but it was worth it in the end.
• There were more than 1,000 journeys made on the train last year.
• We all have different journeys in life.
• Make sure to bring a neck pillow for long-haul journeys.

Journey as a Verb

Journeys is the third-person singular present tense form of the verb “journey.” To journey means to travel, especially to a distant place.

• I journey
• You journey
• He journeys
• She journeys
• We journey
• They journey

Here are some example sentences using the word journeys (verb):

• She journeys to different countries every year.
• Kevin journeys to Ontario every weekend to see his grandkids.
• Lisa journeys to work every day by bus.

Why is it Journeys and Not Journies?

You may have heard the grammar rule “change ‘y’ to ‘i‘ and add -es” hence the confusion. Unfortunately, this rule doesn’t apply to words with a vowel before the ‘y.’ Therefore, the correct spelling is journeys and not journies.

Other -ey endings that add an ‘s’ include:

• abbey – abbeys
• donkey – donkeys
• monkey – monkeys
• valley – valleys
• survey – surveys
• turkey – turkeys

If the sound before the ‘y’ sounds like a consonant, then you can add -ies, for example:

• lily – lilies
• baby – babies
• hippy – hippies

If you’re unsure about which spelling to use, check a dictionary for guidance.

Journey Synonyms

Many words have the same or a similar meaning as “journey.” Here is a list of some of those words:

• travel
• trip
• voyage
• expedition
• adventure
• exploration
• safari

The Bottom Line

Remember, the next time you want to spell the plural form of a word that ends with a ‘y’, check if there is a vowel before it. If there is a vowel, for example, “journey” becomes journeys (not: journies).

Now that you know the difference, you can apply the rule for words like journeys correctly in your writing!