Diphthongs Ending with U

Start first lesson

1. Lesson 1

13 questions

2. Lesson 2

13 questions

3. Lesson 3

11 questions

Explanation

Quick Answer

In Spanish, un diptongo(a diphthong) is a series of two vowels that are pronounced in a single syllable.

For example, the word viernes(Friday) contains the diphthong ie in the syllable vier.

This article focuses on au, eu, iu, and ou, which are diphthongs that end with the letter u!

Spanish Diphthongs

What Is a Diphthong?

In Spanish, un diptongo is a series of two vowels that are pronounced in a single syllable. In Spanish, diphthongs can be formed by combining a strong vowel (a, e, or o) and a weak vowel (i or u), or by combining two weak vowels.

When a diphthong is made up of a strong vowel and a weak vowel, the strong vowel is stressed a bit more than the weak vowel. Check out some examples below!

Spanish Diphthong Pronunciation

Below are examples of Spanish diphthongs and their pronunciations.

Diphthong	Pronunciation	Examples
au	ow	aula, aunque
ai, ay	ay	aire, hay
eu	ehoo	Europa, neutro
ei, ey	ey	reina, rey
ia	yah	piano, hacia
ie	yeh	tierra, serpiente
io	yoh	radio, junio
iu	yoo	viuda, ciudad
oi, oy	oy	boina, hoy
ua	wah	agua, cuadro
ue	weh	fuego, trueno
ui	wee	fuimos, fuiste
uo	woh	cuota, individuo

Is Y a Vowel?

The letter yis pronounced like a vowel when it appears at the end of a word and is preceded by another vowel.

For example: hoy(today), hay(there is/there are), and Uruguay(Uruguay).

Spanish Diphthong Accentuation

Written accents are referred to as tildesin Spanish. Here are a few tips to help you know when and where to place written accents on words that contain diphthongs.

Tips for Writing Accents on Diphthongs

Tip	Examples
Never accent words with a single syllable.	pie(foot), cruel(cruel)
Always accent words stressed on the last syllable that end with n, s, or a vowel (excluding y).	camión(truck), después(after), bonsái(bonsai), *but* virrey(viceroy)
Always accent words stressed on the penultimate syllable that end with a consonant other than n or s (including y).	huésped(guest), diésel(diesel), póney(pony)
Always accent words stressed on the third-to-last syllable.	ciénaga(swamp), náutico(nautical)

Accents and Weak/Strong Vowels

Confused about accents and weak vs. strong vowels? Here are some handy tips!

Tip	Examples
If a stressed diphthong is a combination of a strong vowel (a, e, or o) and a weak vowel (i or u), place the accent on the strong vowel.	acción(action), alféizar(windowsill), terapéutico(therapeutic)
If a stressed diphthong is a combination of two weak vowels, place the accent on the second vowel.	acuífero(aquifer), cuídate(take care), veintiún(twenty-one)

Spanish Words with Diphthongs Ending with U

Now let's take a look at some words that have diphthongs ending with u!

Spanish	English
aplaudir	to applaud
el aplauso	the applause
el aula	the classroom
aumentar	to increase
el aumento	the raise
el auto	the car
auténtico	authentic
el autobús	the bus
la autonomía	the autonomy
autónomo	self-employed
la autora	the author
el cauce	the riverbed
la cautela	the caution
la causa	the cause
cautivador	captivating
la ciudad	the city
el claustro	the cloister
la deuda	the debt
el eucalipto	the eucalyptus
la euforia	the euphoria
Europa	Europe
el estadounidense	the American
el farmacéutico	the pharmacist
la neurona	the neuron
el neutrón	the neutron
la pausa	the pause
la reunión	the meeting
reunirse	to meet
el restaurante	the restaurant
el seudónimo	the pseudonym
terapéutico	therapeutic
el triunfador	the winner
el triunfo	the triumph