Diphthongs Starting with U

Start first lesson

1. Lesson 1

14 questions

2. Lesson 2

15 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 ua, ue, ui, and uo, which are diphthongs that start 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 in 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 in 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 Starting with U

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

Spanish	English
el agua	the water
ambiguo	ambiguous
antigua	old
el circuito	the circuit
el cuaderno	the notebook
el cuadro	the picture
el cuento	the story
el cuerpo	the body
el cuidado	the care
el encuentro	the meeting
la escuela	the school
la fuente	the fountain
la fuerza	the strength
la guarida	the lair
el hueso	the bone
el individuo	the individual
el juego	the game
la lengua	the tongue
el monstruo	the monster
el paraguas	the umbrella
el puerto	the harbor
el suelo	the ground
el sueño	the dream