What is the letter u with two dots?

Question

¿Que es la letra "u de dos circulos"? What is the letter u with two dots on top?

Answer 1

When the letter G precedes a U plus a hard vowel, the U and the vowel are both pronounced. The U is pronounced like an English W:

guasón

guapo

In order to obtain this W sound in front of a soft vowel, the Ü comes into play. The two dots over the U are called a dieresis and indicate that two adjacent vowels both need to be pronounced as a diphthong:

vergüenza

lingüística

Answer 2

Normally the diéresis is used in combination with the letter u, however, here is another use for the two dots.

En ocasiones también encontramos la diéresis dentro de textos poéticos. Aparecerá entonces sobre una vocal de un diptongo para indicarnos que la secuencia de las vocales debe pronunciarse en dos sílabas diferenciadas, como si fuera un hiato. Ejemplos:

Como tórtola vïudaquedé, pero no sin ramo, pues en el de una taberna estuve arrullando tragos.

• combination. - Mokay Dec 11, 2009
• Thank you. I'm almost as bad a typist as Heidita. - qfreed Dec 12, 2009

Answer 3

It's the umlaut. My favorite is pingüino. Penguin in English makes that same U sound without having the umlaut.

Averiguar- to find out. ¡Averigüemos! Let's find out!

Answer 4

Muchas gracias! Juan 20112