How does one pronounce a "u" with a double dot over it in Spanish? When is that double dot used and how do I get my keyboard to do it? Will it only be a "u"? For example, how is "hacer piragumismo." pronounced?

Question

How does one pronounce a "u" with a double dot over it in Spanish? For example in hacer piraguísmo the u should have the double dot. How do I get my keyboard to make the double dot? Do any other letters have the double dot?

Answer 1

• ga, gue, gui, go gu (soft g sound) ( the /u/ is part of g and both togheter make a soft /g/

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• ja, je/ge, ji/gi, jo, ju (hard g sound)

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- güe, güe in this case the diaereses makes /u/ individual with is own sound and /g/ keeps it's soft sound

• ge, gi (hard g sound)

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Some examples

• guerra like in /get/

• guitarra like in /doggy/

• güera like in /weapon/

• güiro like in /We)

  • geranio like in /hey/ but harder
  • gitano like in /hi/ but harder

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Answer 2

For example Averigüar........a-veri-goo-ar.

This is the only letter with the double dot, which tells you to pronuonce the U after the G when you normally would not.

In Spanish mode press shift and [ simultaneously, then the letter U.

• Sorry, "averigüar" is wrong. You add ¨ (diéresis) only in gue and gui. So "averiguar" is right. ;) - AntMexico Apr 28, 2010
• Oops, you're right. It's now just certain conjugations of the word. - JulianChivi Apr 29, 2010

Answer 3

The ü in spanish makes the u after syllables gue or gui have a sound, rather than being silent. I've only seen them come after the letter g, but there may be a word where an ü comes after q. It's kind of hard to explain, so I'll use some examples:

The word pagué is pronounced pah-gey, so the u is silent. But the word güiro is pronounced gwee-roh, adding the oo before ee, like how you would say it if it was in english.

To type an ü, hold down option, press u, let go of option, and press u once more. At least, that's how you do it on a Mac; I'm not sure about PCs.

I've only seen the two dots on ü's in spanish, but perhaps there are some culture-describing words borrowed from other languages that keep the dots on their letters.

Hope this helps!

Answer 4

I think it's called a 'diéresis'

• You're right! - AntMexico Apr 28, 2010

Answer 5

ü code on windows is alt + 0252, It is also called an umlaut.

Much more information here.

Answer 6

I need work on asking questions, I see. Thanks for your help. Is there a name for the double dot and will it only follow a "g"?

• In Mexico, it's called dos puntos, but I've always called it Umlaudt after the German. It's only for the U following the G. - JulianChivi Apr 28, 2010
• In English it's called an 'umlaut.' - MacFadden Apr 28, 2010
• This is "dos puntos" : and this is "diéreseis" ¨ - AntMexico Apr 28, 2010

Answer 7

Pinguino. You say it as Pin gwee no.

• And, if I understand this, other wise it would be "Peen jee no." - Hal Apr 28, 2010
• Whoops, that should not be Peen jee no but Peen gee no with the g hard. - Hal Apr 28, 2010

Answer 8

How do I get my keyboard to make the double dot?

ü - hold "alt" key while typing 129 on a PC.

Answer 9

But the word güiro is pronounced gwee-roh, adding the oo before ee, like how you would say it if it was in english.

Just to be clear, the ü would be pronounced as a u, so güiro would be pronounced "gu -ee - roh", correct? The way I would read your "pronunciation guide" would be to pronounce "gwee" as on one syllable.

• So it should be Peen--gu--ee-no. - Hal Apr 28, 2010
• The üi combins to make a "dipthong", so it becomes one syllable. Peen-gwee-no and gwee-roh. - CalvoViejo Apr 28, 2010

Answer 10

Just a very few words carry a diaereses:

• pingüino
• güera (y sus derivados, but almost nobody write it correctly)
• paragüitas
• enagüitas
• güiro

Answer 11

If you're using the international keyboard on a PC (check your settings in the Control Panel), type the shift of the open-square-bracket key, then type the u.

I agree with Morbo, but I think what he says is a "hard g" is actually called a "soft g" and vice versa. His description is correct.