The letter U: listen, repeat, and write
Umbrella · مِظَلّة
Letter name: يو · Letter sound: أَ مضمومة خفيفة /ʌ/
How to say the letter U
Open the mouth slightly and make a short sound from the middle of the mouth: 'u' as in up, without rounding the lips.
Note: The long U sound says its name, as in cube and music.
In phonics we teach the sound of a letter before its name, because the sound is what the child uses when reading. The name of U is "يو" in Arabic script, but when we read Umbrella we hear the sound /ʌ/.
Words that start with U
Tap a word to hear it, then repeat it with your child
Short sentence
The umbrella is up.
المظلة مرفوعة.
Trace the letter Uu
Write with your finger or mouse over the faded letter, then try the small letter
Letter U worksheets to print
Trace capital U
Dotted tracing rows for capital U with a Umbrella picture.
Trace small u
Dotted tracing rows for small u on handwriting lines.
Picture and word
Uu with a Umbrella picture and words that start with the letter to read, trace and colour.
Colour the letter U
Big outline capital and small letters to colour with the word Umbrella.
Find and circle U
A grid of mixed letters: find capital U and small u and circle them.
Which words start with U?
8 words in English and Arabic: colour the star next to the words that start with the U sound.
Tip for parents and teachers
Raise your hands for 'up' and lower them for 'under'. Both start with short U and are great for movement.
What comes after U?
FAQ about the letter U
How is the letter U pronounced?
The letter name is "U". Its reading (phonics) sound is /ʌ/, closest to the Arabic بين الفتحة والضمة (أَ/أُ). Open the mouth slightly and make a short sound from the middle of the mouth: 'u' as in up, without rounding the lips.
What is the difference between the name and the sound of U?
We use the name when spelling, but the sound is what we hear at the start of Umbrella. In phonics we teach the sound first because it is what the child needs to read words. The long U sound says its name, as in cube and music.
Which words start with U for kids?
Umbrella (مظلة), Up (فوق), Under (تحت), Uncle (عم / خال), Umpire (حكم). Listen to each one on this page.
How do I teach my child the letter U at home?
Raise your hands for 'up' and lower them for 'under'. Both start with short U and are great for movement. Then print the free tracing sheet and write capital U and small u together.