Czech Letters U, Ú and Ů: When to Use the Ring
Czech has three U letters. U is short, like the oo in “book”. Ú and Ů are both long, like the oo in “food”, and sound exactly the same. The rule is about position: ú at the start of a word, ů in the middle or at the end: úterý (Tuesday) but dům (house).
U, Ú, Ů at a glance
| Letter | Sound | Where | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| U | short “oo” (book) | anywhere | ruka hand, ucho ear |
| Ú | long “oo” (food) | start of a word (and after prefixes) | úterý Tuesday, únor February, neúspěch failure |
| Ů | long “oo” (food) | middle or end of a word | dům house, kůň horse, domů home(wards) |
Why two letters for one sound?
The ring tells a story. Ů (with a kroužek, “little ring”) marks places where Old Czech had a long ó that later shifted to ú. The ring is the remnant of a small o written above the u. That’s why ů often alternates with o in related words:
- dům house → doma at home, domov home
- kůň horse → koně horses
- stůl table → stolu (of the) table
So if a related word has an o, the long u is usually ů. This is the trick Czech pupils use.
The exceptions
- Ú after a prefix keeps its place-at-the-start spelling: neúspěch (failure), bezúročný (interest-free).
- Loanwords and a few others have ú in the middle: múza muse, skútr scooter, túra hike, and sound words like bú.
- Ů never starts a word.
Short U
Czech u is rounded and clear, never the “yoo” of English “use”: ulice is OO-li-tseh, student is STOO-dent. The diphthong ou (as in dobrou noc) is a separate sound, like the “oh” in “go” with lips closing.
Practice words
Typing Ů and Ú
- Czech keyboard: ů is on the ; key (right of L); ú is on the [ key (right of P).
- Mac / phone: hold u.
- Windows (any layout): Alt + 0250 gives ú. Ů needs the Czech layout or copying.
Common mistakes
- Writing ů at the start: “ůterý” is always wrong.
- Pronouncing ů differently from ú. They’re identical.
- Saying u as “yoo”. Czech u is a pure “oo”.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between ú and ů?
None in sound. Ú is written at the start of a word, ů in the middle or end.
What is the circle on ů called?
Kroužek, “little ring”.
Why does Czech have ů?
It marks a long u that developed from an older long o. The ring is a trace of that o.
Keep going
- Czech accents
- Czech vowels
- Czech spelling rules
Sources
- Wikipedia, “Ů” (origin from long ó): en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, “Czech orthography”: en.wikipedia.org
