ու

Kiek ok bi: -ու

Armenian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [u]

• (file)

  Audio

Etymology 1

From Ooldarmeensch digraph ու (u) representing IPA^(key): [u], composed of ո (o) + ւ (w), calque from ΟΥ (OU) representing IPA^(key): [u].

Letter

ու

Kleenbookstaav (Grootbookstaav ՈՒ, title-case Ու)

1. The 34th letter of Armenian alphabet according to spelling reform of the Armenian language of 1922-1924. Represents close back rounded vowel: IPA^(key): [u]. Transliterated as u (sometimes as ow).

Usage notes

• This letter was created in the result of spelling reform of the Armenian language during Soviet era (1922-1924). The reform was not accepted by the Armenian diaspora outside the USSR, which continues to treat ու as a simple digraph of ո (o) + ւ (w) and not as an independent letter, in line with Traditional Armenian orthography.
• When used in sentence case, such as Ուրարտու (Urartu), the capital form of the letter is Ու. However, in all caps text it is ՈՒ, e.g. ՈՒՇԱԴՐՈՒԹՅՈՒՆ (UŠADRUTʿYUN).

See also

• (De Armeensche Schrift): Աա   Բբ   Գգ   Դդ   Եե   Զզ   Էէ   Ըը   Թթ   Ժժ   Իի   Լլ   Խխ   Ծծ   Կկ   Հհ   Ձձ   Ղղ   Ճճ   Մմ   Յյ   Նն   Շշ   Ոո   Չչ   Պպ   Ջջ   Ռռ   Սս   Վվ   Տտ   Րր   Ցց   Ււ   Փփ   Քք   Օօ   Ֆֆ
• (Bookstavenkombinatschonen): ու   և   ﬔ   ﬕ   ﬓ   ﬗ   ﬖ
• (Satzteken):  ՙ    ՚   ՛   ՜   ՝   ՞   ՟   ․   ։   ֊
• (Symbolen): ֏

Etymology 2

Conjunction

1. and

   ես ու դու — es u du — me and you

Usage notes

Generally used to link two things in close relation, such as in English you and I or in the sense of combining two clauses of close relation while deemphasizing their relationship. In English, this would generally be done by combining predicates, as in I went to the store and bought ice cream. It is never used as a conjunction in the fashion of և (ew) (ev), which is used as a coordinating conjunction between two independent clauses, as in I went to the store, and I bought ice cream.

Synonyms

• և (ew) (ev)