Do We Say 'A' University or 'An' University?

The rule for using 'a' or 'an' depends on the sound at the beginning of the next word, NOT the spelling (the letter).

• Use 'an' before a word that begins with a vowel sound (a, e, i, o, u sound).
• Use 'a' before a word that begins with a consonant sound.

Even though the word 'university' starts with the vowel letter 'U', it is pronounced starting with a 'Y' sound ('yoo-ni-ver-si-ty').

The 'Y' sound (like in 'yes' or 'yellow') is a consonant sound in English. Because the word starts with a consonant sound, we must use 'a'.

Correct: He studies at a university. Incorrect: He studies at an university.

Here are other words that start with a vowel letter but take 'a' because they start with a 'Y' or 'W' consonant sound:

• A European country (sounds like 'yoo-ro-pe-an')
• A unique idea (sounds like 'yoo-neek')
• A uniform (sounds like 'yoo-ni-form')
• A one-eyed pirate (sounds like 'won')
• A one-way street

The reverse rule also applies. If a word starts with a consonant letter but has a vowel sound (usually because the consonant is silent), we use 'an'.

• An hour (the 'h' is silent, sounds like 'our')
• An honest man (sounds like 'on-est')
• An heir
• An MBA degree (M is pronounced 'em', which starts with an 'e' vowel sound)