In Spanish, Portuguese, French and German the letters QU often hide the U (Spanish que = /ke/). English is the opposite: most of the time you DO pronounce the W. queen is /kwiːn/, with a clear W glide.
The Rule: Default: QU = /kw/. Exception: in words borrowed from French and most words ending in -que, QU = /k/ (no W).
QU = /kw/ (the common case)
Practice these words:
More: quick, quiz, quote, equal, require, frequent, square.
QU = /k/ (French origin & -que)
More: quiche, conquer, opaque, boutique, mystique, croquet, queue.
Why Does This Happen?
The /kw/ pronunciation is the original English (and Latin) value. The /k/ words arrived later from French, which had already simplified the sound. The spelling -que is the visual clue that a word took the French route.
Quick Summary
| Sound | When | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| /kw/ | default | queen, quick, question, equal |
| /k/ | French origin / -que | unique, antique, mosquito, quiche |
Want to train your ear and mouth on these patterns? Try our interactive pronunciation practice and hear each sound in context.