The CUTE Diphthong /ju/

One of the most common diphthongs in American English. Hear it in cute, few, use, huge.

IPA /ju/ Respell yoo Category Diphthong
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The /ju/ diphthong, the cute sound, is a unique two-part glide used in words like few, music, huge, and use. Unlike most American vowels, it actually kicks off with a consonant: the Y sound. You start with the middle of your tongue raised up close to the roof of your mouth (but not touching it), then immediately glide into a tight, rounded lip circle for the OO sound. Skip the Y at the start and cute turns into coot, fuel turns into fool.

How to make it

Three small adjustments.

Get them right and the sound takes care of itself.

Start with the tongue mid-front raised high, almost touching the roof of the mouth (but not touching). Glide into a tight lip circle as the tongue back lifts.

First position of /ju/ in cute
Second position of /ju/ in cute

Mouth shape

/ju/ as in cute

Jaw

Drops a little bit for the first sound.

Tongue

Tip is down, touching the back of the bottom front teeth. The mid-front part lifts high, close to but not touching the roof of the mouth (for the Y consonant beginning). Then the back lifts towards the soft palate (for the OO ending).

Lips

May be relaxed or begin rounding for the ending position. Round fully for the second sound.

Quick tips

One thing to remember.

Unlike true diphthongs, which glide between two vowel sounds, /ju/ pairs a consonant glide (the Y) directly with a vowel (the OO).

Hear it in words

16 everyday words.

Tap any word for its full breakdown — every reduction, every flap-T.

cute
KYOOT
few
FYOO
use
YOOZ
view
VYOO
huge
HYOOJ
youth
YOOTH
used
YOOZD
useful
YOOS·fuhl
musical
MYOO·zuh·kuhl
review
ruh·VYOO
uniform
YOO·nuh·form
universe
YOO·nuh·vurs
beautiful
BYOO·tuh·fuhl
computing
kuhm·PYOO·tuhng
confused
kuhn·FYOOZD
unified
YOO·nuh·fahyd
Hear it in sentences

In real conversation.

5 short sentences where this sound shows up. Tap to play; click the title for the full breakdown.

Cute music usually uses a huge tube.

KYOOT MYOO·zuhk YOO·zhoo·uh·lee YOO·zuhz uh HYOOJ TOOB.

The huge university view was beautiful and unique.

dhuh HYOOJ yoo·nuh·VUR·suh·dee VYOO wuhz BYOO·tuh·fuhl and yoo·NEEK.

Use the computer to compute the future value.

YOOZ dhuh kuhm·PYOO·der tuh kuhm·PYOOT dhuh FYOO·cher VAL·yoo.

The cute cube was useful for the unit review.

dhuh KYOOT KYOOB wuhz YOOS·fuhl fer dhuh YOO·nuht ruh·VYOO.

You are unique in the universe of users.

yoo ar yoo·NEEK ihn dhuh YOO·nuh·vurs uhv YOO·zerz.
FAQ

Common questions about /ju/.

What's the easiest way to make the /ju/ sound in American English?
Make a clear Y sound first, then slide into an OO shape. Raise the middle of your tongue close to the roof of your mouth with your jaw slightly dropped; don't let it touch, or you'll block the air and turn the Y into a J. As you push the sound out, pull your lips forward into a tight circle and lift the back of your tongue. Treat the Y and the OO as one flowing movement, not two separate sounds clipped together.
Why do Americans say "new" differently than British speakers?
Americans drop the Y-glide after /n/, /t/, and /d/, while British speakers keep it. So new sounds like noo, duty like doo-dee, and tune like toon. British English keeps the full /ju/, nyoo, dyoo-tee, tyoon. Over-articulating the Y-glide in student or tune is a clear sign of British English. After other consonants (/k/, /m/, /b/), the Y stays in both varieties, cute, music, beauty.
Why do I accidentally make "cute" sound like "coot"?
You're likely skipping the Y consonant at the start of the vowel. In coot, the lips push straight into a tight OO circle, no tongue prep. In cute, the tongue has to start high in the middle of the mouth to catch the Y before the lips round. Many learners miss this initial squeeze, turning fuel into fool. Spanish speakers, on the other hand, often over-harden the Y into a J sound, turning use into juice.

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