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Schwa /ə/

A schwa is a vowel sound in an unstressed syllable, where a vowel does not make its long or short vowel sound. It usually sounds like the short /u/ sound, but is softer and weaker. The schwa sound is the most common vowel sound - and the only speech sound with its own special name.

NOTE The sound /u/ is not like the Spanish "u". In English, /u/ sounds more like a Spanish "a", as in the words umbrella, unfinished, or understand.