u-lo / u-la
Where Is It? U-lo and U-la
U asks "where is...?" or "where are...?" in a short question with no verb: U-lo libro? (where is the book?).
How It Works
What u means
U is an old word for "where". It survives in speech and literature in one very short question: "where is X?" or "where are X?". The everyday alternative is Onde está...? (see question words).
Always without a verb
The question is just u + what you are looking for. Do not add está or son: U-lo libro?, not U-lo libro está?
With the article: a hyphen
The article takes its second form after u, and the standard spelling joins them with a hyphen:
- u-lo: U-lo libro? (where is the book?)
- u-la: U-la chave? (where is the key?)
- u-los: U-los rapaces? (where are the kids?)
- u-las: U-las rapazas? (where are the girls?)
With a pronoun: no hyphen
When you replace the noun with a pronoun, the pronoun is written together with u: ulo, ula, ulos, ulas. For example: Aí tes os teus libros. — Ulos? (There are your books. — Where are they?)
Register. U sounds traditional. It is common in older rural speech and in literature, and many younger speakers use onde está instead.
Examples (6)
- U-lo libro?
Where is the book?
U + the article lo, joined with a hyphen. There is no verb.
- U-la chave da casa?
Where is the house key?
La is the second form of the article a.
- U-los rapaces? Xa é hora de cear.
Where are the kids? It is time for dinner.
Plural masculine: u-los.
- U-las rapazas?
Where are the girls?
Plural feminine: u-las.
- Deixei as lentes aquí. Ulas?
I left my glasses here. Where are they?
With a pronoun instead of a noun, ulas is written as one word.
- E o teu irmán? Ulo?
And your brother? Where is he?
Ulo stands for u + the pronoun lo.
Common Mistakes
Adding a verb to the question.
U-lo libro está?U-lo libro?U already means "where is", so the question never has a verb. Otherwise use Onde está o libro?
Using the plain article after u.
U o libro?U-lo libro?After u the article always takes its second form -lo, -la, joined with a hyphen.
Writing a hyphen with the pronoun.
Deixei aquí as chaves. U-las?Deixei aquí as chaves. Ulas?The hyphen is only for the article before a noun. The pronoun is written together with u.
How It Connects
Learn This First
The traditional u construction distinguishes a hyphenated article from an attached pronoun.
Related Patterns
- que / quen / onde / cando / comoQuestion Words
Onde está...? is the everyday way to ask the same question.
Level 1 - o / a / os / asDefinite Articles
The ordinary article forms that change to lo, la after u.
Level 1 - velaquí / velaíHere It Is: Velaquí and Velaí
The natural answer to u: Velaquí o libro (here is the book).
Level 3 - eis / eiloLiterary Presentative Eis
Another traditional word that joins a pronoun in the lo form.
Level 6
Words in This Pattern
Practice u-lo / u-la in Bubblegum
Poppy, your AI tutor, writes Galician lessons at your level. Tap any grammar point in a lesson to see its full explanation.
