V facts for kids

The letter V

The letter V is the twenty-second letter in the English alphabet. It is a consonant, which means we use our mouth, teeth, and tongue to make its sound. You can find 'V' in words like "van," "vote," and "love."

The History of the Letter V

The letter 'V' has a long and interesting history. It comes from very old alphabets.

From Ancient Symbols to Our Alphabet

The story of 'V' begins with the ancient Phoenicians. They had a letter called "Waw." This letter looked a bit like a hook or a club. It made a sound similar to 'W' or 'Y'.

Later, the Greeks borrowed "Waw" and changed it. They called their new letter "Upsilon" (Υ). Upsilon looked like a 'Y' and could make both 'U' and 'V' sounds.

How Romans Used V

The Romans then took the Greek Upsilon. They used the letter 'V' for both the 'U' sound and the 'V' sound we know today. For example, the word "love" might have been spelled "LVVE" in ancient Roman times. It was a single letter doing double duty!

Over many centuries, people started to use 'U' and 'V' as separate letters. This made reading and writing clearer. By the 16th century, 'U' and 'V' were mostly seen as distinct letters in English.

How We Use V Today

The letter 'V' is used in many ways in the English language. It usually makes a voiced sound. This means your vocal cords vibrate when you say it.

V in Words

• 'V' often starts words like van, vote, and valley.
• It can also be in the middle of words, such as love, river, and have.
• Sometimes, 'V' is at the end of words, like give or live.

V in Numbers and Science

• In Roman numerals, 'V' stands for the number five. For example, 'IV' is four, and 'VI' is six.
• In science, 'V' can stand for volt, which is a unit of electrical voltage. It can also represent velocity, which is how fast something is moving in a certain direction.
• In biology, 'V' is the symbol for the amino acid valine.

Images for kids

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  Late Renaissance or early Baroque design of a V, from 1627

See also

In Spanish: V para niños