> You should use a when the word that follows sounds like it begins with a consonant (‘a dog,’ ‘a balloon’). You should use an if the word that follows sounds like it begins with a vowel (‘an ant,’ ‘an elevator’). Remember that sometimes a word will begin with a vowel but it sounds like a consonant (‘a one-time deal’); in this case you should still use a, rather than an. And in some cases a word will start with a consonant but it sounds like a vowel (’an hour’); in this case you should still use an, rather than a. [1]
Maybe English is just broken. Words starting with a long “u” sound make me question the rule - different than other long vowels…
Does one play “a ukulele” or “an ukulele”?
We need an umpire to make the call (;->
Using a more familiar example might help illustrate this: we say “a user”, not “a user”; similarly, it’s “a European”, not “an European”.
Here’s a good article about it: https://phonicshero.com/when-is-a-consonant-a-vowel-and-why/