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This question already has an answer here:

Since user starts with a vowel shouldn't we use "an" ? I've seen many cases of using "a" .

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marked as duplicate by Roaring Fish, J.R., Carlo_R., Andrew Leach, tchrist Feb 24 at 14:26

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2 Answers

up vote 9 down vote accepted

"An" goes before all words that begin with vowels:

  • An egg

With two exceptions:

When u makes the same sound as the y in you, or o makes the same sound as w in won, then a is used:

  • a union
  • a united front
  • a unicorn
  • a used napkin
  • a U.S. ship
  • a one-legged man
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up vote 9 down vote

It's a because the first sound of user is not a vowel, but the consonant /j/.

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