QU - U is silent

As in English, the Spanish Q is always followed by a U except in a very few words of foreign origin.

In Spanish the "QU" is always followed by an E or an I and the U is silent. The Q in Spanish is pronounced the same as in English i.e. like the English K.

Thus qué is pronounced "keh" and qui, at the start of the word, is pronounced "kee" (as in key).

In the letters QU the U is silent

To remember this we use the following mnemonic:

As you follow after the Queen you (U) have to be silent (U is silent in QU).