Y: vowel or consonant? It’s one of those tricky questions that leaves everyone scratching their heads. Is it a year or an year? That little word makes all the difference. Here’s the secret — Y isn’t always the same. Sometimes it’s a consonant, sometimes a vowel, and the difference depends on the word’s sounds and placement. When Y makes a vowel sound — like in happy or sky — it’s a vowel. When it makes a consonant sound — like in yes or yellow — it’s a consonant. It sounds simple, but this rule