Y Words for Kids

The letter Y is special because it can act as both a consonant and a vowel. At the beginning of words, Y makes a consonant sound like in yes and yellow. At the end of words, Y acts as a vowel, making the long E sound in happy or the long I sound in fly. This collection of Y words for kids explores both roles of this unique letter.

Y Sight Words – Dolch List

Pre-K	Kindergarten	1st Grade	2nd Grade	3rd Grade	Nouns
you yellow	yes	your	—	—	year

Pre-K

you, yellow

Kindergarten

yes

1st Grade

your

2nd Grade

—

3rd Grade

—

Nouns

year

Y Sight Words – Fry List

First 100	Second 100	Third 100	Fourth 100	Fifth 100
you your	year yes yet you young your	year yes yet you young your yourself	year yellow yes yet you young your	year yellow yes yesterday yet you young your yourself

First 100

you, your

Second 100

year, yes, yet, young

Third 100

yourself

Fourth 100

yellow

Fifth 100

yesterday

📝 Browse Sight Words Worksheets

Y as a Consonant

When Y begins a word or syllable, it makes the consonant “y” sound.

Y Beginning Words

yak yam yank yard yarn yawn year yell yellow yelp yes yesterday yet yield yolk you young your yourself youth

Y as Long E (at end of word)

When Y comes at the end of a multi-syllable word, it usually makes the long E sound.

Y = Long E

baby body busy candy carry city copy crazy daddy easy empty every family fancy funny happy heavy hurry jelly lucky many mommy money only party penny pony pretty puppy ready really sandy silly sorry story study sunny tiny ugly very windy worry

Y as Long I (at end of word)

When Y comes at the end of a one-syllable word, it usually makes the long I sound.

Y = Long I

by cry dry fly fry guy my pry shy sky sly spy try why apply defy deny imply July rely reply supply

Y Words for Kids by Grade Level

Pre-K & Kindergarten

Ages 3-6

Sight Words: you, yellow, yes, your
First Y Words: yak, yam, yard, yawn, yell, yellow, yes, yet, you, young
First Nouns: yak, yam, yard, yarn, year, yellow, yo-yo, yogurt

1st & 2nd Grade

Ages 6-8

Sight Words: year, yes, yet, young, yourself
Y as Long E: baby, body, busy, candy, city, copy, daddy, easy, every, family, funny, happy, hurry, jelly, lucky, many, mommy, money, only, party, penny, pony, pretty, puppy, ready, really, silly, sorry, story, study, sunny, tiny, very, windy
Y as Long I: by, cry, dry, fly, fry, my, shy, sky, spy, try, why

3rd Grade & Above

Ages 8+

Sight Words: yesterday, yourself
Consonant Y: yank, yarn, yelp, yield, yolk, youth
Advanced Y = Long E: carry, crazy, empty, fancy, heavy, ugly, worry
Advanced Y = Long I: apply, defy, deny, guy, imply, July, pry, rely, reply, sly, supply