Vav

Vav has several important jobs. It can function as a consonant, commonly v in the default reading. It can also participate in writing the vowels o and u, as in וֹ and וּ. And at the beginning of words, וְ־ is one of Hebrew's most common attached words, often translated “and” or “but.” These uses are taught separately so that one printed Vav does not become one oversimplified rule.