What Does Ï Mean? (i With Two Dots) (2024)

An i with two dots isn’t a common letter in English, but you might have come across it before. It’s most prevalent in the word “naïve,” and it would help to learn more about it. This article will explore everything you need to know about an “I” with two dots.

What Does ï Mean?

An i with two dots is known as a diaeresis. This is the name given to two dots above a vowel in European languages to express that they should be sounded differently. It is most common in “naïve,” where the “I” should be sounded separated from the “a.”

To put this into perspective, you can remove the diaeresis and be met with this problem:

• Naive

While it’s clear that “naive” is pronounced “ny-eve” because of how common it is to hear it in English, the diaeresis is not present. Technically, you could pronounce “naive” as “nave” or “knive” because nothing indicates that the “a” and “i” should be pronounced separately.

When to Use ï (Two Dots)

Officially speaking, you do not have to use the i with two dots in English. There is no reason to do so as it has been replaced by the simpler “i” that appears in the English alphabet.

You may include “ï” in French words like “naïve” where it originated. It is grammatically correct to write “naïve” in this way. However, it is not idiomatic, and most native speakers will wonder why you are writing it like this.

Still, here are a few examples to show you when you can use “ï:”

• I think you’re far too naïve about all of this. I wish you would open your eyes.
• Stop being so naïve. I don’t understand why you’re like this. It’s so easy to behave in a better way.
• You’re too naïve for your own good. I cannot stand talking to you when you get like this.

When to Use i (One Dot)

You should use i with one dot in almost every situation in English. It’s much more common to see an “i” appear like this.

After all, “i” is the ninth letter of the English alphabet. You shouldn’t include extra letters in your writing when they do not belong to the alphabet you’re writing with.

It would be similar to including Cyrillic letters (from the Russian alphabet) in your English essays. While there are some instances where this might be useful, it is almost never going to help you explain something to an English reader.

Even in words like “naive,” it is more common to see an “i” with one dot today. You should stick to using it in this form to make sure all your readers understand what you’re writing about.

Here are some examples to show you how an “i” with one dot works:

• I’m being a bit naive, and I totally understand if you don’t want to talk to me again.
• Stop being so naive, Mathew. You can’t keep living your life like this because it makes no sense.
• She’s too naive for my liking. I wish there was something I could say to get her to change her ways.

Pronunciation of ï

The pronunciation of the i with two dots is simple enough. It only comes up in a few words, and the diaeresis already explains what its function is when it’s used.

You should pronounce “ï” as a separate letter from the vowel that came before it. This will allow you to make a more natural and separate sound in words like “naïve” (where it appears).

How to Type “i” with Two Dots on Keyboard

It would help to learn how to type “ï” if you ever need it. Different systems have different methods.

For the Windows Operating System:

• Hold ALT and type 0239 on the NUMPAD

For the Apple MAC OS:

• Press [OPTION]+[u], then i

These methods will allow you to type “ï” on your respective operating system.

Final Thoughts

The i with two dots is not a common letter in English. In fact, it’s not an English letter at all, so it’s best to avoid using it. You will only see it appear in words of French origin, like “naïve.” Even then, it’s best to replace “ï” with “i” when writing in English.