>>>It's the same in English- the indefinite article a becomes an before a word starting with a vowel.
>>>
>>> For u it depends how it is pronounced - I think
>>>
>>>A U-Turn
>>>An unrelated matter
>>
>>On a related note, same goes for words beginning with an aitch - "an honorable exception".
>>
>>Btw, a question for the anglophone majority here: is there a word in English which begins with a "u" and has it pronounced as u? Not as uh as in under, not as yoo as in universe, but as u as in butcher, lubricate?
>
>urchin (not exactly but fairly close).

No, not at all. Urchin starts with a very soft U. The letter U said by itself is much harsher. It is said like one of the most common words in the language -- you.

I do not envy those who have to learn English as a second language. There may be more exceptions than rules.