The spelling of the phrase "ups die" may seem confusing at first glance. However, with the use of the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), it becomes clearer. The first word "ups" is pronounced like "uhps" with the "u" being a schwa sound. The second word "die" is pronounced as "dai" with a long "i" sound. Together, the phrase sounds like "uhps dai". When written, it follows standard English spelling rules.