The German letter 'ß' is called Eszett (IPA: [ɛsˈtsɛt], literally "S-Z") or scharfes S (sharp S), representing a strong /s/ sound, and is used after long vowels and diphthongs, but it's replaced by 'ss' when unavailable or in all caps (ẞ), and it's absent in Swiss German where 'ss' is always used.
In German orthography, the letter ß, called Eszett (IPA: [ɛsˈtsɛt], S-Z) or scharfes S ( IPA: [ˌʃaʁfəs ˈʔɛs], "sharp S"), represents the /s/ phoneme in Standard German when following long vowels and diphthongs. The letter-name Eszett combines the names of the letters of ⟨s⟩ (Es) and ⟨z⟩ (Zett) in German.
Tips for typing the Eszett
Here's how you can type it on different systems: Mobile (Android/iOS): Hold down the letter s key on your device's virtual keyboard. Several variations of the standard letter s will appear above the letter. Slide your finger up among the choices and select the ß.
“s-zet” (ß): Hold down “control” and press the ampersand (&) (i.e. Shift + 7) [Nothing will appear on your screen when you press this combination of keys]. Then release all three keys you just pressed and type the letter s. The “s-zet” (ß) should now appear.
The German letter ß, called ess-tset, does not exist in the English alphabet. Though the ess-tset looks different, it makes a sound that is likely familiar. ß is pronounced just like the double-s in English, like in the word “miss.”
Let's talk about the ß in German! 🇩🇪✨ It's called das SZ (or Eszett) and it's pronounced like S, not B! 😲 You've seen it in: ✅ heiße (my name is) ✅ Fußball (football/soccer) ✅ Straße (street) It may look tricky, but it's super common—and now you know how to say it right!
Is it ok to use double s instead of ß? The answer is easy: no, it is not. The reason is orthographical as I have explained above. So, it is a spelling mistake if you write a double s after a long vowel (e.g. *Fuss).
Swiss German is intelligible to speakers of other Alemannic dialects, but largely unintelligible to speakers of Standard German who lack adequate prior exposure.
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Choose settings that use less battery
Let your screen turn off sooner. Reduce screen brightness. Set the brightness to change automatically. Turn off keyboard sounds or vibrations.