The German ligature (additional character): The letter ß, is also known as the “sharp S“, “eszett” or “scharfes S”, and is the only German letter that is not part of the Latin/Roman alphabet. The letter is pronounced (like the “s” in “see”).
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What character is ß?
In German, the letter ß is known as the eszett or scharfes (sharp) S. It’s a special character, similar to the German umlaut you’re probably used to seeing by now. But unlike those two dots above a, o or u, the eszett is written as a capital B-shaped character with a tail: ß.
What sound is ß?
ß is just a “ss” sound. j sounds like the English y. w sounds like the English v. v sounds like the English f.
Is ß a consonant?
The letter ß is called a Eszett or scharfes S (sharp s) in German. It is a consonant used for the sound of a double-s or sz. It evolved as a ligature of ∫ and s or z.
What does ß mean in English?
The letter ß (also known as sharp S, German: Eszett or scharfes S) is a letter in the German alphabet. It is the only German letter that is not part of the basic Latin alphabet. The letter is pronounced [s] (like the “s” in “see”) and is not used in any other language.
What does ß stand for?
In German orthography, the letter ß, called Eszett (IPA: [ɛsˈtsɛt] ess-TSET) or scharfes S (IPA: [ˌʃaʁfəs ˈʔɛs], lit. “sharp S”), represents the /s/ phoneme in Standard German when following long vowels or diphthongs. The name Eszett combines the names of the letters of ⟨s⟩ (Es) and ⟨z⟩ (Zett) in German.
How is the German’s pronounced?
The German consonant “s,” in front of a vowel, is pronounced like an English “z” (as in “zipper”). It is voiced and soft. Following a vowel, the “s” is pronounced like an English “s” (as in “snow”), unvoiced and hard.
What is Ʒ called?
Ezh (Ʒ ʒ) /ˈɛʒ/, also called the “tailed z“, is a letter whose lower case form is used in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA), representing the voiced postalveolar fricative consonant.
Is scharfes S still used?
While the ß was abandoned in Swiss orthography and a German reform in 1996 simplified (and reduced) its use, it is definitely still widely used and required. Specifically, the ß is used for a Voiceless alveolar fricative sound after a long vowel or diphtong.
How do I type eszett in word?
For the eszett, it is Control+&, and then ‘s’ (on my keyboard, this is the same as Control+Shift+7 and then ‘s’). By going into the Symbol shortcut dialog (Insert tab, Symbol, More symbols…, select the eszett and then click ‘Shortcut’) you can change this shortcut.
How do you pronounce German B?
Germans generally pronounce the letter “b” as in “Berlin” or “Bier.”
What are some German curse words?
Single-Word Swears
| German | English equivalent | Vulgarity level |
|---|---|---|
| Scheiße (scheisse) | sh*t | mild/medium |
| Mist | crap/dang | mild |
| Arschloch | a*shole | medium |
| Schlampe | b*tch | high |
Does Z exist in German?
Note how the sounds are all pronounced in the same manner as the English letters ‘ts’, regardless of where the letter ‘z’ appears in the word. The German consonant cluster ‘-tz’ is also pronounced in the same way as English ‘ts’.
Is German hard to learn?
With plenty of straightforward rules, German is not actually as hard to learn as most people think. And since English and German stem from the same language family, you might actually be surprised at the things you pick up without even trying! And on top of it all, it’s definitely a useful one, too.
What sound is Ʊ?
The sound /ʊ/ is a back, high, lax, rounded vowel. Spelling: “oo” – took, good. “u” – put, bush.
What sound is TƩ?
The sound /tʃ/ is a voiceless, alveo-palatal, affricate consonant. Press the middle of your tongue between your alveolar ridge and your soft palate. Quickly move your tongue downward while forcefully pushing air out. The air in your mouth should stop before it is released.
What is the letter yogh?
The letter yogh (ȝogh) (Ȝ ȝ; Scots: yoch; Middle English: ȝogh) was used in Middle English and Older Scots, representing y (/j/) and various velar phonemes. It was derived from the Insular form of the letter g.
Why is Eszett used?
In German, the ß character is called eszett. It’s used in “Straße,” the word for street, and in the expletive “Scheiße.” It’s often transliterated as “ss,” and strangely enough, it’s never had an official uppercase counterpart. The letter “a” has “A” and “b” has “B,” while ß had… nothing.
What is the German’s called?
Germani (for the people) and Germania (for the area where they lived) became the common Latin words for Germans and Germany. Germans call themselves Deutsche (living in Deutschland).
What is Ä in German?
The short Ä is pronounced like the “e” in the word “bet” in English. It is like saying “eh”. The long Ä on the other hand is simply taking the short one and keeping the sound, so making it longer. It is like saying the “ay” in “say”.
What are the 4 extra letters in German?
German has four special letters; three are vowels accented with an umlaut (⟨ä, ö, ü⟩) and one is a ligature of ⟨s⟩ and ⟨z⟩ (⟨ß⟩; called Eszett “ess-zed/zee” or scharfes S “sharp s”), all of which are officially considered distinct letters of the alphabet, and have their own names separate from the letters they are