Lesson 4: Use of the Eszett (ß) in German

This funny little "B" looking character is really two s's together and can sometimes be troubling for students learning German. This character is called the Eszett.

In 1996, Germany enacted some spelling reforms with respect to the Eszett. The usage is as follows:

1. ß is used after diphthongs
   example: heißen = to be called: Ich heiße Thomas. | My name is Thomas.
   
   
2. ß is used after long vowels
   example: grüßen = to greet: Grüß Gott! | Good day
   
   
3. ss is used after short vowels
   example: wissen = to know, but ich weiß which follows rule #1
   
   

The Eszett is still used for proper place names so it's important to understand what it is and how it is used. If you can't make it on your keyboard (the ASCII code is ALT + 0223 or use the Character Map in Windows), the ss is permissible.