ß or ss?

magomike

magomike

June 2, 2008

hey, I have a question regarding German spelling. How do you know when or when not to sue ss or the ß sign? Because from what I read, ß = ss, but in the game and vocabulary, I often see ss, and when I try using the ß sign, it marks it as wrong. Any explanation? or is it something you just have to accept?
(deleted)

(deleted)

September 10, 2008

Hi there, yes, that is a tricky subject. A few years ago Germany underwent the so called "Rechtsschreibreform" - a spelling reform. The idea was to spell certain word more like they actually sound to make it easier for learners. However there was huge criticism and protest and the whole thing got delayed a few years. Now it is official and all the major daily newspaper are using the new spelling. The "Rechtsschreibreform" also included some changes to the rules regarding "ss" and "ß". If you are interested in reading about all the changes I would recommend getting a book that explains all the changes. We have used the new spelling rules in the course. I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any further questions.

Want to post a comment? Just sign up for a free Rocket Languages trial

Select one of the languages below and sign up in 60 seconds. Join our user forum and experience Rocket Languages for yourself!

Let's get you talking in German.

We love German people and German culture - from magical Christmas markets and hearty dishes to fairy-tale castles and gorgeous mountain trails! And there's no better way to connect with them than by learning Deutsch.

No credit card required

or