Languages › German German Spelling: When to Use s, ss or ß Print KidStock / Getty Images German Vocabulary History & Culture Pronunciation & Conversation Grammar By Ingrid Bauer Ingrid Bauer German Language Expert M.A., German Studies, McGill University B.A., German and French Ingrid Bauer, who is fluent in German, has been teaching and tutoring the German language since 1996. She has a teaching degree and an M.A. in German studies. Learn about our Editorial Process Updated on September 09, 2018 If you first learned German before 1996, you may not be aware that the German spelling has undergone a number of reforms, changing the spellings of words you may be familiar with. For many German speakers, it was hard to let go of certain old spellings, but some German teachers may argue that the reforms have not gone far enough. For instance, it is still difficult for beginner students to sort out when to use s, ss, or ß in a German word. Keep track of when to use s, ss, and the infamous ß using this handy guide, but beware of the exceptions! Single –s At the beginning of words:der Saal (hall, room), die Süßigkeit (candy, sweet), das Spielzimmer (playroom) Mostly in nouns, adjectives, adverbs and a few verbs when preceded and followed by a vowel:lesen (to read), reisen (to travel), die Ameise (ant), gesäubert (cleaned)Exception and Examples: die Tasse (cup), der Schlüssel (key); some common verbs -> essen (to eat), lassen (to let), pressen (to press), messen (to measure) After consonant -l, -m, -n, and -r, when followed by a vowel: die Linse (lentil), der Pilz (mushroom), rülpsen (to belch) Always before the letter –p: die Knospe (a bud), lispeln (to lisp), die Wespe (wasp), das Gespenst (ghost) Usually before the letter –t: der Ast (branch), der Mist (dung), kosten (to cost), meistens (mostly)Exception Examples: Verb participles whose infinitive form have a sharp -s. See the rule about using –ss or –ß with infinitive verbs. Double –ss Usually written only after a short vowel sound: der Fluss (river), der Kuss (der Kiss), das Schloss (castle), das Ross (steed)Exception Examples:bis, bist, was, der BusWords ending in –ismus: der RealismusWords ending in –nis: das Geheimnis (secret)Words ending in –us: der Kaktus Eszett or Scharfes S: –ß Used after a long vowel or dipthong:der Fuß (foot), fließen (to flow), die Straße (street), beißen (to bite)Exception Examples: das Haus, der Reis (rice), aus. Infinitive Verbs with –ss or –ß When these verbs are conjugated, then these verb forms will also be written with either –ss or –ß, though not necessarily with the same sharp –s sound in the infinitive form:reißen (to rip) -> er riss; lassen -> sie ließen; küssen -> sie küsste Cite this Article Format mla apa chicago Your Citation Bauer, Ingrid. "German Spelling: When to Use s, ss or ß." ThoughtCo, Apr. 5, 2023, thoughtco.com/when-to-use-s-ss-1445262. Bauer, Ingrid. (2023, April 5). German Spelling: When to Use s, ss or ß. Retrieved from https://www.thoughtco.com/when-to-use-s-ss-1445262 Bauer, Ingrid. "German Spelling: When to Use s, ss or ß." ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/when-to-use-s-ss-1445262 (accessed April 20, 2024). copy citation