In German
ß
Meaning: the letter ß (Eszett or “scharfes S”, sharp S), pronounced like a long, hissing "ss"
Example sentences
DieStraßeistlang.
The street is long.
Grammar note
“ß” only appears after a long vowel or diphthong and always sounds exactly like “ss” — it's never capitalized mid-word, and has no lowercase/uppercase pair the way most letters do (modern German does have a rarely-used capital “ẞ”).
Common mistake
Don't confuse “ß” with a capital “B” just because it looks similar — it's a special S, and if you can't type it, writing “ss” instead (“Strasse”) is always an accepted substitute.
Quick check
Which special letter always sounds like a long “ss” and follows a long vowel?
More words on this topic
Keep learning German
Practise it in a lesson →Frequently asked questions
Is “ß” the same as capital “B”?
No — it just looks similar; it's a special form of “s”.
What can I write instead of “ß”?
“ss” — “Straße” becomes “Strasse”, always accepted.