{"id":1434,"date":"2010-12-13T14:48:57","date_gmt":"2010-12-13T14:48:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/german\/?p=1434"},"modified":"2010-11-16T23:49:40","modified_gmt":"2010-11-16T23:49:40","slug":"writing-the-letters-%e2%80%9ca%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%9co%e2%80%9d-and-%e2%80%9cu%e2%80%9d-without-a-german-keyboard","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/german\/writing-the-letters-%e2%80%9ca%e2%80%9d-%e2%80%9co%e2%80%9d-and-%e2%80%9cu%e2%80%9d-without-a-german-keyboard\/","title":{"rendered":"Writing the letters \u201c\u00e4\u201d, \u201c\u00f6\u201d, and \u201c\u00fc\u201d without a German keyboard"},"content":{"rendered":"

There are three letters in German that do not exist in English. These are the Umlaute<\/em><\/strong> (umlauts) \u201c\u00e4\u201d, \u201c\u00f6\u201d, and \u201c\u00fc\u201d. Although these letters do not exist in the alphabet, they play an important role in writing. Unfortunately, Umlaute<\/em><\/strong> cannot be found on all keyboards but there is no need to worry about that, seeing that there is a straightforward rule how to write them without the necessary keys on your keyboard.<\/p>\n

Alternatively, the two dots above the letters \u201ca\u201d, \u201co\u201d, and \u201cu\u201d can be represented by the letter \u201ce\u201d. All you have to do is to put the \u201ce\u201d behind the \u201ca\u201d, \u201co\u201d, and\/or \u201cu\u201d. Compare:<\/p>\n

\u00e4 = ae<\/p>\n

\u00f6 = oe<\/p>\n

\u00fc = ue<\/p>\n

Admittedly, in some cases this looks very strange, e.g. Br\u00e4uche<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 Braeuche<\/em><\/strong> (costumes) and B\u00e4uche<\/em><\/strong> \u2013 Baeuche<\/em><\/strong> (bellies).<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, you should get used to this alternative writing in order to make sure that the addressee of your writing will understand you correctly. Sometimes an Umlaut can change the meaning of a word. Compare:<\/p>\n

drucken<\/em><\/strong> = to print and dr\u00fccken<\/em><\/strong> = to press<\/p>\n

auslosen<\/em><\/strong> = to draw lots for and ausl\u00f6sen<\/em><\/strong> = to trigger off<\/p>\n

Here are some random examples, so that you can see how words with Umlaute<\/em><\/strong> will look like when they are written in the alternative way. Additionally, I provide the articles. You will find the English translation in parentheses.<\/p>\n

die L\u00e4nge = Laenge (length)<\/p>\n

der F\u00e4cher = Faecher (fan)<\/p>\n

die B\u00f6rse = Boerse (money market)<\/p>\n

die L\u00f6sung = Loesung (solution)<\/p>\n

die T\u00fcr = Tuer (door)<\/p>\n

der Schl\u00fcssel = Schluessel (key)<\/p>\n

die Br\u00fccke = Bruecke (bridge)<\/p>\n

die L\u00fcge = Luege (lie)<\/p>\n

die Bl\u00fcte = Bluete (blossom)<\/p>\n

f\u00fcr = fuer (for)<\/p>\n

m\u00fcssen = muessen (must, need to , have to)<\/p>\n

k\u00f6nnen = koennen (could)<\/p>\n

B\u00fccher = Buecher (books) [das Buch; sgl.]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

There are three letters in German that do not exist in English. These are the Umlaute (umlauts) \u201c\u00e4\u201d, \u201c\u00f6\u201d, and \u201c\u00fc\u201d. Although these letters do not exist in the alphabet, they play an important role in writing. Unfortunately, Umlaute cannot be found on all keyboards but there is no need to worry about that, seeing…<\/p>\n

Continue Reading<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":54,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":""},"categories":[11971,8],"tags":[12457],"class_list":["post-1434","post","type-post","status-publish","hentry","category-grammar-language","category-language","tag-umlaut"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t