An essential part of learning to write in German is learning how to properly use German punctuation - a system of marks or signs that are placed in a text to clarify meaning and separate structural units. Luckily, German punctuation is similar to English punctuation in many respects.
Punctuation marks (Satzzeichen)
With the exception of quotation marks, the German punctuation marks are the same as the English ones.
German term
English term
Punctuation mark
die Anführungszeichen
quotation marks
" " or « »
die Auslassungspunkte
ellipsis dots
...
das Ausrufezeichen
exclamation mark
!
der Apostroph
apostrophe
'
der Bindestrich
hyphen
-
der Doppelpunkt/das Kolon
colon
:
der Ergänzungsstrich
dash
das Fragezeichen
question mark
?
der Gedankenstrich
long dash
runde Klammern
parentheses
( )
eckige Klammern
brackets
[ ]
das Komma
comma
,
der Punkt
period
.
das Semikolon
semicolon
;
However, four of these German punctuation marks - quotation marks, the apostrophe, the comma and the dash - differ from their English counterparts in terms of how they are used.
Die Anführungszeichen
Difference
German usage
English usage
Marks
* Generally, chevron-style marks are used in books
Beispiel:
Die Prinzessin sagte: «Du garstiger Frosch!»
(or)
Die Prinzessin sagte: »Du garstiger Frosch!«
* In newspapers and other printed material, German quotation marks are used (i.e., the opening quotation mark is below the line rather than above)
Beispiel:
Die Prinzessin sagte: „Du garstiger Frosch!"
* International quotation marks are used in all types of texts
Example:
The princess said, "You nasty frog!"
Introducing a quotation
A colon is used to introduce a direct quote.
Beispiel:
Sie sagten: «Das Mädchen ist sehr schön.»
A comma is used to introduce a direct quote.
Example:
They said, "The little girl is very beautiful."
Ending a quotation
At the end of a quotation, the comma is placed outside the quotation mark.
Beispiel:
"Die sieben Zwerge sind sehr fleißig", sagte Schneewittchen.
At the end of a quotation, the comma is placed inside the quotation mark.
Example:
"The seven dwarves are really hard-working," said Snow White.
Quotations vs. italics
* Quotation marks are used for the titles of poems, articles, short stories, songs and TV shows.
Beispiel: „Hänsel und Gretel" ist ein Grimm-Märchen.
* Quotation marks are also used for the titles of books, novels, films, dramatic works and the names of newspapers or magazines.
Beispiel:
Die Brüder Grimm haben „Kinder- und Hausmärchen" geschrieben.
* Single quotation marks are used for the titles of poems, articles, short stories, songs and TV shows.
Example:
'Hänsel and Gretel' is a Grimm fairy tale.
* The titles of books, novels, films, dramatic works and the names of newspapers or magazines are either italicized or underlined.
Example:
The brothers Grimm wrote Children's and Household Tales.
Quotations within quotations
* Single quotation marks (halbe Anführungszeichen) are used for a quotation within a quotation.
Beispiel:
",Hänsel und Gretel' ist ein Grimm-Märchen", sagte Dornröschen.
* Single quotation marks are used for a quotation within a quotation
Example:
"'Hänsel and Gretel' is a Grimm fairy tale," said Sleeping Beauty.
Der Apostroph
Difference
German usage
English usage
Genitive possession
* Generally, genitive possession is indicated with just an -s at the end of a name or noun.
Beispiel:
Aschenputtels Stiefmutter
* When a name or noun ends with an s sound (i.e., spelled -s, -ss, -ß, -tz, -z, -x, -ce), genitive possession is indicated with just an apostrophe
Beispiel:
des Prinz' Ross
* Genitive possession is indicated with both an apostrophe and an -s
Example:
Cinderella's stepmother
* Example:
The prince's steed
Missing letters
* Missing letters in contractions, slang, dialect, idiomatic expressions or poetic phrases are indicated with an apostrophe
Beispiele:
wie geht's? (wie geht es?)
ich hab' (ich habe)
* In some common contractions with definite articles, no apostrophe is used
Beispiele:
ins (in das)
zum (zu dem)
* Missing letters in contractions, slang, dialect, idiomatic expressions or poetic phrases are indicated with an apostrophe
Examples:
how's it going? (how is it ...?)
I've (I have)
Das Komma
Difference
German usage
English usage
Linking clauses
* A comma may link two independent clauses without a conjunction; the other options are a semicolon or a period.
Beispiel:
Der Frosch stand vor der Tür, die Prinzessin erschrak.
Generally, a comma is not an option when linking two independent clauses without a conjunction; a semicolon or a period is more appropriate.
Example:
The frog stood before the door: the princess was frightened.
Series ending with and/or
* A comma is never used at the end of a series ending with and/or.
Beispiel:
Die sieben Zwerge sind Brummbär, Chef, Happy, Hatschi, Pimpel, Schlafmütz und Seppl.
* A comma is optional at the end of a series ending with and/or.
Example:
The seven dwarves are Grumpy, Doc, Happy, Sneezy, Bashful, Sleepy(,) and Dopey.
Infinitive phrases
* The reformed spelling rules (Rechtschreibreform) make commas optional in infinitive phrases
Beispiel:
Die Prinzessin verliess den Brunnen(,) ohne den Frosch mitzunehmen.
n/a
Numerical expressions
* In prices, a comma separates the tens position from the ones position.
Beispiel:
€9,95
* In large numbers, either a space or a decimal point divides thousands
Beispiel:
1 000 000 or 1.000.000
* In prices, a decimal point separates the tens position from the ones position.
Example:
19.95 euros
* In large numbers, a comma divides thousands
Example:
1,000,000
Der Ergänzungsstrich/Der Gedankenstrich
Difference
German usage
English usage
Pauses, delayed continuation, contrast
* A dash or long dash indicates a pause, a delayed continuation or a contrast.
Beispiel:
Auf einmal - ein lautes Weinen!
* A dash or long dash indicates a pause, a delayed continuation or a contrast.
Example:
All of a sudden - a loud sobbing!
Change in speaker
* When there are no quotation marks, a dash or long dash indicates a change in speaker.
Beispiel: - Aschenputtel, komm mal her! - Ja, ich komme sofort!
* Generally, quotation marks indicate a change in speaker.
Example: "Cinderella, come here!" "Yes, I'm coming right away."
Prices
* A dash or long dash indicates an even price.
Beispiel:
€10,-
* A double zero or naught indicates an even price.