How to get an umlaut? (typing a German word)

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Level 1

3 points

How to get an umlaut? (typing a German word)

I've been trying to find out how to type the letter "o" with an umlaut (2 little dots over the o). I did a search and it says to hit the option key than the letter for an umlaut, but I get the letter o with a slash through it (a swedish thing I think). I've been searching but can't figure this out.
Thanks,
Annette

IMac G5, Mac OS X (10.4.3)

Posted on Jan 26, 2010 11:40 AM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

Keith Doherty3

Level 4

2,772 points

Jan 26, 2010 1:17 PM in response to BoCRon

Well what i do is set my keyboard to German and ö is found under the key : on a US keyboard
Capital Ö achieved with shift key

ü is [ square bracket
Ü as above with shift

ä is '
Ä is shift '

ß is the - key after number 0 in alphabetical keyboard

What i did was to go to System preferences languages and text / Input Sources and tick the German flag AND US/GB flags also tick Show in menu bar box.

Then click show all button and choose the keyboard icon and tick the Show keyboard and Character Viewer in menu bar box.

So when i need to enter German text i choose the German flag in the menu bar with the mouse and click show keyboard viewer from pull down menu. This shows you a German Keyboard on the screen which you can click on for the special letters.

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Answer 2

BoCRon Author

Level 1

3 points

Jan 26, 2010 6:58 PM in response to Tom Gewecke

Please try Option + u, then (releasing the option key)

Thanks, that worked. I am an extremely literal person when it comes to directions. No where anywhere did it say to release the option key before typing the o, so I never tried that. LOL, thanks for the precise explanation.
Thanks,
Annette

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Answer 3

sklon

Level 1

5 points

Feb 3, 2010 2:01 PM in response to Niel

Niel,

great solution. Was looking for this for ages, and hate to change keyboard layouts. In the same spirit:

- How do I get sz (the German thing that looks a bit like a beta?)
- How do I get French accents?

Or more easily: is there some kind of exhaustive documentation for those?

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Answer 4

Feb 3, 2010 6:09 PM in response to sklon

- How do I get sz (the German thing that looks a bit like a beta?

Option-s (with the US keyboard. Probably the same for UK.)

- How do I get French accents?

Or more easily: is there some kind of exhaustive documentation for those?

In the "Input Sources" tab of "Language & Text" enable "Keyboard & Character Viewer" This will put a flag or symbol near the right of the menu bar. Click it and select "Keyboard Viewer".
Press Option, Shift-Option, and Command-Option to see the characters available. If an accent shows a solid backgroung, it means it's non-spacing, so will apper over the next character you type.

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