Ä
Capital Letter A with umlaut
The capital A with umlaut (Ä) represents a distinct vowel sound in German, Swedish, and Finnish, essential for proper capitalization of names, places, and sentence beginnings in languages spoken by over 100 million people worldwide.
Technical Details
- ASCII Code
- 142
- HTML Entity
- Ž
- Hexadecimal
- 0x8E
- Binary
- 10001110
- Octal
- 216
Usage & Examples
Programming
char symbol = 'Ä'; // ASCII 142HTML/Web
Ž or ÄCommon Uses
How to Type This Character
Windows
Mac
💡 Pro tip: The fastest way is to bookmark this page or copy the character from our ASCII library!
Related Characters
About the Capital Letter A with umlaut
German Capitalization
Required for proper German capitalization in names (Österreich, Köln), sentence beginnings, and formal writing. German grammar demands correct umlaut usage in capitalized positions, making Ä essential for professional German communication and business correspondence.
Scandinavian Identity
Fundamental to Swedish and Finnish alphabets as a distinct letter, not just a modified 'A'. The Ä represents different vowel qualities in these languages and appears in countless place names, personal names, and common vocabulary requiring proper capitalization.
International Business
Critical for authentic representation of German and Scandinavian companies, brands, and locations in global commerce. Companies like Käfer, Märklin, and cities like Zürich require proper umlaut capitalization in official documents and international communications.
Linguistic Precision
Demonstrates the phonetic sophistication of Germanic languages where umlauts create entirely different sounds and meanings. The capital Ä maintains this precision in formal contexts, ensuring accurate pronunciation guidance and cultural authenticity.
History of the Capital Letter A with umlaut
Old High German
Germanic languages began developing umlaut sounds through vowel harmony processes, creating the phonetic foundation that would later require distinct orthographic representation in capitalized contexts.
German Printing
Early German printers developed capital umlaut letters for proper typographic hierarchy, establishing the visual standards that distinguished German printing from other European traditions.
Scandinavian Standardization
Swedish and Finnish language authorities established Ä as a standard capital letter in their alphabets, giving it equal status with other vowels and requiring its use in proper capitalization contexts.
International Recognition
Global diplomatic and commercial systems recognized the necessity of proper German and Scandinavian capitalization, making capital umlauts essential for international correspondence and treaties.
Digital Typography
Computer systems and international fonts integrated capital umlaut support, enabling authentic German and Scandinavian representation in digital documents, websites, and global communications.
Cultural Impact
The capital Ä became a symbol of Germanic linguistic sophistication and cultural identity, ensuring that the distinct phonetic heritage of over 100 million speakers could be properly represented in formal and official contexts worldwide.
Usage Examples
German Place Names
ExampleGerman cities and countries requiring proper capitalization
Swedish Geography
ExampleSwedish place names with proper capitalization of umlauts
German Sentence Beginnings
ExampleGerman sentences beginning with umlaut-containing words
Corporate Names
ExampleInternational organizations and companies with German/Scandinavian names