Verified answer

Called es-tset (s-z), and previously written as joined s+z, it is the functional equivalent of (and may be written as) "ss". The official orthography changes (Rechtschreibreform) of 1996 greatly reduced the occasions where this letter is appropriate (replaced by ss).

It is pronounced as a standard UNvoiced s, not necessarily longer than a single s. It should be distinguished from voiced-s (pronounced z).

It is a ligature (combination) of the old "long" S (the one that looks like an f with half its cross piece missing) and a Z, so it is called an ES-ZET (i.e. S Z)

It is always replaced by SS by printers lacking the ß sign.

It is alwazs replaced by SS in Swiss German

Its use was greatly restricted in the German spelling reform of a few years ago (which many Germans have refused to accept)

Sound it like SS and write it as SS and forget about it.

If you don´thave it on your keyboard you can use "ss" for it.

You pronounce it the same way you would pronounce "ss"

btw. It´s just a german grammar rule that you sometimes have to write ß instead off ss

but it is pronounced the same way.

It is a letter from the German alphabet

This is called 'scharfes s') ß