X, the German Kurrent letter x
X is the 24th letter of the German alphabet, representing the consonant pair /ks/, predominantly occurring in classical loanwords and personal names. In German Kurrent handwriting, it has a distinct historical ductus taught across German-speaking Europe until 1941.
In words
Taxe · fee
History
The letter X occupies the 24th position in the German alphabet. Phonetically, it represents the consonant pair /ks/, predominantly occurring in classical loanwords and personal names.
Lowercase x in Kurrent is drawn either as a crossed diagonal letter or as two opposing curved strokes (a reversed c joined at the waist to a forward c). Capital X consists of two intersecting diagonal strokes adorned with upper and lower decorative loops.
While rare in native German vocabulary, x occurs in baptismal names like 'Xaver' and official Latinate record entries like 'Examen', 'Text', and 'Index'.
X is the second rarest letter in German text, at about 0.03% of all letters, and in German it always stands for the pair of sounds ks.[1] Native words usually write that sound another way, with chs: Sachsen against English Wessex, and Achse, from Latin axis, against Axt. The chs spelling follows the Upper German pronunciation of ch.[2]
Sources
- [1] X — Wikipedia (German) — x always [ks]; 26th of 27, 0.03% (accessed 2026-10-14)
- [2] X — Wikipedia (German) — chs for [ks] (Sachsen, Achse) explained by Upper German pronunciation (accessed 2026-10-14)