Always be in the mood. Hyphen and dash: the difference between them. How to put a dash in Word, keyboard shortcuts, secrets

17.10.2019

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Such a spelling sign as a hyphen came to the Russian language from German (“divis” is a typographic term). And this sign came into German from Latin language(“division”, that is, division).

Many people confuse a hyphen with a punctuation mark such as a dash. And this kind of confusion in writing can distort the meaning of what is written. The difference between these two, at first glance, very similar signs is quite large.

The hyphen means a “unit” sign, and the dash used to be called a “mental separation” sign. It was also called “trait” (not to be confused with “dash”). The dash was first used at the end of the 18th century by the Russian writer N. Karamzin. Some scientists called such a sign “silence,” while others called it “a sign of despair.”

The term “dash” came into Russian from French in the 19th century (“tiret”, a derivative of “tirer”, that is, to pull). The term itself was included in V. Dahl's dictionary in the meaning of one of the punctuation marks, which is used in writing in that part of the text where the writer thinks, wants to indicate an omission or introduce an addition or some kind of riddle into the text.

So, a hyphen is a spelling sign with a connecting function. This sign is a short connecting line that is used inside a word (Ex.: The performance looked like a mystery concert.).

A dash is a punctuation mark in the form of a long line that separates individual parts of a sentence. When reading, a dash is marked with a pause. (For example: Such a concert is a real mystery for the audience.).

One of the most common mistakes in Russian writing is the incorrect placement of non-alphabetic characters. Unfortunately, this phenomenon does not bypass printed publications either. And although every sign is regulated own rules writing, nevertheless, 70% of errors in the text occur precisely in them. This article will look at the difference between a hyphen and a dash, the history of their appearance in Russian grammar, and today’s norms of use in writing.

Two different concepts

In order for written speech to be more literate and beautiful, it is necessary to understand the existing difference in the spelling of such characters as dashes and hyphens. The catch is that in appearance they look very similar, representing a horizontal line with a slight difference in length. And the authors of different texts often get confused in writing these symbols, barely distinguishing them. Nevertheless, their fundamental difference is expressed in the functionality of the signs themselves.

The use of a hyphen (-) or a dash (—) in writing will directly depend on the task at hand in the text: connecting parts of a complex word or separating parts of a sentence. Writing a dash inside a word, as well as a hyphen between independent words, will be a gross mistake. In addition, unlike a dash, a hyphen is a non-literal spelling symbol. In other words, a hyphen should be used only according to spelling rules, while a dash should be used according to established spelling rules. punctuation standards Russian language.

History of the hyphen

Speaking about the difference between a dash and a hyphen, it is impossible not to touch upon the history of the appearance of these symbols in Russian writing.

The appearance of the spelling sign “hyphen” dates back to the period when the spelling of words began to be separated by a space. In primers and various textbooks In the 18th century it was called the “sign of unity.” A century later, the first clarifications and adjustments to the use of the sign in the text appeared, proposed by academician J. Grot. Some of his recommendations (rules) are still used today.

In Russian, the term “hyphen” arose in the middle of the 19th century, when there was active borrowing of German typographic terminology. German word divis comes from the Latin divisio and means dismemberment, division. I wonder what long time the word hyphen was used only in specific literature. And only in the 1930s did it become synonymous with the connecting line.

When to use a hyphen

According to established rules Russian language, the hyphen is used without spaces in following cases:

in education difficult words(business lunch, online consultant);
when forming adverbs by repetition identical elements(a long time ago);
in the formation of complex adjectives (physics and mathematics lyceum);
at indefinite pronouns nouns (someone, anyone);
when adding prefixes (in Russian);
when attaching some particles to a word (come on);
when moving a word to another line;
when abbreviating words (number).

Whenever the question of placing a hyphen or dash arises, you should first pay attention to where the problem directly occurs: within a word or within a sentence.

How did the dash appear?

The dash (from the French word tirer - to stretch) is a fairly common punctuation mark used in many languages. The first mention of the dash dates back to the 12th century, when Boncompagno da Signa, an Italian writer, came up with a new proposal for punctuation. IN new system only two elements were offered, one of which was a dash. The author defined its function only as a sentence completion sign. Although at that time this was a considerable achievement. Some researchers are inclined to believe that this particular sign is the ancestor of the modern dash.

In the 18th century, G. R. Derzhavin and N. M. Karamzin began to urgently introduce the use of a new sign in Russia - the dash. Some did not like this innovation; they accepted it with hostility, since they did not see much need for it. And at first there was hardly any difference between a dash and a hyphen. It was called differently: black stripe, intersection sign, ruler, line. Step by step, winning back its positions, the sign confidently introduced itself into Russian written speech.

When to put a dash

In addition to the fact that the dash sign is very subtly capable of expressing the author’s feelings, without unnecessary words to convey his thoughts to the addressee, he has many more functions. Knowing the following rules will help you minimize writing errors when it comes to placing dashes or hyphens.

So, the dash is placed:

before a line in dialogue;
between direct speech and the words of the author;
between the parts of a non-union complex sentence: if the second part of the sentence contains a result or conclusion, if the second part contains opposition or addition, if the first part of the sentence contains the meaning of the condition (or time);

before the general word after homogeneous members offers;
before the application at the end of the sentence, if you can insert the construction “namely” without distorting the meaning, for example: in the conversation they expected only one thing from me - honesty;
before the words “here”, “this”, “this means” in sentences where the predicate is a noun in nominative case(or infinitive);
when omitting a member of a sentence (often a predicate) in incomplete sentences as part of a complex sentence;
in the absence of a linking verb, for example: art is a reflection of life.

And another one important detail: Unlike a hyphen, a dash is always separated by spaces on both sides.

Complex cases

Even having sorted out all the punctuation and spelling rules Russian language, we left out many nuances that are not always immediately taken into account. Therefore, the issue of writing any words with a hyphen or dash will periodically be relevant.

Here are a few points that may cause difficulties:

Numbers in verbal form with a difference of one unit will be written with a hyphen: one-two or five-six. But in other cases, a dash with spaces is placed: five - seven, one - three.
A hyphen without spaces is always indicated between a number and a word. For example, a 15 kg watermelon.
When the text contains the meaning “from and to” correct spelling there will be a dash. For example, the Moscow-Tashkent plane or the Sakhalin-Khabarovsk-Vladivostok gas pipeline.
A dash is also placed in cases where proper names are indicated that collectively give names to any institutions, laws, or documents. For example, the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact or the Joule-Lenz law.
When writing double surnames a hyphen is placed: D. N. Mamin-Sibiryak or A. S. Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky.
A hyphen is not used if the connection involves a component that has a space. For example, a company is the founder of a project or a house is an architectural monument.

Hyphen and dash in Word (Word)

Neglect or incorrect arrangement of non-literal elements in printed texts does not always result from illiteracy in this matter. Often, ordinary users simply don’t know where to turn. When working in Word or any other programs, there are usually no problems with placing a hyphen. Its role is successfully fulfilled by the hyphen (-), whose location is determined in the upper number series. It is interesting that the symbol itself is smaller in size than both the hyphen and the minus sign, but this does not in the least interfere with the performance of its functions.

Difficulties begin when you need to put a dash in the text rather than a hyphen. What to do in this case? One of the most simple ways, this is to take advantage of Word program tab "Insert", and then "Symbols". And for most users this is quite enough. But there's another one easy way to get a dash: type the number 2014, and then press the key combination Alt + X. And the number 2013 with the same combination will give a dash of slightly shorter length.

Dash length

It should be noted that in Russian the length of the dash is not specified by any rules of punctuation (or typography). But today, due to the development and spread computer systems, following the example of English-speaking countries, they began to use em dashes and em dashes. They differ significantly in their functions: the middle dash connects complex words, is used between words and numbers indicating a range (interval), the long dash helps to highlight the introductory sentence, indicates a stop in the narrative, and more. Usually the em dash and em dash are made by type designers with the width of the letters M and N respectively, hence English names em-dash and en-dash.

Russian typographic tradition has only three types of horizontal lines: dash, minus sign and hyphen.

The first spellings of hyphenated words in Russia were recorded in 1703 in the Vedomosti newspaper.
In the 18th century, it was often assumed that the hyphen served as a dash and ellipsis. It is worth noting that in the texts of that time, placing dashes or hyphens was not so important.
IN late XVIII centuries, the dash sign was called the term “silence”, for its function of interrupting the speech that had begun.
The popularity of the dash in Russia came through N.M. Karamzin, but Marina Tsvetaeva is considered a true lover of this sign.
In the Russian language, the dash appeared later than all other punctuation marks.
Author's punctuation often goes beyond boundaries general rules and are entirely dependent on the writer, helping him convey the desired meaning. Thus, authors, when they use condensed speech in a text or when they want to enhance the division of complex sentences, resort to a dash.

The difference between a hyphen, dash and minus sign is solely their length. 🙂
If a blogger or simply someone who “writes on the Internet” wants to show off his knowledge, show himself off, or show off to his girlfriend, then the easiest way to do this is to become an expert in spelling and punctuation. 🙂 And what’s typical is that you can do this without leaving your couch and completely free of charge!

There are so many things in the world that I don’t need at all. (Socrates)

However, sometimes you can get something useful from such completely unnecessary things. Especially if you don’t want to look like a layman. It's not a shame not to know everything, it's a shame not to know a damn thing. 🙂

As you know, along with the well-known genders (male, female and asexual, i.e., neuter), there are other genders, for example, blue, pink, homosexual, transvestite, etc. In addition, along with the “regular” spelling There is also computer spelling, which makes adjustments to the “usual”.

Many people are not aware of the fact that in the Russian typographic tradition there are three types of horizontal lines: a dash, a minus sign and a hyphen.
Therefore, the vast majority of modern printed products made by designers who know only one sign: the hyphen. This happened because on the keyboard personal computer only it is available without additional effort. And lazy people, of course, don’t need that much knowledge; they only need one button.

The hyphen, minus and dash differ from each other, first of all, by their scope, and secondly by their length.

Minus: -

And you won’t notice the difference when reading. And why bother with these lengths?

On an enlarged scale, the relationships between the signs are more clear.


Minus:
:

Examples are given from the Times typeface. In any font except monospace, the difference between characters should be the same.

The hyphen is used in words and phrases in the Russian language:

to attach particles (someone, somewhere);
to add prefixes (firstly, in Russian);
to separate complex words (physics and mathematics, blue-black);
as a sign of contraction (physical-ra);
in phrases (business lunch, internet cafe);
as a transfer sign (almost never found on the Internet today)
etc.

The hyphen in good fonts is aligned with the height of lowercase characters, since it is extremely rare among uppercase characters (cf. “Yo-MOYO” and “Yo-moyo”).
The minus sign and the hyphen are not, contrary to popular belief, the same sign. The minus sign must be the same width as the plus sign (and all numbers in any font are always made monospaced, otherwise typesetters would be nuts about adjusting them in tables). This is especially noticeable in the “plus-minus” (and “minus-plus”) sign.

The main difference between a hyphen and a dash, even if someone depicted them of the same length, is that the dash is separated by spaces on both sides, while the hyphen is not separated at all.
The dash is usually made by type designers the width of the letter M (and is called in English, respectively, em dash).

The illustration shows the difference between a dash, a minus sign and a hyphen. Please note: the minus sign takes up the same amount of space in width as any number:

(This is also the Times)

In some fonts you can also find an underscore. It is not needed in writing and does not exist at all in typography. It first appeared on typewriters as the cheapest way to make horizontal rulers.

It should also be added that OpenOffice has an autocorrect that “calculates” the difference between a hyphen and a dash and corrects the text. WordPress doesn’t know about such subtleties and, therefore, you have to copy-paste the dash or use a table of symbols in the visual editor (when it’s not a bummer, of course).

So, THE DASH IS PUT-I-I-I….

1. Between the subject and the predicate with a zero copula, if the main members are expressed by a noun, an infinitive, a cardinal numeral in the nominative case, as well as a phrase containing the indicated parts of speech. (And this phrase, comrades, is complete nonsense :)

Is it really possible, I thought, that my only purpose on earth is to destroy the hopes of others? (M.Yu. Lermontov, “Hero of Our Time”)

Love brightens life.
Love is the charm of nature... (M.M. Zoshchenko, “Blue Book. Love”)

Love is a form, and mine own form is already decomposing.
(I.S. Turgenev, “Fathers and Sons”)

Let me note by the way: all poets are dreamy friends of love.
(A.S. Pushkin, “Eugene Onegin”)

But genius and villainy are two incompatible things. (A.S. Pushkin, “Mozart and Salieri”)

- Prokatilov is power! - the company began to console Struchkov.
(A.P. Chekhov, “On a Nail”)

To know that my destiny is to cherish dreams
And there with a sigh in the heights
Scatter tears of fire. (A.A. Fet, “Rocket”)

It's typical foppishness to rob a poor widow. (I. Ilf and E. Petrov, “Twelve Chairs”)

2. Before the words, this means that they stand between the subject and the predicate.

But reducing the sum of human lives by 50 million years is not criminal. (E. Zamyatin, “We”)

But we know that dreams are a serious mental illness.
(E. Zamyatin, “We”)

To live forever amidst torment,
among painful doubts -
This is the strong ideal,
Without creating anything, hating, despising
And shining like crystal. (N. Gumilyov, “Evil genius, king of doubts...”)

3. If the subject is expressed by a personal pronoun, and the predicate by a noun in the nominative case, a dash is placed in the following cases:

a) with the logical selection of a pronoun:

She is the culprit of that transformation. (I.A. Goncharov, “Oblomov”)
You are a staircase in a big, foggy house. (V.V. Nabokov, “The Staircase”)

b) when contrasted:

I thirst and hunger, and you are a barren flower,
And meeting you is more bleak than granite. (B.L. Pasternak, “Miracle”)

Here we are - accomplices of the gatherings.
Here Anna is nature's accomplice. (B.A. Akhmadulina. Anne Kalandadze)

c) with reverse word order:

The swan is here, taking a deep breath,
She said: “Why far away?
Know that your destiny is near,
After all, this princess is me.”
(A.S. Pushkin, “The Tale of Tsar Saltan”)

d) with structural parallelism of parts of a sentence:

He is all a child of goodness and light,
He is all a triumph of freedom! (A.A. Blok, “Oh, I want to live crazy!”)

4. If there is a pause in place of the missing main or secondary member in incomplete sentences.

Wandering his eyes, Ivan Savelyevich stated that on Thursday afternoon he got drunk alone in his office at Variety, after which he went somewhere, but he doesn’t remember where, somewhere else he drank starka, and where he doesn’t remember where It was lying under the fence, but again he doesn’t remember where. (M.A. Bulgakov, “The Master and Margarita”)

In winter there was a lot of light on Peschanaya Street, it was gray and deserted, in spring it was sunny and cheerful, especially when looking at white wall archpriest's house, on clean glass, on the gray-green tops of poplars in blue sky. (I.A. Bunin, “The Cup of Life”)

Fire is met with fire,
Trouble - trouble and illness are cured. (W. Shakespeare, “Romeo and Juliet”)

5. Intonation dash between any members of the sentence.

The dead lay there and babbled a terrible, unknown speech.
(A.S. Pushkin, “Feast during the Plague”)

The prince removed the lock, opened the door and stepped back in amazement, even shuddered: Nastasya Filippovna stood in front of him.
(F.M. Dostoevsky, “The Idiot”)

This is a giant of thought, the father of Russian democracy and a person close to the emperor. (I. Ilf, E. Petrov, “Twelve Chairs”)

6. In the notes, the word being explained is separated from the explanation by a dash (regardless of the form of expression of the predicate).

Sibyl of Samia - from the name of the island of Samos. (D.S. Buslovich, “People, Heroes, Gods”)

7. With generalizing words:

a) if the generalizing word comes after homogeneous members of the sentence:

Disgrace, execution, dishonor, taxes, labor, and famine - you have experienced everything. (A.S. Pushkin, “Boris Godunov”)

The triumph of self-preservation, salvation from pressing danger - that’s what filled his entire being at that moment. (F.M. Dostoevsky, “Crime and Punishment”)

b) when a generalizing word comes before homogeneous members, a colon is placed after it, and a dash is placed after homogeneous members, if after them the sentence continues:

Everything around: the blood-stained field, the French lying in a heap everywhere, scattered dirty rags covered in blood - it was disgusting and disgusting. (L.N. Tolstoy, “War and Peace”)

A crowd of buildings: human buildings, barns, cellars - filled the courtyard. (N.V. Gogol, “Dead Souls”)

8. Between words and numbers to indicate spatial, temporal or quantitative limits (“from ... to”).

...It was once a landmark along the large waterway Voronezh - Azov. (M.A. Sholokhov, “Quiet Don”)

Note. If you can insert or between nouns - proper names or numbers, then a hyphen is placed.

Two or three former literary celebrities who happened to be in St. Petersburg at that time and with whom Varvara Petrovna had long maintained the most elegant relations also appeared.
(F.M. Dostoevsky, “Demons”)

9. To isolate the application if it is explanatory in nature.

Another matter - getting money - encountered obstacles in the same way. (L.N. Tolstoy, “Anna Karenina”)

10. Before the application at the end of the sentence, if it is logically highlighted.

In my room I found the clerk of the neighboring estate, Nikita Nazarych Mishchenka. (A.I. Kuprin, “Olesya”)

He walked the entire Bogoyavlenskaya Street; Finally it went downhill, my feet were moving in the mud, and suddenly a wide, foggy, seemingly empty space opened up - a river. (F.M. Dostoevsky, “Demons”)

11. To isolate common agreed definitions at the end of a sentence, especially when listing:

This is in some showcases, and in others hundreds of ladies' hats appeared, both with feathers and without feathers, and with buckles, and without them, and hundreds of shoes - black, white, yellow, leather, satin, suede, and with straps, and with pebbles. (M.A. Bulgakov, “The Master and Margarita”)

12. To isolate minor members of a sentence, expressed by an infinitive, of an explanatory nature, both at the end and in the middle of a sentence:

The cat Vasily took spring leave to get married. (A. and B. Strugatsky, “Monday begins on Saturday”)

Because of Sibgatov, Dontsova even changed the direction of her scientific interests: she delved into the pathology of bones out of one impulse - to save Sibgatov. (A.I. Solzhenitsyn, “Cancer Ward”)

13. For isolating inserted structures.

They killed him - what a strange word! - in a month, in Galicia.
(I.A. Bunin, “Cold Autumn”)

But don't try to keep it for yourself
Given to you by heaven:
Convicted - and we know it ourselves -
We spend, not save. (A.A. Akhmatova, “We have the freshness of words...”)

14. Between parts of a complex sentence, if the sentence contains opposition or indicates a rapid change of events.

The horses walked at a pace - and soon stopped. (A.S. Pushkin, “The Captain’s Daughter”)

The hetman reigned - and wonderfully. (M.A. Bulgakov, “The White Guard”)

15. For intonation separation of subordinate and main clauses (often in sentences with parallel structure).

If death is light, I die,
If I die, I will burn brightly.
And I don’t forgive my tormentors,
But I thank them for the torment. (Z. Gippius, “Martyr”)

And these days the air smells of death:
To open a window is to open the veins. (B.L. Pasternak, “Rupture”)

16. In the non-union complex sentences, If:

a) the second part is opposed to the first:

They were chasing me - I was not embarrassed in spirit. (A.S. Pushkin, “Boris Godunov”)

Do good - he won’t say thank you. (A.S. Pushkin, “Boris Godunov”)

b) the second part contains a consequence, result, conclusion from what is said in the first:

Veli - I will die; ordered - I will breathe only for you. (A.S. Pushkin, “The Stone Guest”)

I met you - and everything is gone
In the obsolete heart came to life;
I remembered the golden time -
And my heart felt so warm. (F.I. Tyutchev, “K.B.”)

I'm dying - I have no reason to lie. (I.S. Turgenev, “Fathers and Sons”)

c) the second part contains a comparison with what is said in the first:

It will pass - as if the sun will shine!
If he looks, he will give you a ruble. (N.A. Nekrasov, “Frost, Red Nose”)

d) the sentence expresses a rapid change of events, an unexpected addition:

Come to me for a glass of rum,
Come - we'll shake off the old days. (A.S. Pushkin, “Today I’ll be at home in the morning...”)

e) the first part indicates the time or condition of the action referred to in the second part:

Condition:

God willing - ten, twenty years,
He will live twenty-five and thirty. (A.S. Pushkin, “The Miserly Knight”);

I don’t give a damn, Varvara Ardalionovna; anything - at least now fulfill your intention. (F.M. Dostoevsky, “The Idiot”)

Time:

And flowers, and bumblebees, and grass, and ears of corn,
And the azure, and the midday heat...
The time will come - the Lord will ask the prodigal son:
“Were you happy in your earthly life?” (I.A. Bunin, “Both flowers and bumblebees...”)

f) with the explanatory meaning of the second part (the conjunction that can be inserted before it); however, a colon is usually used in this case, compare:

I know there's a nail in my boot
more nightmarish than Goethe's fantasy! (V.V. Mayakovsky, “Cloud in Pants”)

I will tell you with final directness:
It's all just nonsense - sherry brandy - my angel.
(O. Mandelstam, “I’ll tell you...”)

g) the second part is a connecting clause (it is preceded by or can be inserted the word this):

State of screaming stones -
Armenia, Armenia!
Hoarse mountains calling to arms -
Armenia, Armenia! (O. Mandelstam, “Armenia”)

17. In direct speech.

And NOT PUT-I-I-I….

Between the subject and the predicate, expressed by nouns, if:

1. Before the predicate there is a negation, introductory word, adverb, conjunction, particle:

I really regret that my husband is not a doctor. (A.P. Chekhov, “Name Day”)

One more question: how do you feel about the fact that the Moon is also the work of the mind? (V.M. Shukshin, “Cut”)

Compare if there is a pause:

Styopa was well known in Moscow theater circles, and everyone knew that this man was not a gift. (M.A. Bulgakov, “The Master and Margarita”)

This is how they begin to understand.
And in the noise of a running turbine
It seems that the mother is not a mother,
that you are not you, that home is a foreign land. (B.L. Pasternak, “This is how they begin...”)

2. Before the predicate there is a secondary member of the sentence related to it:

[Trofimov:] All of Russia is our garden.
(A.P. Chekhov, “The Cherry Orchard”)

Compare if there is a pause: Mister G-v serves, and Mr. Shatov is a former student. (F.M. Dostoevsky, “Demons”)

Drowning out the whispers of inspired superstitions, common sense tells us that life is just a crack of weak light between two perfectly black eternities. (V.V. Nabokov, “Other Shores”)

3. The nominal compound predicate precedes the subject:

This valley is a wonderful place! (M.Yu. Lermontov, “Hero of Our Time”)

4. The subject in combination with the predicate is a phraseological unit:

“Another person’s soul is dark,” Bunin answers and adds: “No, my own is much darker.” (I. Ilyin, “Creativity of I.A. Bunin”)

5. The subject is expressed by a personal pronoun, and the predicate by a noun in the nominative case:

Yes, Luce is the type. Of course, he is a bore, but his vocabulary is gigantic. (J.D. Salinger, The Catcher in the Rye)

6. In conversational style sentences:

What hair! Nonsense hair! This is what I say! It’s even better, if it starts to fight, that’s not what I’m afraid of... (F.M. Dostoevsky, “Crime and Punishment”)

on these summer evenings...

Conclusion

1. Particularly tedious experts count more than 50 cases when it is necessary to put a dash.
2. Great quotes. For these reasons alone, you should read this post.
3. “How (how) does the sound of a hyphen differ from a dash in oral speech?»
In oral speech, the hyphen is not emphasized in any way, and the dash sounds like “eloquent silence” for 0.5 seconds. 🙂
4. Hyphens/dashes are only relevant for printed texts. For handwritten creations it has no meaning.
➡
➡
➡
➡
and others.

This concludes the most boring post. But the study of literacy is not finished. 🙂

You can study the nuances of the Russian language all your life without fully mastering this difficult science. In this article we will talk about special signs punctuations called "hyphen" and "dash". What is their difference and how to write (or print) them correctly - this is what we will understand.

What it is?

Still, first of all, you need to understand the concepts themselves. So, a hyphen and a dash are two completely different not only in spelling, but also in the purpose of the punctuation mark. It is worth saying that the rules for writing them are not so simple - there are a huge number various nuances when and how to correctly use one or another punctuation mark. Understanding this is the main goal of this article. The basic rule that needs to be followed in order to avoid mistakes will be important:

a hyphen is intended to connect parts of one word;
The dash is intended to separate two words (if the word is pronounced, then a short pause should follow in place of the dash).

Main problems

So, we figured out that the hyphen and dash signs are completely different in their purpose (the difference lies in the rules for writing them). Now it’s worth considering the most difficult situations, when a person may have doubts about whether to put a hyphen or a dash.

A hyphen is placed when writing (Petrov-Vodkin, Gay-Lussac).
A dash is placed in the names of those laws that are named after the names of several scientists (the Boyle-Mariotte law).
A dash is placed in numerical and spatial ranges (20-21st century, on pages 1-2, Kyiv-Moscow). However, if this is an elective phrase “either one or the other,” then you need to put a hyphen (three or four days).
In various numbers and numerical designations, a hyphen is written (tel. 5-36-42).

It is also important to say that if words that are written with a hyphen turn into phrases, then you need to put a dash or even a space. Example: “half a spoon” becomes “half a tablespoon”.

Is there a third one?

In the Russian language there are two punctuation marks that look approximately the same - a hyphen and a dash (when written they differ in the length of the stick). However, in the topography there is another relative of them that looks about the same - this is a minus. How to determine what is printed on a page? So, the main rule: look at the length of the stick that is printed on the sheet. Everything should look something like this:

Hyphen: -.
Minus: -.
Dash: -.

At first glance, the differences may not be too visible, but they definitely exist. The hyphen is the shortest of the characters, followed by the minus, and only then the dash - the longest punctuation character.

About typing on a computer

Having dealt with punctuation marks, you should also learn and remember how to correctly type hyphens and dashes in Word. Yes, for this there is a certain

To type a hyphen (hyphen, dash), you simply need to find the corresponding sign on the keyboard (there are two keys for this).
Minus (En dash). To type this character, you need to press the key combination Ctrl + hyphen on the right numeric keypad (calculator).
Em dash. To put this punctuation mark, you need to click the following key combination: Alt + Ctrl + hyphen on the right numeric keypad (calculator).

You can also use special codes for typing hyphen and dash characters on the keyboard. Dash - 0151; hyphen - 0150. To enter, just press Alt + appropriate the right sign code.

About writing signs

So, we know what a hyphen and a dash are. What is the difference when typing - we figured it out. Now it’s worth considering a few rules for writing them. So, if you need to decide what is written - a hyphen or a minus (these signs are very similar to each other), you should remember that the hyphen is small. The minus sign should be aligned to the width of the plus sign. Another very important rule: on a computer, a dash is separated by spaces on both sides, a hyphen is not. Very fun fact: a dash on a computer is set to the width of the letter m, so in English version and is called Em dash. The same applies to other characters: minus - by width n (En dash), hyphen - just a short stick (dash).

Rules: when to use a hyphen

So, when should you use a hyphen, according to the rules of the Russian language?

To attach particles (sometime, by someone).
To attach prefixes (in Russian, firstly).
If it is necessary to separate complex words (chemical and biological).
If an abbreviation sign is required (quantity, physical).
In phrases (Internet cafe, business lunch).
As a sign of transference (which, however, is practically never found on the Internet today).

Simple rules: when to put a dash

When considering the differences in their use, such as hyphens and dashes, you should remember the rules. So, when should you use a dash?

To indicate direct speech.
This sign is placed between the members of the sentence.
To connect dates, distances (11-12th century, Kyiv-Moscow).
To replace repeated words that appear in a row in one category.
Other rules of the Russian language.

Russian language rules

It is worth saying that there are a huge number of different nuances when writing such a punctuation mark as a dash. So when should it be used correctly?

Between the predicate and the subject, when the plot remains zero, and the main members are expressed either by a noun or a numeral (Love is the charm of nature).
Before the following words: this, that means, which are located between the predicate and the subject (dreams are a serious mental illness).
When there is a pause in incomplete sentences.
An intonation dash between any members of a sentence.
In notes, when the word being explained must be separated from the explanation itself.
If the sentence is explanatory, a dash can be used for isolation.
To logically highlight an application if it is at the end of a sentence.
To highlight insert structures.
Also, a dash is placed in complex sentences if it contains opposition or a rapid change of events.
IN non-union proposals(if the second part is contrasted with the first; if the second part contains a comparison with the first; the second part contains a conclusion regarding the first part; if the sentence expresses a rapid change of events; the second part of the sentence is the connecting part of the first).

However, it is worth saying that this is far from full list when the dash should be placed. In total, you can count up to 50 rules and nuances. Above are the most common cases of using this punctuation mark.

When a dash is not used

While studying punctuation marks such as hyphens and dashes, it is also worth considering situations where the dash is not used in sentences.

If there is an introductory word before the predicate, negation, particle, conjunction, adverb (I am very sorry that my husband is not a doctor).
If the predicate is preceded by a minor member of the sentence that relates to it (All Russia is our garden).
The subject is preceded by a nominal predicate (This valley is a glorious place).
A dash is not placed if the subject and the predicate make up (someone else's soul darkness).
If the subject is expressed by a personal pronoun, the predicate is expressed by a noun necessarily in the nominative case.
In various conversational style sentences.

Simple conclusions

Having figured out how and when to correctly use punctuation marks such as hyphens and dashes, it is also worth knowing how to distinguish between them in already written text. After reading this article, you can easily understand all the nuances and never fall into unpleasant situations, which relate to illiterate writing of similar-looking punctuation marks.

Hello! Please resolve the dispute. In the sentence “The second-fourth place was taken by the children from school No. 8,” should a hyphen or a dash be written (meaning that there were three children, each took one corresponding place), with or without spaces? And one more point: “place” or “places”? Thank you in advance for your response.

It's better to rearrange the sentence: The guys took places from second to fourth...

If this is not possible, then you should write with dashes and spaces and use the form plural: The guys took second and fourth places...


	Question No. 285375

Question on the topic "hyphen or dash between numbers." I couldn’t find the answer either in the reference books or on the portal. How to write correctly when the numbers are “neighbors”, a hyphen or a dash? For example: 3-4 weeks, 6-7 pages, 12-13 days? Many people write dashes. I know that numbers separated from each other are written with a dash: 12--24, 6--8. What to do with those that are in a row in a number series?