---
title: String Operators
introduction: >
  Sass supports a few operators that generate [strings](/documentation/values/strings):
---
{% markdown %}
  - `<expression> + <expression>` returns a string that contains both expressions'
    values. If the either value is a [quoted string][], the result will be quoted;
    otherwise, it will be unquoted.

  - `<expression> - <expression>` returns an unquoted string that contains both
    expressions' values, separated by `-`. This is a legacy operator, and
    [interpolation][] should generally be used instead.

  [quoted string]: /documentation/values/strings#quoted
  [interpolation]: /documentation/interpolation
{% endmarkdown %}

{% codeExample 'string', false %}
  @debug "Helvetica" + " Neue"; // "Helvetica Neue"
  @debug sans- + serif; // sans-serif
  @debug sans - serif; // sans-serif
  ===
  @debug "Helvetica" + " Neue"  // "Helvetica Neue"
  @debug sans- + serif  // sans-serif
  @debug sans - serif  // sans-serif
{% endcodeExample %}

{% markdown %}
  These operators don't just work for strings! They can be used with any values
  that can be written to CSS, with a few exceptions:

  - Numbers can't be used as the left-hand value, because they have [their own
    operators][numeric].
  - Colors can't be used as the left-hand value, because they used to have [their
    own operators][color].

  [numeric]: /documentation/operators/numeric
  [color]: /documentation/operators
{% endmarkdown %}

{% codeExample 'string-exceptions', false %}
  @debug "Elapsed time: " + 10s; // "Elapsed time: 10s";
  @debug true + " is a boolean value"; // "true is a boolean value";
  ===
  @debug "Elapsed time: " + 10s  // "Elapsed time: 10s";
  @debug true + " is a boolean value"  // "true is a boolean value";
{% endcodeExample %}

{% headsUp %}
  It's often cleaner and clearer to use [interpolation][] to create strings,
  rather than relying on these operators.

  [interpolation]: /documentation/interpolation
{% endheadsUp %}

{% markdown %}
  ## Unary Operators

  For historical reasons, Sass also supports `/` and `-` as a unary operators
  which take only one value:

  - `/<expression>` returns an unquoted string starting with `/` and followed by
    the expression's value.
  - `-<expression>` returns an unquoted string starting with `-` and followed by
    the expression's value.
{% endmarkdown %}

{% codeExample 'unary-operators' %}
  @debug / 15px; // /15px
  @debug - moz; // -moz
  ===
  @debug / 15px  // /15px
  @debug - moz  // -moz
{% endcodeExample %}