diff --git a/doc/dox/whatsnew.dox b/doc/dox/whatsnew.dox
index 10274d6cc8..a28ebda9a4 100644
--- a/doc/dox/whatsnew.dox
+++ b/doc/dox/whatsnew.dox
@@ -72,6 +72,7 @@ Changes, compared to  \ref page_whatsnew_V4_0_0 "v4.0.0" include:
     <li>NEW: added \c \\substack[lcr]{...\\\\...} , \c \\lsubstack{...\\\\...} , \c \\rsubstack{...\\\\...} instructions</li>
     <li>NEW: added support for flushleft/flushright/center-environments with linebreaks</li>
     <li>NEW: added support for framed/shaded/snugshade-environments with linebreaks and framed</li>
+    <li>NEW: added support for -- and --- for en- and em-dashes</li>
   </ul></li>
 </ul>
 
diff --git a/doc/images/jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext_emdash.png b/doc/images/jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext_emdash.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..d5074420cd
Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/images/jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext_emdash.png differ
diff --git a/doc/images/jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext_endash.png b/doc/images/jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext_endash.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..47176221a5
Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/images/jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext_endash.png differ
diff --git a/doc/images/jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext_hyphen.png b/doc/images/jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext_hyphen.png
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..775c712e4b
Binary files /dev/null and b/doc/images/jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext_hyphen.png differ
diff --git a/examples/jkqtmathtext_test/testform.cpp b/examples/jkqtmathtext_test/testform.cpp
index a927e45b97..0fcb5f4089 100644
--- a/examples/jkqtmathtext_test/testform.cpp
+++ b/examples/jkqtmathtext_test/testform.cpp
@@ -28,9 +28,10 @@ TestForm::TestForm(QWidget *parent) :
     ui->cmbTestset->addItem("text: fonts", "rm: \\textrm{"+testText+"}, sf: \\textsf{"+testText+"}, tt: \\texttt{"+testText+"}, cal: \\textcal{"+testText+"}, scr: \\textscr{"+testText+"}, bb: \\textbb{"+testText+"}, frak: \\textfrak{"+testText+"}, ");
     ui->cmbTestset->addItem("text: umlaute", umla);
     ui->cmbTestset->addItem("text: umlaute and fonts", "rm: \\textrm{"+testTextUmla+"}, sf: \\textsf{"+testTextUmla+"}, tt: \\texttt{"+testTextUmla+"}, cal: \\textcal{"+testTextUmla+"}, scr: \\textscr{"+testTextUmla+"}, bb: \\textbb{"+testTextUmla+"}, frak: \\textfrak{"+testTextUmla+"}, ");
+    ui->cmbTestset->addItem("text: dashes", "hyphen: - endash: -- emdash: --- \\ \\ \\ endash--within text\\ \\ \\ emdash---within text\\ \\ \\ enemdash-----within text\\ \\ \\ ememdash------within text");
     ui->cmbTestset->addItem("math: fonts", "base: $"+testText+"$, rm: $\\mathrm{"+testText+"}$, sf: $\\mathsf{"+testText+"}$, tt: $\\mathtt{"+testText+"}$, cal: $\\mathcal{"+testText+"}$, scr: $\\mathscr{"+testText+"}$, bb: $\\mathbb{"+testText+"}$, frak: $\\mathfrak{"+testText+"}$, ");
     ui->cmbTestset->addItem("math: umlaute", "$"+umla_math+"$");
-    ui->cmbTestset->addItem("math: umlaute and \\text{...}", "\\${\\backslash}text{...}\\$: $\\text{"+umla+"}\\ \\ \\ \\$...\\$: "+umla+"$");
+    ui->cmbTestset->addItem("math: umlaute and \\text{...}", "\\${\\backslash}text\\{...\\}\\$: $\\text{"+umla+"}\\ \\ \\ \\$...\\$: "+umla+"$");
     ui->cmbTestset->addItem("math: umlaute and fonts", "base: $"+testTextUmla_math+"$, rm: $\\mathrm{"+testTextUmla_math+"}$, sf: $\\mathsf{"+testTextUmla_math+"}$, tt: $\\mathtt{"+testTextUmla_math+"}$, cal: $\\mathcal{"+testTextUmla_math+"}$, scr: $\\mathscr{"+testTextUmla_math+"}$, bb: $\\mathbb{"+testTextUmla_math+"}$, frak: $\\mathfrak{"+testTextUmla_math+"}$, ");
     ui->cmbTestset->addItem("math: simple relations", "$a{\\leq}b$, $a{\\geq}b$, $a{\\equiv}b$, $a=b$, $a{\\neq}b$, $a<b$, $a>b$");
     const auto wsExample=[](const QStringList& spaces, const QString before, const QString& after)->QString {
diff --git a/lib/jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext.cpp b/lib/jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext.cpp
index adcc7b8ec9..dfa9541e12 100644
--- a/lib/jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext.cpp
+++ b/lib/jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext.cpp
@@ -1002,7 +1002,7 @@ JKQTMathText::tokenType JKQTMathText::getToken() {
     if (TokenCharacters.size()==0) {
         mathEnvironmentSpecialChars<<'(' << '[' << '|' << ')' << ']' << '+' << '-' << '*' << '/' << '<' << '>' << '=';
         mathEnvironmentSpecialEndChars<<'(' << '&' << '[' << '|' << ')' << ']' << '\\' << '$' << '{' << '}' << '_' << '^' << '+' << '-' << '/' << '*' << '=' << '<' << '>';
-        TokenCharacters<<'_'<<'^'<<'\\'<<'$'<<'&'<<'}'<<'{'<<'['<<']';
+        TokenCharacters<<'-'<<'_'<<'^'<<'\\'<<'$'<<'&'<<'}'<<'{'<<'['<<']';
         SingleCharInstructions<<'|'<<';'<<':'<<'!'<<','<<'_'<<'\\'<<'$'<<'%'<<'&'<<'#'<<'}'<<'{'<<' '<<'['<<']';
 
         auto fAddUml=[](const QString& cmd, const QChar& letter, const QChar& ch) {
@@ -1280,6 +1280,22 @@ JKQTMathText::tokenType JKQTMathText::getToken() {
         fAddUml("AA", QChar(), QChar(0xC5));
     }
 
+    //----------------------------------------------------------
+    // check for emdash "---" or endash "--"
+    if (c=='-' && !parsingMathEnvironment) {
+        if (parseString.mid(currentTokenID, 3)=="---") {
+            currentTokenID+=2;
+            currentTokenName="---";
+            return currentToken=MTTemdash;
+        } else if (parseString.mid(currentTokenID, 2)=="--") {
+            currentTokenID+=1;
+            currentTokenName="--";
+            return currentToken=MTTendash;
+        } else {
+            currentTokenName="-";
+            return currentToken=MTThyphen;
+        }
+    }
     //----------------------------------------------------------
     // read an instruction name
     if (c=='\\') {
@@ -1482,6 +1498,12 @@ JKQTMathTextNode* JKQTMathText::parseLatexString(bool get, JKQTMathTextBraceType
             break;
         } else if (currentToken==MTTwhitespace) {
             if (!parsingMathEnvironment) nl->addChild(new JKQTMathTextWhitespaceNode(this));
+        } else if (currentToken==MTTendash) {
+            nl->addChild(new JKQTMathTextSymbolNode(this, "endash"));
+        } else if (currentToken==MTTemdash) {
+            nl->addChild(new JKQTMathTextSymbolNode(this, "emdash"));
+        } else if (currentToken==MTThyphen) {
+            nl->addChild(new JKQTMathTextSymbolNode(this, "hyphen"));
         } else if (currentToken==MTTinstruction) {
             const QString currentInstructionName=currentTokenName;
             if (currentInstructionName=="\\") break; // break on linebrak character
diff --git a/lib/jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext.h b/lib/jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext.h
index c1b4e5be67..50c670ccaa 100644
--- a/lib/jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext.h
+++ b/lib/jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext.h
@@ -143,6 +143,9 @@ class JKQTMathTextNode; // forward
                                           symbols may differ (there are not all symbols defined in the MS Windows Symbol
                                           font!). Best coverage should be given by Unicode font encoding with a good
                                           unicode font installed!<br>\image html jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext_symbols.png
+      - \c - : draw a hyphen \image html jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext_hyphen.png
+      - \c -- : draw an en-dash \image html jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext_endash.png
+      - \c --- : draw an em-dash \image html jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext_emdash.png
       - <code>\\vec{x} \\dot{x} \\ddot{x} \\overline{x} \\underline{x} \\hat{x} \\tilde{x} \\uul{x} \\ool{x} \\bar{x} \\arrow{x} \\widehat{x} \\widetilde{x} ...</code>: Decorations over/under symbols \image html jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext_mathdeco.png
       - <code>\\verb{don't parse this _aaa\\LaTeX} </code>: interpret enclosed text as verbose \image html jkqtmathtext/jkqtmathtext_verb.png
     .
@@ -832,6 +835,9 @@ class JKQTMATHTEXT_LIB_EXPORT JKQTMathText : public QObject {
             MTTclosebracket, /*!< \brief the character \c "]" */
             MTTwhitespace, /*!< \brief some whitespace */
             MTTampersand,  /*!< \brief the character \c "&" */
+            MTThyphen,  /*!< \brief the single hyphen character \c "-" in text-mode \note MTTendash and MTTemdash take precedence over MTThypen  */
+            MTTendash,  /*!< \brief the en-dash character sequence \c "--" in text-mode */
+            MTTemdash,  /*!< \brief the em-dash character sequence \c "---" in text-mode */
         };
 
         /** \brief tokenizer for the LaTeX parser */
diff --git a/lib/jkqtmathtext/nodes/jkqtmathtextsymbolnode.cpp b/lib/jkqtmathtext/nodes/jkqtmathtextsymbolnode.cpp
index 5756bf641f..4f69718447 100644
--- a/lib/jkqtmathtext/nodes/jkqtmathtextsymbolnode.cpp
+++ b/lib/jkqtmathtext/nodes/jkqtmathtextsymbolnode.cpp
@@ -489,7 +489,8 @@ void JKQTMathTextSymbolNode::fillSymbolTables()
         symbols["blcorner"]=s; symbols["llcorner"]=s; }
     { auto s=UprightSymbolUnicode(QChar(0x231F));
         symbols["brcorner"]=s; symbols["lrcorner"]=s; }
-    symbols["bullet"]=UprightSymbolUnicode(QChar(0x2022)).addUprightHtml("&bull;").addUprightWinSymbol(QChar(0xB7));
+    { auto s=UprightSymbolUnicode(QChar(0x2022)).addUprightHtml("&bull;").addUprightWinSymbol(QChar(0xB7));
+        symbols["bullet"]=s; symbols["textbullet"]=s; }
     symbols["cdots"]=UnicodeSymbol(QChar(0x22EF)).addHtml("&middot;&middot;&middot;").addStd(QString(3, QChar(0xB7)));
     { auto s=UnicodeSymbol(QChar(0x2103)).addUprightStd("°C").addUprightHtml("&deg;C");
         symbols["celsius"]=s; symbols["degC"]=s; }
@@ -560,11 +561,21 @@ void JKQTMathTextSymbolNode::fillSymbolTables()
     symbols["sphericalangle"]=UprightSymbolUnicode(QChar(0x2222)).addHtml("&angsph;");
     symbols["star"]=UprightSymbolUnicode(QChar(0x22C6));
     symbols["tcohm"]=UnicodeSymbol(QChar(0x2126));
+    { auto s=UnicodeSymbol(QChar(0x2014), "&#11840;");
+        symbols["dblhyphen"]=s; symbols["textdblhyphen"]=s; symbols["textdblhyphenchar"]=s; }
+    { auto s=UnicodeSymbol(QChar(0x2014), "&mdash;");
+        symbols["---"]=s; symbols["textemdash"]=s; symbols["emdash"]=s; }
+    { auto s=UnicodeSymbol(QChar(0x2013), "&ndash;");
+        symbols["--"]=s; symbols["textendash"]=s; symbols["endash"]=s; }
+    { auto s=SimpleTextSymbol("-");
+        symbols["texthyphen"]=s; symbols["hyphen"]=s; }
     symbols["textbar"]=SimpleTextSymbol("|", "&VerticalLine;");
     { auto s=SimpleTextSymbol(QChar(0xB0), "&deg;");
         symbols["textdegree"]=s; symbols["degree"] = s; }
     symbols["textgreater"]=SimpleTextSymbol(">", "&gt;");
     symbols["textless"]=SimpleTextSymbol("<", "&lt;");
+    symbols["textquestiondown"]=SimpleTextSymbol(QChar(0xBF), "&iquest;");
+    symbols["textexclamdown"]=SimpleTextSymbol(QChar(0xA1), "&iexcl;");
     { auto s=UnicodeSymbol(QChar(0x231C));
         symbols["tlcorner"]=s; symbols["ulcorner"]=s; }
     symbols["trademark"]=UnicodeSymbol(QChar(0x2122)).addHtml("&trade;").addWinSymbol(QChar(0xD4)).addStd("(TM)");
diff --git a/lib/jkqtmathtext/nodes/jkqtmathtexttextnode.cpp b/lib/jkqtmathtext/nodes/jkqtmathtexttextnode.cpp
index fed3de5691..9c278a78b6 100644
--- a/lib/jkqtmathtext/nodes/jkqtmathtexttextnode.cpp
+++ b/lib/jkqtmathtext/nodes/jkqtmathtexttextnode.cpp
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ JKQTMathTextTextNode::JKQTMathTextTextNode(JKQTMathText* _parent, const QString&
     while (this->text.size()>1 && this->text[0].isSpace()) {
         this->text=this->text.right(this->text.size()-1);
     }
-    if (addWhitespace /*&& (this->text.size()>0)*/ && (!this->text[this->text.size()-1].isSpace())) this->text=this->text+" ";
+    if (addWhitespace && (this->text.size()>0) && (!this->text[this->text.size()-1].isSpace())) this->text=this->text+" ";
     //qDebug()<<"JKQTMathTextTextNode( text="<<text<<" addWhitespace="<<addWhitespace<<")   [=> this->text="<<this->text<<"]";
 }