# What commands are there for horizontal spacing?

I know that \: in LaTeX produces a space when rendered.

Are there any alternatives, because my LaTeX renderer doesn't support \: (it renders it as text), and there is no help / FAQ that I can find.

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## migrated from stackoverflow.comSep 27 '12 at 13:49

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There are a number of horizontal spacing macros for LaTeX:

1. \, inserts a \thinspace (equivalent to .16667em) in text mode, or \thinmuskip (equivalent to 3mu) in math mode;
2. \! inserts a negative \thinmuskip in math mode;
3. \> inserts \medmuskip (equivalent to 4.0mu plus 2.0mu minus 4.0mu) in math mode;
4. \; inserts \thickmuskip (equivalent to 5.0mu plus 5.0mu) in math mode;
5. \: is equivalent to \> (see above);
6. \enspace inserts a space of .5em in text or math mode;
7. \quad inserts a space of 1em in text or math mode;
8. \qquad inserts a space of 2em in text or math mode;
9. \hspace{<len>} inserts a space of length <len> in math or text mode;
10. \hphantom{<stuff>} inserts space of length equivalent to <stuff> in math or text mode. Should be \protected when used in fragile commands (like \caption and sectional headings);
11. \  inserts what is called a "control space" (in text or math mode);
12. \hfill inserts a so-called "rubber length" or stretch to

Your usage should work in math mode, so try $\:$.

\documentclass{article}
\begin{document}

\noindent
There are a number of horizontal spacing macros for LaTeX:

\noindent\begin{tabular}{lp{5cm}}
\verb|a\,b| & a\,b \\
\verb|$a\,b$| & $a\,b$ \\
\verb|a\thinspace b| & a\thinspace b \\
\verb|$a\thinspace b$| & $a\thinspace b$ \\
\verb|$a\!b$| & $a\!b$ \\
\verb|$a\mkern-\thinmuskip b$| & $a\mkern-\thinmuskip b$ \\
\verb|$a\>b$| & $a\>b$ \\
\verb|$a\mkern\medmuskip b$| & $a\mkern\medmuskip b$ \\
\verb|$a\;b$| & $a\;b$ \\
\verb|$a\mkern\thickmuskip b$| & $a\mkern\thickmuskip b$ \\
\verb|$a\:b$| & $a\:b$ \\
\verb|$a\mkern\thickmuskip b$| & $a\mkern\thickmuskip b$ \\
\verb|a\enspace b| & a\enspace b \\
\verb|$a\enspace b$| & $a\enspace b$ \\
\verb|$a\quad b$| & $a\quad b$ \\
\verb|$a\qquad b$| & $a\qquad b$ \\
\verb|a\hspace{35pt}b| & a\hspace{35pt}b \\
\verb|$a\hspace{35pt}b$| & $a\hspace{35pt}b$ \\
\verb|axyzb| & axyzb \\
\verb|a\hphantom{xyz}b| & a\hphantom{xyz}b \\
\verb|$axyzb$| & $axyzb$ \\
\verb|$a\hphantom{xyz}b$| & $a\hphantom{xyz}b$ \\
\verb|a\ b| & a\ b \\
\verb|$a\ b$| & $a\ b$ \\
\verb|a\hfill b| & a\hfill b \\
\verb|$a\hfill b$| & $a\hfill b$
\end{tabular}
\end{document}

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thanks for the good reference. –  think123 Sep 25 '12 at 1:25
May I add \hfil and \hfill –  deshmukh Oct 10 '12 at 6:13
@deshmukh: Sure! –  Werner Oct 10 '12 at 6:14
@Werner -- \  (backslash space) inserts a space equivalent to a word space; would be usefully added. also, in tabbing, \> will "add space" as a function of skipping to the next "tab stop"; adding this information may or may not be useful. –  barbara beeton Jan 28 at 15:14
Wonderful update. Keep it up –  azetina Jan 29 at 23:08