We present an x-ray absorption spectroscopy results for fully broken to a complete Hbond network of water molecules on Ru(0001) by varying the morphology from isolated water molecules via two-dimensional clusters to a fully covered monolayer as probed by scanning tunneling microscopy. The sensitivity of x-ray absorption to the symmetry of H-bonding is further elucidated for the amino (-NH2) group in glycine adsorbed on Cu(110) where the E-vector is parallel either to the NH donating an H-bond or to the non- H-bonded NH. The results give further evidence for the interpretation of the various spectral features of liquid water and for the general applicability of x-ray absorption spectroscopy to analyze H-bonded systems. Show Partial Abstract