German Car Vocabulary and Gas Station Phrases

Even though Germany has an incredible network of (mostly reliable) public transportation, especially in the big cities, cars and driving are a big part of German culture as well. 
There are a few things that might immediately come to mind: German cars of course (Mercedes, BMW, Audi, VW, to name a few…) and the German Autobahn. 

Many may have heard the myth that there is no speed limit on German Autobahns. Those who have actually traveled to Germany and driven on the Autobahn, may have felt disappointed. Yes, there are specific stretches on some Autobahns where there is no imposed speed limit, but many if not most stretches of highway do, in fact, have a speed limit. 

For visitors from the US, there is often another surprise: Gas prices! Gas is sold by the liter, not by the gallon. The average price per gallon for regular gas (as of November 23rd, 2022) in Munich, Germany, is 1.85 Euros per liter. That’s about $1.91. A gallon is about 3.78 liters, so the price for gas in Germany would be about $7.26 a gallon. Like in the US, gas prices vary slightly from place to place. In some areas it could be even more expensive, in other areas a bit cheaper. 

But don’t let gas prices deter you from learning gas station vocabulary and phrases! 

die Tankstelle(n) – the gas station
das Benzin(e) – the gasoline
die Zapfsäule(n) – the pump
der Zapfhahn(hähne) – the nozzle
das Motoröl(e) –the motor oil
der Reifen(-) – the tire
die Winterreifen –the winter tires
die Sommerreifen –the summer tires
der Luftdruck – air/tire pressure

Make sure you check our other vocabulary and phrases articles:
German Restaurant Vocabulary, and German Public Transportation Vocabulary.

Want to learn more Basic German? 

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