aluminum foil
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aluminum foil
A very thin foil made of aluminum, used mainly in the kitchen for wrapping, covering, or cooking food.
Er wickelte das restliche Sandwich in Alufolie, um es frisch zu halten.
He wrapped the leftover sandwich in aluminum foil to keep it fresh.
The word is made up of 'Alu' (aluminum), the common abbreviation for 'Aluminium' (aluminum), and 'Folie' (foil). So it is literally a foil made of aluminum.
Die Kurzform „Alu“ wird auch in anderen Wörtern wie „Alufelge“ verwendet.
The short form 'Alu' is also used in other words such as 'Alufelge' (aluminum rim).
Although the word 'Aluminiumfolie' (aluminum foil) is correct, the shorter form 'Alufolie' (aluminum foil) is used almost exclusively in everyday life. It is completely normal and understandable in all situations, including at the supermarket.
Könntest du bitte eine Rolle Alufolie aus dem Supermarkt mitbringen?
Could you please bring a roll of aluminum foil from the supermarket?
In kitchen contexts, 'Alufolie' (aluminum foil) is very often used with the verbs 'einwickeln' (to wrap) and 'abdecken' (to cover). You wrap food in aluminum foil or cover a bowl with it.
Ich decke den Salat mit Alufolie ab, damit er frisch bleibt.
I'll cover the salad with aluminum foil so it stays fresh.
film / slide
'Folie' and 'Alufolie' both refer to thin, flexible material. 'Folie' is the general term and can be made of plastic or metal. 'Alufolie' is a specific type of foil, namely aluminum foil. It is used especially in the kitchen, for example for wrapping or covering food. Learners may confuse the words because every 'Alufolie' is a 'Folie'. But not every 'Folie' is 'Alufolie'. When the aluminum material is important, you say the more precise word 'Alufolie'.
Sie wickelt die Kartoffeln in Alufolie und legt sie in den Ofen.
She wraps the potatoes in aluminum foil and puts them in the oven.
Kannst du die Folie von der neuen Verpackung abziehen?
Can you peel the film off the new packaging?