light bulb
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light bulb
An electric lamp in which a wire (filament) inside a vacuum or gas-filled glass bulb is made to glow by an electric current. Colloquially, the term is also used for modern light sources such as LED bulbs.
Die Glühbirne über dem Esstisch ist durchgebrannt und muss gewechselt werden.
The light bulb above the dining table has burned out and needs to be changed.
The word is made up of 'glühen' (to glow) and 'Birne' (pear). So it literally describes a 'glowing pear', because the shape of the glass bulb resembles a pear.
Die alte Glühbirne hatte eine typische Birnenform.
The old light bulb had a typical pear shape.
Common verbs used with 'Glühbirne' (light bulb) are 'wechseln' (to change) or 'austauschen' (to replace) when it is broken. When putting in a new one, you say 'eindrehen' or 'einschrauben' (to screw in).
Kannst du die Glühbirne in der Lampe wechseln? Es ist zu dunkel.
Can you change the light bulb in the lamp? It's too dark.
When a light bulb no longer shines because the filament has broken, you use the expression 'die Glühbirne ist durchgebrannt' (the light bulb has burned out).
Plötzlich wurde es dunkel, weil die Glühbirne durchgebrannt war.
Suddenly it got dark because the light bulb had burned out.
lamp
'die Lampe' and 'die Glühbirne' are closely related because both have to do with light. 'Lampe' usually means the whole lighting device, for example the stand, the socket, and the light source. Colloquially, however, 'Lampe' can also mean the light source itself. 'Glühbirne' more specifically means the part that you screw into the lamp and that lights up; colloquially, people sometimes also use it for modern light sources. The confusion arises because many people say 'Die Lampe ist kaputt' ('The lamp is broken'), even though often only the light bulb is broken. If you mean the whole device, say 'Lampe'. If you mean the replaceable part, 'Glühbirne' is more precise.
Im Bad ist die Glühbirne kaputt, deshalb ist es dort dunkel.
The light bulb in the bathroom is broken, so it is dark in there.
Die Lampe auf meinem Schreibtisch hat einen blauen Schirm.
The lamp on my desk has a blue shade.