adhesive / glue
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adhesive / glue
A substance used to join two or more surfaces together by hardening after it is applied. Colloquially, people often say 'Kleber' (glue).
Ich brauche einen starken Klebstoff, um das zerbrochene Porzellan zu reparieren.
I need a strong adhesive to repair the broken porcelain.
The word is made up of the verb 'kleben' (to stick/glue) and the noun 'Stoff' (substance/material). So it literally describes a 'Stoff zum Kleben' (substance for gluing).
Für diese Bastelarbeit benötigen wir Papier, Schere und Klebstoff.
For this craft project, we need paper, scissors, and glue.
'Klebstoff' (adhesive/glue) belongs to a word family with the verb 'kleben' (to stick/glue) and the adjective 'klebrig' (sticky). If you know one word, you can understand the others more easily.
Meine Finger sind vom Klebstoff ganz klebrig.
My fingers are completely sticky from the glue.
Common verbs used with 'Klebstoff' (adhesive/glue) are 'auftragen' (to apply), 'entfernen' (to remove), and 'verwenden' (to use). Typical adjectives are 'flüssig' (liquid), 'stark' (strong), or 'wasserfest' (waterproof).
Tragen Sie den Klebstoff dünn auf beide Seiten auf.
Apply a thin layer of adhesive to both sides.
glue / sticker
'der Kleber' and 'der Klebstoff' both mean a substance used to join surfaces or objects together. In many everyday situations, you can use both words. However, 'Kleber' sounds more normal and everyday, for example when doing crafts or at school. 'Klebstoff' sounds a bit more precise or technical, such as on packaging or in instructions. If you are speaking casually, 'Kleber' is usually more natural. If you want to name the material in a more factual way, 'Klebstoff' works well.
Auf der Verpackung steht, dass der Klebstoff nach zehn Minuten fest ist.
The packaging says that the adhesive sets after ten minutes.
Sie braucht Kleber, weil das Foto wieder ins Album soll.
She needs glue because the photo is supposed to go back into the album.