kerosene
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kerosene
A flammable, colorless to yellowish liquid obtained from crude oil. It is mainly used as fuel for lamps (kerosene lamps) and heaters.
Für die alte Lampe im Gartenhaus brauchen wir noch Petroleum.
We still need kerosene for the old lamp in the garden shed.
Careful: German 'Petroleum' is not the same as English 'petroleum'. The German word refers to fuel for lamps (English: 'kerosene' or 'paraffin'). The English word 'petroleum' means 'Erdöl' (crude oil).
Die alte Lampe funktioniert nur mit Petroleum.
The old lamp only works with kerosene.
'Petroleum' (kerosene) is the name of a substance and is therefore usually uncountable. As with 'Wasser' (water) or 'Milch' (milk), it is generally used without an article when talking about the substance itself.
Im Schuppen riecht es stark nach Petroleum.
There is a strong smell of kerosene in the shed.
The word is almost always used in connection with light or heat. The most common combination is 'die Petroleumlampe' (kerosene lamp). Typical verbs are 'nachfüllen' (to refill), 'anzünden' (to light), or 'riechen nach' (to smell of).
Kannst du bitte das Petroleum in der Lampe nachfüllen?
Could you please refill the kerosene in the lamp?
crude oil / petroleum
Erdöl refers to the natural raw material from the Earth's crust from which various products are made. In older or technical contexts, Petroleum can also refer to this, but in modern German it often more specifically means a fuel obtained from Erdöl for lamps or heating devices.
Das aus Erdöl gewonnene Petroleum dient in dieser Lampe als Brennstoff.
The kerosene obtained from crude oil is used as fuel in this lamp.
Das geförderte Erdöl wird in der Anlage zu verschiedenen Produkten verarbeitet.
The extracted crude oil is processed into various products at the facility.
