der Sprit
fuel
Colloquial term for fuel, especially gasoline or diesel, used to power vehicles.
EXAMPLE
Ich muss noch tanken, der Sprit ist fast alle.
I still need to fill up; the fuel is almost gone.
der Sprit
fuel / booze
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Meanings
der Sprit
booze
Colloquial expression for alcoholic drinks, usually for high-proof alcohol such as schnapps.
EXAMPLE
Für die Party haben wir gestern genug Sprit eingekauft.
We bought enough booze for the party yesterday.
Usage tips
Register: colloquial
The word 'Sprit' is colloquial in both meanings: fuel and alcohol. It is usually avoided in formal or written contexts.
EXAMPLE
Kannst du auf dem Rückweg noch Sprit für den Grillanzünder mitbringen?
Can you bring some fuel for the grill lighter on your way back?
Context clue
You can easily recognize the meaning of 'Sprit' from the context. Verbs like 'tanken' (to fill up) and nouns like 'Auto' (car) or 'Preise' (prices) point to fuel. Words like 'Party' (party), 'trinken' (to drink), or 'Flasche' (bottle) point to alcohol.
EXAMPLE
Die Spritpreise sind schon wieder gestiegen.
Fuel prices have gone up again.
Uncountable noun
In both meanings, 'Sprit' is used as an uncountable noun. You say 'viel Sprit' (a lot of fuel/booze) or 'wenig Sprit' (little fuel/booze), but not 'ein Sprit' or 'zwei Sprite'.
EXAMPLE
Wir haben nicht mehr genug Sprit, um nach Hause zu kommen.
We don't have enough fuel left to get home.
Typical collocations
For the meaning 'Kraftstoff' (fuel), fixed expressions such as 'Sprit sparen' (to save fuel), 'jemandem geht der Sprit aus' (someone is running out of fuel), or complaints about 'hohe Spritpreise' (high fuel prices) are very common.
EXAMPLE
Mit einem modernen Auto kann man viel Sprit sparen.
With a modern car, you can save a lot of fuel.
Compare with
Sprit vs Alkohol
alcohol
Alkohol is the neutral term for alcoholic drinks or the substance they contain. Sprit can also colloquially mean an alcoholic drink, but it usually suggests strong alcohol such as schnapps. Use Alkohol in neutral statements, and Sprit in casual statements about strong alcohol.
Sprit
Für die Feier kaufte er starken Sprit.
He bought some strong booze for the party.
Alkohol
Auf der Getränkekarte steht, wie viel Alkohol der Punsch enthält.
The drinks menu states how much alcohol the punch contains.
In real life
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