tar
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tar
A thick, black, sticky liquid that is produced when organic materials such as coal or wood are processed. It is mainly used for road construction and sealing.
Die Straße wurde neu geteert und war deshalb für den Verkehr gesperrt.
The road was newly tarred and was therefore closed to traffic.
'Teer' sounds like the English word 'tear' (eine Träne), but it means 'tar', the black, sticky substance. This mistake can lead to misunderstandings.
Der Geruch von frischem Teer lag in der Luft.
The smell of fresh tar was in the air.
The context makes the meaning clear. In connection with road construction or roofs, it refers to the black substance. If the topic is smoking or health, it refers to the harmful substance in cigarettes.
Die Arbeiter versiegeln das Dach mit heißem Teer.
The workers are sealing the roof with hot tar.
The verb 'teeren' (to tar) is derived from the noun 'der Teer' (tar). It means to cover a surface with tar.
Früher hat man viele Straßen und Einfahrten geteert.
In the past, many roads and driveways were tarred.
bad luck / pitch
'Pech' and 'Teer' can both refer to a black, sticky substance. That is why they can be easy to confuse. 'Teer' is more the substance that is produced when coal, wood, or similar materials are processed, and is used, for example, in road construction or for sealing. 'Pech' is also thick and sticky, but is often understood as a substance obtained from tar or resin. Important: here, 'Pech' is not about bad luck. In everyday language, you hear 'Pech' much more often in the meaning 'bad luck'; for roads and building materials, 'Teer' is often more natural.
Nach der Arbeit klebte Teer an den Schuhen der Straßenarbeiter.
After work, tar was sticking to the road workers' shoes.
Zum Abdichten der alten Fugen wurde früher oft Pech verwendet.
In the past, pitch was often used to seal old joints.