German · Tankstelle
The wrong fuel went into the tank: what to say in German
You have filled up with the wrong fuel.
💡
How it's done. Benzin (petrol): Super E10, Super E5; Diesel is diesel. If you filled the wrong fuel don't start the engine but call for help.Prepared by the Movko team, November 2026. This is language help, not legal or medical advice: check the rules with the office itself.
Cheat sheet for your visit
The first phrase is open: tap ▶ to listen, or “Show” to show it to the other person. The rest of the dialogue is in the course in the app.
1
YOU START
Hilfe! Ich habe aus Versehen Diesel getankt, aber mein Auto fährt mit Benzin.
KHEEL-feh! Eekh KHAH-beh ows fehr-ZEH-ayn DEE-zel geh-TAHNKT, AH-buh mighn OW-toh fehrt meet bayn-ZEEN.
Help! I have accidentally put in diesel, but my car runs on petrol.
Or say:Entschuldigung, ich habe das falsche Benzin getankt. Was soll ich tun?
Aynt-SHOOL-dee-goong, eekh KHAH-beh dahs FAHL-sheh bayn-ZEEN geh-TAHNKT. Vahs zol eekh toon?
THEY SAY
Bitte starten Sie den Motor nicht! Ich rufe die Pannenhilfe.BEE-teh SHTAHR-tayn zee dayn MOH-tor neekht! Eekh ROO-feh dee PAH-nayn-kheel-feh.
Please don't start the engine! I'll call the breakdown service.
They might also say:
Starten Sie das Auto auf keinen Fall. Wir lassen es abschleppen.
SHTAHR-tayn zee dahs OW-toh owf KIGH-nayn fahl. Veer LAH-sayn es AHPSH-leh-payn.
Don't start the car under any circumstances. We'll have it towed.
2
YOU FINISH
Ja, ich habe noch nicht gestartet. Wie lange dauert das?
Yah, eekh KHAH-beh nokh neekht gesh-TAHR-tet. Vee LAHN-geh DOW-ehrt dahs?
Yes, I haven't started it yet. How long does that take?
THEY SAY
Etwa eine halbe Stunde. Bleiben Sie hier.EH-tvuh IGH-neh KHAHL-beh SHTOON-deh. BLIGH-bayn zee kheer.
About half an hour. Stay here.
The course is in the app
This dialogue is part of the course “German for life in Germany”: 416 situations with audio, a pronunciation guide and spaced review.
On the website the first dialogue, the 112 category, the rescue phrases and the “Basics” are fully open.
Words worth knowing
Hilfe
KHEEL-feh
noun
help
habe
KHAH-beh
verb
I have
Versehen
fehr-ZEH-ayn
noun
mistake
Diesel
DEE-zel
noun
diesel
getankt
geh-TAHNKT
verb
filled up
Auto
OW-toh
noun
car
29 more words, with explanations, base forms and tap-a-word help, are in the app.
If you did not understand
Können Sie das bitte wiederholen?
KYOH-nayn zee dahs BEE-teh vee-dehr-KHOH-layn?
Can you repeat that, please?
Können Sie bitte langsamer sprechen?
KYOH-nayn zee BEE-teh LAHNG-zuh-muh SHPREH-khayn?
Can you speak more slowly, please?
Ich spreche noch nicht gut Deutsch.
Eekh SHPREH-kheh nokh neekht goot doych.
I don't speak German well yet.
Similar situations
Found a mistake? Write to us and we will fix it. This is language help, not medical or legal advice.Report