Ways to say it
| Italian | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| stazione di servizio | /statˈt͡sjo.ne di serˈvit.t͡sjo/ (word by word) | feminine |
| distributore | /dis.tri.buˈto.re/ | masculine |
Italian uses several terms to describe an establishment that sells fuel for vehicles. While the full term for a gas station is often distributore di benzina, speakers frequently use the shorthand distributore to refer to either a gas station or a fuel station. If you want to refer to a fuel station more broadly, you might use distributore di carburante.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase distributore di benzina literally translates to "gasoline distributor", referring to the machine or the place that distributes the fuel.
Which one should you use?
There is a subtle difference between the two main forms. Stazione di servizio often implies a larger facility that includes more than just fuel, such as a cafe, a restaurant or a small shop, similar to a "service station" in English.
Did you know?
- The word servizio in stazione di servizio shares an ancestral root with the word for 'slave', stemming from the Latin servus.
- In Italy, many small-town distributori are operated by a person inside a booth who must manually activate the pump for you.
- The term distributore is used for fuel stations but can also refer to a vending machine, as both 'distribute' products to the customer.
Examples in context
- Lavoro in un distributore di benzina.I work at a gas station.This sentence shows how to use distributore to describe a workplace.Tatoeba #6484609 by Guybrush88, translation #2546128 by CK
- Devo trovare un distributore di benzina.I need to find a gas station.This sentence demonstrates how to use distributore when expressing a need to find a station.Tatoeba #6540077 by Guybrush88, translation #6531107 by CK
- Dov'è il distributore di benzina più vicino qui intorno?Where's the nearest gas station around here?This sentence illustrates how to ask for the location of the nearest distributore.Tatoeba #13630034 by Guybrush88, translation #62111 by CK
- Scusi, potrebbe indicarmi dov'è la stazione di servizio più vicina?Excuse me, could you indicate to me where the nearest service station is?
- 8 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Matteo and Chiara are driving on the highway and need fuel.
- MatteoDobbiamo trovare una stazione di servizio subito.We need to find a gas station immediately.
- ChiaraVedo una stazione di servizio poco più avanti.I see a gas station a little further ahead.
- MatteoPerfetto, la macchina è quasi vuota.Perfect, the car is almost empty.
- ChiaraSì, giriamo subito a destra.Yes, let's turn right immediately.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “gas station” translations and entries stazione di servizio, distributore, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (stazione, di, servizio) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries di, servizio, stazione, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
