echar gasolina
/et͡ʃaɾ ɡasolina/from spelling rules
In Spanish, to gas up is echar gasolina.
While echar gasolina is the most common way to say 'to gas up', it is used in both casual and standard contexts across most Spanish-speaking countries.
Meaning: (US slang) To fill a gas tank with fuel (verb)
What does it mean word for word?
The verb echar literally means 'to throw' or 'to pour', which is used here in the sense of pouring fuel into the tank.
Which one should you use?
You may encounter more formal or technical alternatives like repostar (to refuel) or repostar gasolina (to refuel with gasoline).
Is it said differently in some regions?
Regional variations include llenar el tanque de gasolina in parts of Mexico and cargar nafta in Argentina.
How does it change in a sentence?
The gerund form echando gasolina is used to express the continuous action of filling up the tank.
How do you pronounce it?
/etʃaɾ ɡasolina/
Did you know?
- The English word 'gas' and the Spanish word gasolina both trace back to the same Greek root for 'chaos'.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, the verb echar is used for any small addition to a mixture, so you echar salt into a soup or echar sugar into coffee just as you echar gasolina into a car.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, you might say cargar instead of echar when filling a tank, which literally means 'to load' or 'to charge'.
Examples in context
- Necesito llenar el depósito de gasolina antes de nuestro viaje.I need to gas up before our trip.
- ¿Me acompañas a echar gasolina al coche?Will you come with me to gas up the car?
- Tengo que echar gasolina antes de salir.I have to gas up before leaving.
- ¿Puedes echar gasolina en el coche?Can you gas up the car?
- Él fue a echar gasolina esta mañana.He went to gas up this morning.
Example conversation
Sofía and Javier are preparing for a road trip.
- SofíaJavier, ¿el coche tiene suficiente combustible?Javier, does the car have enough fuel?
- JavierNo, necesito echar gasolina ahora mismo.No, I need to gas up right now.
- SofíaEstá bien, yo te espero en la gasolinera.Okay, I will wait for you at the gas station.
- JavierGracias, Sofía, ya vuelvo.Thanks, Sofía, I'll be right back.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries echar, gasolina, CC BY-SA 4.0.
