das  Barrel

B2

Estimated CEFR level.

/ˈbærəl/

📏 What does "das Barrel" mean?

The word das Barrel is a loanword adopted from English. In German, it primarily refers to a unit of measure for liquids, especially for crude oil. A standard oil barrel equals 159 liters (precisely 158.987 liters or 42 US gallons).

It is less commonly used for other liquids like beer, where the volume might differ (e.g., a UK beer barrel vs. a US one).

🚨 Important: It primarily denotes the unit of volume, not the physical container itself, although the English word can mean both. In German, the container is usually called das Fass.

Article rules for der, die, and das

📚 Grammar of "das Barrel" in Detail

Das Barrel is a noun of neuter gender (Neutrum). The article is das.

Declension Singular

Declension Plural

The plural is usually formed with -s: die Barrels.

💬 Example Sentences

1. Der Preis für das Barrel Rohöl ist gestern gefallen.
   (The price for a barrel of crude oil fell yesterday.)
2. Die Fördermenge wird in Barrels pro Tag angegeben.
   (The production volume is stated in barrels per day.)
3. Wie viele Liter passen in ein Barrel?
   (How many liters fit into one barrel?)
4. Die Raffinerie verarbeitet täglich tausende Barrels Öl.
   (The refinery processes thousands of barrels of oil daily.)

🔍 Usage and Context

Das Barrel is used almost exclusively in the context of economic news (especially oil prices), industry (oil production, refineries), and sometimes in brewing.

• Oil Market: The most common usage. The price per barrel (often abbreviated as bbl for blue barrel) is a key economic indicator. Example: "Ein Barrel der Sorte Brent kostet derzeit 80 Dollar." (A barrel of Brent crude currently costs 80 dollars.)
• Unit of Measure: It serves as a standardized unit in international crude oil trade.
• Distinction from "Fass": While das Fass means the physical container (e.g., a wooden cask, an oil drum), das Barrel refers to the standardized volume of approx. 159 liters. You wouldn't say: "Ich rolle ein Barrel in den Keller." (I roll a barrel into the cellar.), but rather "Ich rolle ein Fass in den Keller." (I roll a cask/drum into the cellar.)

🧠 Mnemonics for "das Barrel"

Article "das":

Think of measurement units in German often being neuter: das Pfund (pound), das Kilo, das Liter (colloquial, standard is der Liter), and thus das Barrel. It's das Maß (the measure).

Meaning (Unit of Measure):

A Barrel sounds like 'bear-all' – it has to bear all that liquid, a large unit of measure!

🔄 Synonyms & Related Terms

Related Terms (other units/containers):

• das Fass: The physical container/drum/cask.
• der Liter: A smaller, metric unit of volume.
• die Gallone: Another (imperial/US) unit of volume (1 Barrel ≈ 42 US gallons).
• der Kubikmeter (cubic meter): A larger, metric unit of volume.

🤣 A Little Joke

Fragt der Scheich seinen Sohn: "Was wünschst du dir zum Geburtstag?" Sohn: "Einen vollen Tank, Papa!" Scheich: "Nur einen? Sei nicht so bescheiden, mein Sohn! Hier hast du einen Gutschein für 1000 Barrels!"

Translation:
The sheikh asks his son: "What do you want for your birthday?"
Son: "A full tank of gas, Dad!"
Sheikh: "Only one? Don't be so modest, my son! Here's a voucher for 1000 barrels!"

📝 Poem about the Barrel

Schwarz und flüssig, tief im Sand,
kommt das Öl an Land.
Gemessen wird's, das ist der Clou,
in das Barrel, immerzu.
159 Liter rein,
so muss der Ölpreis sein!
Ein Maß, bekannt auf weiter Welt,
das Barrel, das die Wirtschaft hält.

Translation:
Black and liquid, deep in sand,
the oil arrives on land.
It's measured, that's the key,
in das Barrel, constantly.
159 liters pure,
the oil price must endure!
A measure known the world around,
das Barrel, where economy is found.

🤔 Riddle Time

Ich bin kein Fass, doch halte viel,
beim Ölpreis spiel' ich mit im Spiel.
Bin eine Einheit, international,
rund 159 Liter, die Zahl.

Was bin ich? → Das Barrel

Translation:
I'm not a cask, but hold a lot,
In the oil price game, I play my spot.
I am a unit, international,
Around 159 liters, that's the final call.

What am I?
→ Das Barrel

💡 Trivia

• Origin: The word "Barrel" comes from English. The specific unit of measure for oil originated in the early days of the Pennsylvania oil industry in the USA.
• Different Barrels: A US federal law in 1866 defined the barrel for petroleum products as 42 gallons. However, a British beer barrel holds 36 imperial gallons (approx. 163.7 liters), while a US beer barrel holds 31 US gallons (approx. 117.3 liters). In German, das Barrel almost always refers to the oil barrel (159 L).
• Abbreviation "bbl": The abbreviation "bbl" for an oil barrel supposedly stands for "blue barrel," as the Standard Oil Company allegedly marked its oil barrels blue to distinguish them from others.