What it means
بنزین (benzin) is the standard Persian word for petrol or gasoline, the liquid fuel used in cars and motorcycles. It was borrowed from German Benzin, which itself derives from the chemical compound benzene. The word is used across all registers of Persian and has no commonly used native synonym. Diesel fuel is a separate term, گازوئیل (gâzu-il), so بنزین refers specifically to petrol rather than all vehicle fuels.
How to use it
- بنزین تموم شد، ماشین خاموش شد. (benzin tamum shod, mâshin khâmush shod.) “The petrol ran out, the car turned off.”
- چقدر بنزین میزنیم؟ (cheghadr benzin mizanim?) “How much petrol shall we put in?”
- قیمت بنزین دوباره رفت بالا. (gheymat-e benzin dobâre raft bâlâ.) “The price of petrol has gone up again.”
- ماشینت بنزینیه یا گازیه؟ (mâshinat benzini-yeh yâ gâzi-yeh?) “Is your car petrol or gas?”
Cultural note
Fuel subsidies have made بنزین a politically sensitive topic in Iran for decades. The government rations petrol using smart fuel cards (کارت سوخت, kârt-e sukht) that cap how many liters a driver can purchase at the subsidized price each month. Buying extra petrol above the quota requires paying a higher market rate at the pump. These policies have shaped daily driving habits and made fuel management a routine part of Iranian car ownership.