Gallon vs Litre

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

	Gallon	Litre
Meaning	A gallon is a way to measure liquid. In the U.S., it is equal to about 3.8 liters.	A measure of liquid that is equal to 1,000 milliliters.
CEFR level	C1	B2
Part of speech	noun	noun
Usage notes	Used mainly in the U.S. for buying and measuring liquids like milk and gas. Not commonly used in countries that use metric measurements.	Used mainly in the metric system. Common across many countries; less common in the US, which uses gallons. Appropriate in both spoken and written contexts when discussing volume.

Frequently asked questions: Gallon vs Litre

What's the difference between "Gallon" and "Litre"?

"Gallon" means: A gallon is a way to measure liquid. In the U.S., it is equal to about 3.8 liters. "Litre" means: A measure of liquid that is equal to 1,000 milliliters.

When should I use "Gallon" and "Litre"?

They can all be used in everyday English.

Are "Gallon" and "Litre" the same CEFR level?

"Gallon" is at C1, "Litre" is at B2 on the CEFR scale.