On your bike! 10 German cycling words

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In German cities, a bike is almost as important as the bus.

You've bought a second-hand bike. On your first ride to work the brakes squeak, someone behind you shouts ‘Radweg!’, and at the bike shop you can't find a single word to explain what's wrong.

Here are ten words every cyclist needs. With them you'll understand the cycle path rules and be able to tell the repair shop what's broken. 🚲

🧠 Words, examples and memory tricks

das Fahrrad

[FAHR-raht]bicycle, bike

(Pl. die Fahrräder)

📌 Ich fahre mit dem Fahrrad zur Arbeit.

→ I cycle to work.

💡 fahren (ride) + Rad (wheel) = a wheel you ride 🚲

⚠ It ends in das Rad, so it's das Fahrrad. Plural: Fahrräder.

Rad fahren

[RAHT fah-ren]to cycle, ride a bike

(fährt Rad – ist Rad gefahren)

📌 Ich fahre jeden Tag Rad.

→ I cycle every day.

💡 Rad (bike) + fahren (ride), side by side 🚴 Ich fahre Rad!

⚠ Perfect with sein: Ich bin Rad gefahren.

der Radfahrer

[RAHT-fah-rer]cyclist

(Pl. die Radfahrer (f: die Radfahrerin))

📌 Radfahrer müssen auf dem Radweg fahren.

→ Cyclists have to ride on the bike path.

💡 Rad fahren + -er = someone who cycles 🧑‍🦱 -er means ‘a person who does it’, like rider.

Bonus female: die Radfahrerin · pedestrian: der Fußgänger

der Radweg

[RAHT-vayk]cycle path, bike lane

(Pl. die Radwege)

📌 Bitte fahr auf dem Radweg und nicht auf dem Gehweg.

→ Please ride on the cycle path, not on the pavement.

💡 Rad (bike) + Weg (way) = bike way 🛣️ Weg and way are cousins.

⚠ Don't walk on a Radweg — bikes come fast!

der Helm

[HELM]helmet

(Pl. die Helme)

📌 Beim Radfahren trage ich immer einen Helm.

→ I always wear a helmet when cycling.

💡 English helmet minus the -et ⛑️

Bonus to wear a helmet = einen Helm tragen

der Reifen

[RYE-fen]tire, tyre

(Pl. die Reifen)

📌 Mein Fahrrad hat einen platten Reifen.

→ My bike has a flat tire.

💡 It first meant ‘hoop’ — a round hoop around the wheel ⭕

Bonus I've got a puncture! = Ich habe einen Platten.

die Bremse

[BREM-zuh]brake

(Pl. die Bremsen)

📌 Die Bremsen an meinem Fahrrad funktionieren nicht richtig.

→ The brakes on my bike aren't working properly.

💡 ‘BREM!’ sounds like a sudden stop 🛑 Ends in -e, so die.

Bonus Often plural: Die Bremsen quietschen. = The brakes squeak.

bremsen

[BREM-zen]to brake

(bremst – hat gebremst)

📌 Der Fahrer konnte gerade noch rechtzeitig bremsen.

→ The driver just managed to brake in time.

💡 Take die Bremse, add -n, and you have the verb 🚦 Learn them as a pair.

Bonus to brake hard = scharf bremsen

der Sattel

[ZAT-el]saddle

(Pl. die Sättel)

📌 Er stieg in den Sattel und ritt los.

→ He got into the saddle and rode off.

💡 Practically English saddle 🐎 It may even be related to sitzen (sit).

⚠ Plural with umlaut: die Sättel

das E-Bike

[EE-bike]e-bike

(Pl. die E-Bikes)

📌 Mit dem E-Bike fahre ich jeden Tag zur Arbeit.

→ I ride my e-bike to work every day.

💡 E (electric) + English bike 🔋 Say it the English way.

Bonus You'll also hear Pedelec for bikes with pedal assist.

🇩🇪 A spoonful of German culture

Germany generally has good cycle paths (Radweg). A round blue sign with a bike on it means cyclists must use that path. And pedestrians are expected to keep off it.

Bikes need a bell and front and rear lights, and riding in the dark without lights can get you stopped. Helmets aren't compulsory, but more and more people wear one.

Bike theft is very common, so get a good lock (das Schloss). If you take your bike on a train, you usually need a separate bike ticket. 🔒

✅ Quick quiz

Q. At the bike shop, you want to say ‘The brakes aren't working properly.’

① Mein Helm ist zu groß.
② Die Bremsen funktionieren nicht richtig.
③ Ich fahre gern E-Bike.

Show the answer

② Die Bremsen funktionieren nicht richtig.
die Bremsen = the brakes, funktionieren nicht richtig = don't work properly.

On your next ride or bus trip, quietly say ‘Ich fahre Rad.’ and ‘Ich bin Rad gefahren.’ 🚴

🔜 Tomorrow's topic: 🧺 Parks & picnics