fiets
/fits/masculine
The English word bicycle is fiets in Dutch. Wiktionary also lists rijwiel and velo.
Meaning: vehicle (noun)
Ways to say it
| Dutch | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| fiets | /fits/ | masculine |
| rijwiel | /ˈrɛi̯.ʋil/ | neuter |
| velo | Belgium, informal, masculine |
The term is used to describe a vehicle. Related to this, the noun fietser refers to a person who rides a bicycle.
Which one should you use?
While fiets is the standard term, you might encounter other words. If you want to describe the action of riding a bicycle, use the verb fietsen, whereas wielrennen refers specifically to the sport of road cycling.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The word velo is an informal way to say bicycle.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Belgium, the informal term velo is commonly used.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
For the masculine noun fiets, the indefinite article is een (een fiets).
How do you pronounce it?
/fits/
Did you know?
- In the Netherlands, the bicycle is so central to life that there are specialized 'bicycle highways' called fietssnelwegen designed for long distance commuting.
- Because of the sheer volume of fietsen, many Dutch cities have 'bicycle graveyards' where unclaimed or abandoned bikes are collected and crushed.
- The origin of the word fiets is a mystery. Theories range from a corruption of the French word 'vélocipède' to a reference to a 19th century bike seller named E.C. Viets.
Examples in context
- Is dit uw fiets?Is this your bicycle?The first sentence is useful for asking if a bicycle belongs to someone.Tatoeba #8443282 by MarijnKp, translation #55749 by CK
- Ik heb een fiets.I have a bicycle.The second sentence is useful for stating that you possess a bicycle.Tatoeba #6622997 by Raizin, translation #258209 by CK
- Heb je een fiets?Do you have a bicycle?The third sentence is useful for asking if someone else possesses a bicycle.Tatoeba #10040772 by MarijnKp, translation #264497 by CK
- Ik ga naar school met mijn fiets.I go to school by bike.
- Hé, kunnen we een rondje fietsen op onze bikes?Hey, can we go for a ride on our bikes?
- 242 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Lisa are standing outside a train station.
- LucasWaar is je fiets, Lisa?Where is your bicycle, Lisa?
- LisaMijn fiets staat bij de halte.My bicycle is at the stop.
- LucasIs die fiets van jou?Is that bicycle yours?
- LisaJa, die blauwe fiets is van mij.Yes, that blue bicycle is mine.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bicycle” translations and entries fiets, rijwiel, velo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries fiets, rijwiel, velo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
