Ways to say it
| French | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| vélo | /ve.lo/ /ve.lɔ/ (Switzerland) |
masculine |
| bicyclette | /bi.si.klɛt/ | feminine |
| vélocipède | /ve.lɔ.si.pɛd/ | dated, masculine |
vélo is the most common and straightforward term for a bicycle.
Which one should you use?
vélo is the most common, everyday term, while bicyclette is more formal or slightly old-fashioned. There is also vélocipède, which is a highly archaic term that is no longer used in modern conversation.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
bicyclette is more formal or slightly old-fashioned. vélocipède is considered dated.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When expressing the mode of transport, such as saying you are traveling 'by bicycle', the grammatically preferred way is to use the preposition à followed by vélo, as in à vélo.
How do you pronounce it?
/ve.lo/ (2 syllables)
What mistakes should you avoid?
While 'à vélo' is grammatically preferred for modes of transport one sits atop, 'en vélo' is a very common mistake made by native speakers in casual speech.
Did you know?
- The ancient term vélocipède is a linguistic marriage between the Latin word for 'swift' and the word for 'foot'.
- The phrase à vélo follows a pattern in French where transport you straddle, like à cheval for 'on horseback', uses the preposition à.
- The suffix in bicyclette is the same diminutive -ette used to make things smaller or cuter, similar to how 'kitchenette' works in English.
Examples in context
- Il est à vélo.He is riding a bicycle.This sentence shows how to use vélo to describe traveling by bicycle.Tatoeba #3642430 by sacredceltic, translation #298480 by CK
- Tom a un vélo.Tom has a bicycle.This sentence shows how to indicate possession of a vélo.Tatoeba #7919910 by hennebert, translation #3360645 by CK
- Où est le vélo ?Where is the bicycle?This sentence shows how to ask for the location of a vélo.Tatoeba #6195363 by Sorgan, translation #5228737 by solejar
- 456 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Léa and Hugo are at a park near the bike path.
- LéaTu as apporté ton vélo ?Did you bring your bicycle?
- HugoOui, mon vélo est garé là-bas.Yes, my bicycle is parked over there.
- LéaC'est un nouveau vélo, Hugo ?Is it a new bicycle, Hugo?
- HugoNon, c'est mon vieux vélo.No, it is my old bicycle.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bicycle” translations and entries vélo, bicyclette, vélocipède, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bicyclette, vélo, vélocipède, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
