велосипе́д
velosipédmasculine
The Russian word for bicycle is велосипе́д (velosipéd). Wiktionary also lists ве́лик (vélik).
Meaning: vehicle (noun)
Ways to say it
| Russian | Romanization (Wiktionary) | Note |
|---|---|---|
| велосипе́д | velosipéd | masculine |
| ве́лик | vélik | colloquial, masculine |
The term refers to a bicycle as a vehicle.
Which one should you use?
ве́лик is an informal, shortened version of велосипе́д used in casual conversation.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
ве́лик is a colloquial term equivalent to the English word 'bike'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The genitive singular form велосипе́да is used to indicate possession or to say 'of the bicycle'.
How do you pronounce it?
velosipéd
Did you know?
- Russian has a specific idiom не изобретай велосипед, which translates to 'don't invent the bicycle'. It is the equivalent of the English phrase 'don't reinvent the wheel'.
- The word велосипе́д is a loanword that entered Russian from French, mirroring how many technical and luxury terms were adopted by the Russian aristocracy.
- In the Soviet era, the велосипе́д was such a prized and scarce commodity that owning one often served as a significant social status symbol.
Examples in context
- Я купил новый велосипед.I bought a new bicycle.
Example conversation
Andrey and Anastasia are talking in the park.
- Андрей AndreyАнастасия, ты хочешь поехать на велосипе́де?Anastasiya, ty khochesh' poekhat' na velosipede?Anastasia, do you want to go by bicycle?
- Анастасия AnastasiaДа, но у меня нет своего.Da, no u menya net svoyego.Yes, but I don't have my own.
- Андрей AndreyЯ могу дать тебе свой велосипе́д.Ya mogu dat' tebe svoy velosiped.I can give you my bicycle.
- Анастасия AnastasiaСпасибо, Андрей, это очень мило!Spasibo, Andrey, eto ochen' milo!Thanks, Andrey, that's very sweet!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bicycle” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
