bicicleta
/biθiˈkleta/feminine
The English word bicycle is bicicleta in Spanish. Wiktionary also lists bici.
Meaning: vehicle (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| bicicleta | /biθiˈkleta/ /bisiˈkleta/ |
feminine |
| bici | /ˈbiθi/ /ˈbisi/ |
feminine, informal |
The most common and universal term for bicycle in any Spanish-speaking country is bicicleta.
Which one should you use?
bicicleta is the full, standard noun, whereas bici is a colloquial shortening used in everyday conversation.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
The clipped form bici is the common informal way to say 'bicycle'.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In the Yucatan Peninsula, you may hear the term bisi for bicycle.
How does it change in a sentence?
Because bicicleta is a feminine noun, its shortened form bici also takes the feminine article la.
How do you pronounce it?
/biθiˈkleta/
Did you know?
- If you are watching a football match in Spain or Latin America, a commentator might shout ¡bicicleta! to describe a player performing a specific type of trick move.
- The Spanish word bicicleta is not a native creation but was borrowed from the French word 'bicyclette'.
- Because 'bicicleta' is feminine, the word for a professional cyclist, 'ciclista', remains gender-neutral in its form, though the article changes.
Examples in context
- ¿Es esta tu bici?Is this your bicycle?This sentence is useful for asking someone if a bici is theirs.Tatoeba #2694842 by migeels, translation #55749 by CK
- Esa bicicleta es mía.That bicycle is mine.This sentence is useful for stating that a bicicleta belongs to the speaker.Tatoeba #4774590 by alegarvid, translation #942303 by spockofvulcan
- Esta bicicleta es mía.This bicycle is mine.Tatoeba #1404254 by marcelostockle, translation #496111 by CK
- ¿Dónde puedo comprar una bicicleta nueva?Where can I buy a new bicycle?
- Voy al parque en biciI'm going to the park by bike
- 297 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Sofía and Mateo are in a park.
- SofíaTu bicicleta es muy rápida.Your bicycle is very fast.
- MateoGracias, Sofía. ¿Quieres usarla?Thanks, Sofía. Do you want to use it?
- SofíaNo, prefiero caminar hoy.No, I prefer to walk today.
- MateoEstá bien, vamos caminando.That is fine, let's walk.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “bicycle” translations and entries bicicleta, bici, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries bici, bicicleta, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
