ciclovía
/θiklobia/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'bike path' is translated into Spanish as ciclovía.
Ciclovía is used to refer to a designated bike path or a lane specifically for cyclists.
What does it mean word for word?
The word ciclovía is a compound of ciclo, meaning 'cycle' and vía, meaning 'way' or 'route'.
Which one should you use?
While ciclovía often implies a dedicated path or track, the term carril bici specifically refers to a lane within a road.
Is it said differently in some regions?
Ciclovía is the standard term used in most of Latin America. In Spain, carril bici is more commonly used to refer to a designated bike lane.
How does it change in a sentence?
To form the plural ciclovías, add -s to the end of the word.
How do you pronounce it?
/θiklobia/
Did you know?
- In many Latin American cities, the term ciclovía has evolved from a noun describing a path into a name for a massive temporary event where main roads are closed to cars for cycling.
- In Spain, if a bike path is specifically for pedestrians and cyclists to share, it is often called a vía verde, meaning 'green way'.
- In some Spanish-speaking cities, you may see the term bicisenda, which uses senda to emphasize a narrow path or trail often found in parks or nature reserves.
Examples in context
- Disculpe, ¿dónde se encuentra la ciclovía más cercana?Excuse me, where can I find the nearest bike path?
- ¿Podría indicarme cómo llegar al carril para bicicletas del parque?Could you tell me how to get to the bike lane in the park?
- La ciclovía está muy llena hoy.The bike path is very crowded today.
- Prefiero ir por la ciclovía.I prefer to go via the bike path.
- Hay una nueva ciclovía en el parque.There is a new bike path in the park.
Example conversation
Javier and María are planning their afternoon commute.
- Javier¿Vamos por la calle principal?Shall we go via the main street?
- MaríaNo, mejor usemos la ciclovía.No, let's use the bike path instead.
- JavierTienes razón, es más seguro.You are right, it is safer.
- MaríaSí, y así evitamos los coches.Yes, and that way we avoid the cars.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
