desviador
/desbjaˈdoɾ/masculine
The English word 'derailleur' can be translated into Spanish as desviador, cambio de marchas or descarrilador.
Meaning: mechanism on a bicycle wheel used while cycling to move the bicycle chain from one sprocket to another, to change speeds (noun)
Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| desviador | /desbjaˈdoɾ/ | masculine |
| cambio de marchas | /ˌkambjo de ˈmaɾt͡ʃas/ | masculine |
| descarrilador | /deskarilaˈdoɾ/ | masculine |
A derailleur is the mechanism on a bicycle wheel used while cycling to move the bicycle chain from one sprocket to another, to change speeds (noun).
Which one should you use?
desviador is the more common term for the bicycle component in Spanish. The term cambios refers to the overall gear system of a bicycle and is used as shorthand for the derailleur.
How does it change in a sentence?
All forms provided are masculine.
How do you pronounce it?
/desbjaˈdoɾ/
What mistakes should you avoid?
English speakers might mistakenly use descarrilador in a cycling context, but desviador is the more common term for the bicycle component in Spanish.
Did you know?
- While desviador is the standard term for a bicycle part, descarrilador is more commonly used to describe a device that causes a train to go off the tracks.
- The component desviador and the verb desviar are also used in Spanish to describe a detour on a road or a diversion in a river.
- The word descarrilador comes from carril, which is derived from the Latin carrus meaning 'wagon' or 'cart'.
Examples in context
- Me gustaría ajustar el desviador trasero de mi bicicleta.I would like to adjust the rear derailleur of my bicycle.
- El desviador de la bicicleta está roto.The bicycle's derailleur is broken.
- Ajusta el desviador para que cambie bien las marchas.Adjust the derailleur so it shifts the gears well.
Example conversation
Daniel and Sofía are inspecting Daniel's bicycle in the garage.
- Daniel¿Puedes revisar el desviador de mi bici?Can you check my bike's derailleur?
- SofíaSí, parece que el desviador tiene un problema.Yes, it looks like the derailleur has a problem.
- DanielEspero que no sea algo muy caro.I hope it is not something very expensive.
- SofíaSeguro que podemos arreglarlo pronto.I am sure we can fix it soon.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “derailleur” translations and entries desviador, cambio de marchas, descarrilador, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cambio, de, descarrilador, CC BY-SA 4.0.
