Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| ciclomotor | /θiklomoˈtoɾ/ /siklomoˈtoɾ/ |
masculine |
| motoneta | /motoˈneta/ | feminine |
| vespino | /besˈpino/ | Spain, feminine, masculine |
| bicimoto | /biθimoto/ (Spain, from spelling rules) /bisimoto/ (Latin America, from spelling rules) |
feminine |
A moped is a two-wheeled vehicle. Depending on your location and how formal you wish to be, you may use different terms to describe this vehicle.
What does it mean word for word?
The word ciclomotor is a compound of ciclo (cycle/bicycle) and motor (motor).
Which one should you use?
While ciclomotor is the standard technical and legal term for a moped, everyday speech often favors other terms like motoneta or vespino depending on the region.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Latin American Spanish, including countries like Mexico, Argentina and Peru, motoneta is the main term used. In Spain, the term vespino is frequently used colloquially, a name derived from the Vespa brand.
How does it change in a sentence?
The term bicimoto is a feminine noun and therefore requires the feminine article la (e.g., la bicimoto).
How do you pronounce it?
/θiklomoˈtoɾ/
Did you know?
- The term ciclomotor is a linguistic calque, meaning it was built by translating the structure of the French word cyclomoteur directly into Spanish.
- In some Latin American regions, motoneta refers specifically to scooters with a step-through frame, while other two-wheelers are simply called motos.
- Even though 'motor' is typically a masculine noun, the term bicimoto is feminine and requires the article la.
Examples in context
- Él puede tomar prestado mi ciclomotor durante unos cuantos días.He can borrow my moped for a few days.This sentence is useful for seeing how to use ciclomotor in a sentence about borrowing a vehicle.Tatoeba #1723646 by teskmon, translation #1305881 by sundown
- La motocicleta de baja cilindrada es una alternativa eficiente en el tráfico urbano.The low-displacement motorcycle is an efficient alternative in urban traffic.
- El ciclomotor es perfecto para desplazarse por la ciudad de manera ágil.The moped is perfect for agile city commuting.
- Voy a comprar una moto nueva para moverme por la ciudad.I'm going to buy a new moped to get around the city.
- Vámonos en la motoneta hasta el centro.Let's go on the moped to downtown.
- El ciclomotor es muy fácil de conducir.The moped is very easy to drive.
- Necesito reparar mi ciclomotor azul.I need to repair my blue moped.
Example conversation
María and Javier are talking in a garage about his vehicle.
- María¿Es ese tu nuevo ciclomotor?Is that your new moped?
- JavierSí, es un ciclomotor pequeño y rápido.Yes, it is a small and fast moped.
- MaríaMe gusta mucho cómo suena.I really like how it sounds.
- JavierGracias, María, es muy silencioso.Thanks, María, it is very quiet.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “moped” translations and entries ciclomotor, motoneta, vespino, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ciclomotor, motoneta, vespino, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
