bicycle, bike [noun] [de fiets, de fietsen]

The "fiets" is a very common means of transportation in the Netherlands. Most children learn how to bike at a very young age.

You can turn "fiets" into a verb by adding -en. The verb "fietsen" translates to "to bike","to cycle" or "ride a bike".

1. "Geen fietsen tegen het raam plaatsen, a.u.b."
("No bike parking against the window, please.")

2. "Naar het werk fietsen is gezond."
("Biking to work is healthy.")

1. "Ga (toch) fietsen!"
(<grumpy:> "Go away!" Literally: "Go bike (won’t you)!."

2. "Wat heb ik nu aan mijn fiets hangen?"
(<suprised:> "Hey, what’s all this?" Literally: "What’s hanging on my bike now?")

3. "Ah, op die fiets!"
(<comprehendingly:> "Aha, it’s like that!" Literally: "Ah, on that bike!")

4. "Op een ouwe fiets moet je het leren."
(Literally: "One has to learn it on an old bike." This expression has a slight sexual connotation and is used to justify a young man dating an older woman.)

Related words:
1. "Mountain bike": translates to "mountain bike" 🙂
2. "Wielrennen": translates to "(bi)cycle racing" (literally: "wheelrunning"), like the Tour de France.
3. "Rijwielhandel": old fashioned Dutch word for "bikeshop", literally: "ridewheel trade".

A popular and typical Dutch type of bike is the socalled "omafiets" or "opoefiets" ("granny’s bike"). An "oma" or "opoe" is a "granny", not to be confused with "opa", which means "grandfather".
It is an old-fashioned women’s model, with a bent second tube between the (relatively high and wide positioned) handlebars and the pedals. It usually does not have gears and has a backpedal brake. Although it is a women’s model, it is used by men and women.
More info on the "omafiets" can be found on

5 thoughts on “Fiets

  1. is there not a fiets phrase about
    someone making you mad and you getting on you fiets
    some thing like: je krik mij op my fiets

  2. Is there any chance you’re referring to the saying “Iemand op de stang jagen” ?
    If not…well then perhaps someone else knows the phrase you’re looking for 😉

  3. Not to forget “fietsers” (cyclists). One of the very first Dutch-language expressions I ever learned was while I was on a cycling holiday (in Flanders, as it happens), and that was “Fietsers oversteken” (cyclists cross over, i.e change to the opposite side of the road) — closely followed by “Pas op!” (Beware! – I think).

  4. If you are going to visit Holland you are definatelly want to have a bike! The most dutch people use their bike for short disstance. A good website that sells bicycle for not mutch money is!
    Also they sell folding bikes, very easy to carry and to take with to your country~!

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