City Cycling Expressions
Cykelbana, cykelhjälm, punktering — Swedish urban cycling in phrases.
The city cyclist's year: the commute vocabulary (cykelpendla, ringa i klockan, köra om till vänster), the hazards (bli avskuren, nära ögat, halka på isen), the maintenance verbs, winter cycling infrastructure (sopsaltning, vintercykelvägnätet), the family fleet (lådcykel, cykelkärra, barnsits) — and the anti-theft liturgy the deck ends on: registrera ramnumret, fota cykeln, två lås, alltid.
- 1
cykelbanan
the cycle lane
Tip: lit. the same — separate from the road in most Swedish cities.
- 2
cykelpendla
to cycle to work
Tip: lit. 'bike-commute' — one word.
- 3
cykelhjälm
a cycle helmet
Tip: lit. the same — compulsory under fifteen.
- 4
hjälm för under femton
a helmet for under-fifteens
Tip: lit. the same — required by law.
- 5
vuxna också, förnuftigt nog
adults too, sensibly
Tip: lit. the same.
- 6
ringa i klockan
to ring the bell
Tip: lit. the same.
- 7
köra om till vänster
to overtake on the left
Tip: lit. the same.
- 8
ringa två gånger och passera långsamt
to ring twice and pass slowly
Tip: lit. the same — the courteous way.
- 9
en gemensam gång- och cykelbana
a shared path with pedestrians
Tip: lit. the same — and the friction it causes.
- 10
bli avskuren av en bil
to be cut up by a car
Tip: lit. 'be cut off by a car'.
- 11
nära ögat
a near miss
Tip: lit. 'near the eye'.
- 12
få punktering
to get a puncture
Tip: lit. the same.
- 13
ett platt däck
a flat tyre
Tip: lit. the same.
- 14
pumpa däcken
to pump up the tyres
Tip: lit. the same.
- 15
kedjan hoppade av
the chain came off
Tip: lit. 'the chain jumped off'.
- 16
olja kedjan
to oil the chain
Tip: lit. the same.
- 17
ett cykellås
a bike lock
Tip: lit. the same — buy a good one.
- 18
få cykeln stulen
to have your bike stolen
Tip: lit. the same — a Swedish rite of passage.
- 19
en begagnad cykel
a second-hand bike
Tip: lit. the same.
- 20
lyse fram och bak
lights front and back
Tip: lit. the same — legally required in the dark.
- 21
en reflexväst
a reflective vest
Tip: lit. the same.
- 22
dubbdäck på cykeln
studded bike tyres
Tip: lit. the same — yes, that exists here.
- 23
vintercykla
to cycle through the winter
Tip: lit. 'winter-cycle' — a badge of honour.
- 24
de har inte sandat
the gritters haven't been
Tip: lit. 'they haven't gritted'.
- 25
halka på isen
to slip on the ice
Tip: lit. the same.
- 26
motvind åt båda hållen
a headwind both ways
Tip: lit. the same — physically impossible, universally experienced.
- 27
komma fram svettig
to arrive sweaty
Tip: lit. the same.
- 28
dusch på jobbet
a shower at the office
Tip: lit. the same — a genuine recruitment perk.
- 29
cykelparkeringen är full
the bike parking is full
Tip: lit. the same.
- 30
snabbare än bilen
quicker than the car
Tip: lit. the same — usually true.
- 31
det bästa sättet att se en stad
the best way to see a city
Tip: lit. the same.
- 32
ett lånecykelsystem
a city bike scheme
Tip: lit. 'a loan-bike system'.
- 33
en elcykel
an electric bike
Tip: lit. the same — everywhere now.
- 34
en lådcykel
a cargo bike
Tip: lit. 'a box bike' — for children and shopping.
- 35
två barn och veckohandlingen
two children and the week's shopping
Tip: lit. the same.
- 36
en cykelkärra
a bike trailer
Tip: lit. the same.
- 37
en barnsits bak
a child seat on the back
Tip: lit. the same.
- 38
en cykelväg längs vattnet
a bike path along the water
Tip: lit. the same.
- 39
en cykelräknare på bron
a bike counter on the bridge
Tip: lit. the same — you are cyclist number 4,312 today.
- 40
vintercykelvägnätet
the winter cycling network
Tip: lit. the same — ploughed first, in some cities.
- 41
sopsaltning
sweep-salting
Tip: lit. the same — brushing and brining bike paths.
- 42
serva cykeln på våren
to service the bike in spring
Tip: lit. the same.
- 43
kön till cykelverkstaden i april
the bike shop queue in April
Tip: lit. the same.
- 44
registrera ramnumret
to register the frame number
Tip: lit. the same — for when it's stolen.
- 45
fota cykeln
to photograph the bike
Tip: lit. the same — same reason.
- 46
låsa fast den i något
to lock it to something fixed
Tip: lit. the same.
- 47
två lås, alltid
two locks, always
Tip: lit. the same.