radfahren
to ride a bike
To move around by bicycle.
EXAMPLE
Am Wochenende fahren wir oft im Park rad.
On weekends, we often ride our bikes in the park.
radfahren
to ride a bike
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Meanings
Usage tips
Word composition
The verb is made up of 'Rad' (short for 'Fahrrad', bicycle) and 'fahren' (to drive/ride). So the meaning is literally 'to ride with the bike'.
EXAMPLE
Bei gutem Wetter fahre ich mit dem Rad zur Arbeit.
When the weather is good, I ride my bike to work.
Perfect tense with 'sein'
Since 'radfahren' (to ride a bike) describes movement from one place to another, the perfect tense is always formed with the auxiliary verb 'sein' (to be).
EXAMPLE
Wir sind am Sonntag drei Stunden durch den Wald radgefahren.
We rode our bikes through the forest for three hours on Sunday.
Sentence structure and spelling
'Radfahren' (to ride a bike) is a separable verb. In a main clause, the prefix 'rad' comes at the end. It is also often written as the combination 'Rad fahren', in which case 'Rad' is capitalized as a noun.
EXAMPLE
Jeden Morgen fahre ich eine halbe Stunde rad.
Every morning I ride my bike for half an hour.
Compare with
radfahren vs Radsport
cycling
Radfahren refers to the specific activity of getting around by bicycle. Radsport, by contrast, is the sport as an organized field, often involving competitions and different disciplines. Use „radfahren“ when you mean the action and „Radsport“ when you are talking about the sport.
radfahren
Für den Weg zur Arbeit möchte ich morgen radfahren.
I want to ride my bike to work tomorrow.
Radsport
Der Radsport begeistert viele Menschen, die gern an Wettbewerben teilnehmen.
Cycling appeals to many people who enjoy taking part in competitions.
In real life
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