der Radler
cyclist
A person who rides a bicycle; a bicyclist.
EXAMPLE
Am Wochenende sind immer viele Radler am Flussufer unterwegs.
On weekends, there are always many cyclists out along the riverbank.
der Radler
cyclist / shandy
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Meanings
der Radler
shandy
A mixed drink consisting half of beer and half of lemonade.
EXAMPLE
An heißen Tagen trinke ich gerne ein kühles Radler.
On hot days, I like to drink a cool shandy.
Usage tips
Person or drink?
The context makes it clear whether the person or the drink is meant. Verbs like 'fahren' (to ride) or 'stürzen' (to fall/crash) point to the person, while 'trinken' (to drink) or 'bestellen' (to order) refer to the drink.
EXAMPLE
Vorsicht, auf dem Weg sind viele Radler unterwegs!
Careful, there are lots of cyclists on the path!
Word structure for the person
The term for a cyclist is derived from 'das Rad' (short form for bicycle). The ending '-ler' is often used in German for people who perform a certain activity.
EXAMPLE
Als passionierter Radler fährt er jeden Tag zur Arbeit.
As a passionate cyclist, he rides to work every day.
Regional variants
The mixed drink is called 'Radler' mainly in southern Germany and Austria. In northern Germany, people often say 'Alster' or 'Alsterwasser' instead.
EXAMPLE
In Hamburg bestellt man im Restaurant eher ein Alster als ein Radler.
In Hamburg, people are more likely to order an Alster than a Radler in a restaurant.
Cultural context
A Radler is a very popular drink in German beer gardens, especially on warm summer days. It is considered refreshing and less strong than pure beer.
EXAMPLE
Nach der Wanderung haben wir uns im Biergarten ein Radler gegönnt.
After the hike, we treated ourselves to a shandy in the beer garden.
Compare with
Radler vs Radfahrer
cyclist
Radfahrer and Radler can both refer to a person on a bicycle. Radfahrer is unambiguous, while Radler without suitable context can also be understood as the name of a beer-and-lemonade drink. Radfahrer is therefore clearer when misunderstandings are possible.
Radler
Der Radler wartet mit seinem Fahrrad vor dem Café.
The cyclist is waiting with his bicycle in front of the café.
Radfahrer
Der Radfahrer wartet mit seinem Fahrrad vor dem Café.
The cyclist is waiting with his bicycle in front of the café.
In real life
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