German for Beginners: Ask Where to Rent a Bicycle and Understand the Price
Learn to ask where you can rent a bike in German, understand daily and hourly prices, and handle a short rental conversation at a counter.
By SofiaGetting around · Yapr Learn
In this lesson you will learn a small, practical set of German sentences for renting a bicycle. The main question is Wo kann ich ein Fahrrad mieten? (Where can I rent a bicycle?). You will also learn how to ask about the price, how long the rental lasts, and what you need to leave as a deposit. German bike rental staff usually speak standard German, but you may hear regional words such as Velo in Switzerland and parts of southwest Germany, or Rad as a short everyday word for Fahrrad. All example sentences use the polite Sie form, which is the safe choice with strangers.
By the end, you can…
- ask where to rent a bicycle in polite German.
- ask how much a bike costs per hour or per day.
- understand and answer simple questions at a bike rental counter.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
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Wo kann ich ein Fahrrad mieten?
Where can I rent a bicycle?
voh kan ikh ine FAHR-raht MEE-ten
The main question. Use it with staff at a hotel, tourist office or shop. Fahrrad is neuter: ein Fahrrad.
Was kostet die Miete pro Tag?
What does the rental cost per day?
vas KOS-tet dee MEE-te proh tahk
Asks for the daily price. For an hourly price, say pro Stunde (proh SHTOON-de).
Wie lange kann ich das Fahrrad behalten?
How long can I keep the bicycle?
vee LAHNG-e kan ikh das FAHR-raht be-HAHL-ten
Useful when you want to know the maximum rental time. behalten means to keep.
Brauche ich einen Ausweis?
Do I need an ID?
BROW-khe ikh INE-en OWS-vice
Ausweis means ID or identity document. einen is the accusative masculine form, because brauchen takes the accusative.
Ich möchte ein Fahrrad für zwei Stunden mieten.
I would like to rent a bicycle for two hours.
ikh MERKH-te ine FAHR-raht fewr tsvai SHTUN-den MEE-ten
möchte is a polite way to say I would like. für zwei Stunden means for two hours.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
The core pattern is Wo kann ich ... mieten? (Where can I rent ...?). Put the thing you want after ich: Wo kann ich ein Fahrrad mieten? You can also use the modal verb können with other verbs: Wo kann ich ein Auto mieten? (Where can I rent a car?) and Wo kann ich einen Helm kaufen? (Where can I buy a helmet?). Notice that mieten means to rent something for a period, while vermieten means to rent something out to someone. A shop vermietet Fahrräder; you mieten ein Fahrrad.
When to use it
Use these questions at a rental counter, a hotel reception or a tourist information office. Start politely with Entschuldigung (Excuse me) if the person is busy: Entschuldigung, wo kann ich ein Fahrrad mieten? If you already see bikes outside, you can point and ask Was kostet die Miete pro Tag? For a shorter rental, say pro Stunde. If you need the bike for several days, ask Gibt es einen Wochenpreis? (Is there a weekly price?). In Switzerland and some areas of southwest Germany, people often say Velo instead of Fahrrad, so you may hear Wo kann ich ein Velo mieten?
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
Entschuldigung, wo kann ich ein Fahrrad mieten?
Excuse me, where can I rent a bicycle?ent-SHOOL-dee-goong, voh kan ikh ine FAHR-raht MEE-tenGleich hier im Laden. Die Miete kostet zwölf Euro pro Tag.
Right here in the shop. The rental costs twelve euros per day.glikh heer im LAH-den. dee MEE-te KOS-tet tsvurlf OY-roh proh tahkBrauche ich einen Ausweis?
Do I need an ID?BROW-khe ikh INE-en OWS-viceJa, und eine Kaution von fünfzig Euro.
Yes, and a deposit of fifty euros.yah, oont INE-e kow-TSYOHN fon FÜNF-tsikh OY-rohA little context goes a long way
In Germany and Austria, the standard word is Fahrrad, often shortened to Rad in signs and everyday speech. In Switzerland and in some southwest German regions, Velo is common. Rental staff normally use the polite Sie form with customers, so use Sie and phrases such as Entschuldigung and Ich möchte to sound friendly and respectful. Prices are usually given per day, and a deposit (Kaution) is common.
One thing to watch for
Saying Wo kann ich ein Fahrrad leihen? when you mean renting from a shop.
Try this instead: leihen means to borrow, often without payment, so it is not the best choice for a commercial rental. Use mieten for renting something for a period: Wo kann ich ein Fahrrad mieten? If you borrow a friend's bike, then leihen is correct: Kann ich dein Fahrrad leihen?
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you ask in German where you can rent a bicycle?
Show a sample answer
Wo kann ich ein Fahrrad mieten?
This uses Wo kann ich plus the infinitive mieten at the end. Wo kann ich ein Rad mieten? is also acceptable in everyday speech.
2How do you ask for the price per hour?
Show a sample answer
Was kostet die Miete pro Stunde?
pro Stunde means per hour. You can also ask Was kostet eine Stunde? (What does one hour cost?), which is equally correct.
3What does Kaution mean, and how might you ask about it?
Show a sample answer
Kaution means deposit. You can ask Wie hoch ist die Kaution? (How high is the deposit?).
Wie hoch ist die Kaution? is a common way to ask the amount. Brauche ich eine Kaution? (Do I need a deposit?) is also correct.
Memorize Wo kann ich ein Fahrrad mieten? and Was kostet die Miete pro Tag? These two questions cover most bike rental situations in German-speaking countries.
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