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May 11, 2021 by Luis F. Dominguez Spanish Vocabulary 0 comments

The Definitive Guide to Traffic Signs in Spanish

If you’re planning to do a little road trip through Latin America, it’s wise to learn some of the most common traffic signs in Spanish. 

Some would say that traffic signs are universal, as most of them are understood without the need of words or translations. However, today you’ll learn that there’s more to traffic signs than what is apparent at a distance. 

Keep reading to discover who invented traffic signs and how they have evolved throughout the years, why it’s important that you study traffic signs in Spanish, and what different types of traffic signs exist. 

Finally, I introduce you to some of the most used traffic signs in Spanish, including images, and their equivalent names in English. 

Why You Should Learn About Traffic Signs in Spanish

It’s important that you study traffic signs in Spanish for two reasons mainly: 

  1. If you travel to a Spanish-speaking country, you may need to know what all these traffic signs mean. You’ll see in a moment that not all traffic signs mean the same in every country or language. 
  1. Learning a language implies covering as much vocabulary as possible from different areas of life. That’s why here at HSA we’ve been publishing ultimate vocabulary guides about topics as diverse as math, golf, or accounting, to name just a few.

See our Spanish Vocabulary Archives for all the topics we offer! 

traffic signs in Spanish

A Brief History of Traffic Signs

Apparently, traffic signs had a longer history than I would have expected. As with many other essential elements of our current civilization, Romans were the first ones to create traffic signs. They built spectacular roads (some of which are still in use) and traffic signs were needed to organize them properly, as everything else in Roman life. 

After the Romans, the evolution of traffic signs lulled until the late 19th century when the popularization of bicycles and improvement of roads called for updated traffic signs. By the start of the 20th century, and the invention of the car, it became clear that society needed more variety of traffic signs than those previously invented by the Romans. 

That’s why in 1935 the United States published the “Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices” (MUTCD), the first ever standardized system of traffic signs. The MUTCD is now followed in all of the Americas, Australia, and New Zealand. 

In 1968, the European nations signed a treaty to standardize their own system of traffic signs during the Convention of Vienna. This treaty has been adopted by 52 nations from Europe, Asia, and Africa. 

Traffic Signs in Spanish

The following is a selection of some of the most important traffic signs in Spanish, as used in the Western hemisphere following the MUTCD standards.  

Restrictive Signs

This type of sign includes a white background, red circle (except for the “Stop” and “Yield” signs), and black letters, numbers, and symbols. 

Here is a list of some of the main restrictive traffic signs in Spanish so you can get an idea of the consistent design. After the first five images, I provide only the name of the sign and its translation.

Alto – Stop

Alto sign

Ceda el paso – Yield

Ceda el paso

Límite de velocidad – Speed limit

traffic signs in Spanish

No estacionar – No parking

traffic signs in Spanish

Sólo vuelta derecha – Right turn only

traffic signs in Spanish
Sólo vuelta izquierdaLeft turn only
Circulación obligatoria Mandatory direction of traffic
Mantenga su derechaKeep right
Doble circulaciónTwo-way traffic
Altura máximaHeight limit
Anchura máximaWidth limit
Peso máximoWeight limit
No rebasarOvertaking prohibited
No pararNo stopping
Estacionamiento permitidoParking permitted
Vuelta a la derecha prohibidaRight turn prohibited
Vuelta a la izquierda prohibidaLeft turn prohibited
Vuelta en “U” prohibidaU-turn prohibited
Prohibido bicicletasPedal cycles prohibited
Prohibido vehículos pesadosHeavy vehicles prohibited
Cláxon prohibidoUse of audible signals prohibited
Vehículos motorizados prohibidosMotor vehicles prohibited
Motocicletas prohibidasMotorcycles prohibited
Prohibido seguir de frenteStraight ahead prohibited
Tractores prohibidosAgricultural vehicles prohibited
RevisiónInspection
Vehículos pesados mantener su derechaHeavy vehicles keep to the right lane
Prohibidos bicicletas, vehículos pesados y motocicletasPedal cycles, heavy vehicles and motorcycles prohibited

Preventive Signs

As their name suggests, preventive signs inform drivers to be careful and prepared for what’s ahead in the road. They come in a yellow background and black symbols. 

Peatones – Pedestrians

Peatones

Glorieta – Traffic circle ahead

Traffic circle ahead

Pendiente peligrosa – Steep hill ahead

Pendiente peligrosa

Topes – Bumpy road

Topes

Despeñamiento – Falling rocks

traffic signs in Spanish
Curva (izquierda)Curve (L)
Curva (derecha)Curve (R)
Camino sinuoso (izquierda)Winding road (L)
Camino sinuoso (derecha)Winding road (R)
Cruce de caminosCrossroads
Incorporación de tránsitoMerge ahead
Puente móvil Opening bridge
Superfície derrapanteSlippery road
Alto próximoStop ahead
EscolaresSchool
Cruce de ferrocarril Railroad crossing
SemáforoTraffic light ahead
BifurcaciónObstacle ahead
Termina camino divididoDivided road ends
Salida próximaExit ahead
Unión en “Y”Y-junction
GanadoAnimals
VadoRoad flooded
Ciclistas Cyclists
TractoresTractors
Estrechamiento simétricoRoad narrows
Superficie sueltaLoose road surface

Touristic and Services

These signs inform drivers about touristic spots or services along the road. They come with a blue background and white symbol (except for the “Hospital” sign).

Aeropuerto – Airport

traffic signs in Spanish

Estacionamiento – Parking zone

Estacionamiento

Parada de autobús – Bus stop

Parada de autobus

Estación de ferrocarril – Train station

Estación de ferrocarril

Hospital – Hospital

Hospital

Other Signs

Finally, I have to include the following two signs as they’re pretty common but don’t fit in any of the other categories. The first one is an example of direction signs that inform drivers about nearby towns and cities. The second one is a classic of traffic signs in Spanish due to its unique design in “X.”

Señalización de destino – Highway sign

traffic signs in Spanish

Cruce de ferrocarril – Crossbuck

traffic signs in Spanish

Drive Your Way in Spanish!

That’s right, now you’re ready to drive your way through Latin America. Make sure to practice these traffic signs in Spanish in real-life conversations, so when you visit a Spanish-speaking country you’ll be ready to roll!

Sign up for a free class with one of our certified, native Spanish-speaking teachers from Guatemala, and start talking about traffic signs in Spanish today!

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Luis F. Dominguez
Freelance Writer at Homeschool Spanish Academy
Luis F. Domínguez is a freelance writer and independent journalist interested in travel, languages, art, books, history, philosophy, politics and sports. He has written for Fodor’s, Yahoo!, Sports Illustrated, Telemundo, and Villa Experience, among other brands of print and digital media in Europe and North America.
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