If you're preparing for the DGT theory test in English, road signs are where most people lose marks. There are hundreds of them, but they fall into five clear families. Learn the families first and the individual signs make far more sense.
The 5 families of Spanish road signs
Usually triangular with a red border and white background. They warn of a hazard ahead — bends, slippery road, animals, roadworks, level crossings.
Round with a red border. They tell you what you cannot do — no entry, no overtaking, speed limits, no parking, weight or height limits.
Round and blue. They tell you what you must do — turn direction, minimum speed, compulsory lanes for certain vehicles.
Who goes first. Includes STOP, give way (ceda el paso), priority road, and priority over oncoming traffic. Heavily tested at junctions and roundabouts.
Usually square or rectangular, often blue or green. Motorways, services, directions, place names, lane guidance and parking.
The signs people fail on most
- End-of-restriction signs — easy to confuse with the restriction itself.
- Priority road vs give-way priority — looks similar, means the opposite in some cases.
- Lane-assignment panels on motorways — which lane does what.
- Temporary roadworks signs — yellow background, override the normal ones.
- Newer 2026 signs — like the V-16 emergency beacon references.
Practise every sign in English
Coche Test includes all the official DGT road signs with explanations in English and Spanish. Drill them by category until nothing surprises you on exam day.
Start practising free →How to learn them fast
Don't try to memorise hundreds of signs at once. Learn the five families and what their shape and colour mean — then practise by category, reviewing the ones you get wrong until they stick. Because signs are the biggest topic on the exam, getting them solid early is the fastest route to a pass.
Ready to start? Practise the DGT signs free with Coche Test → Or read the full guide to the DGT test in English.