# DGT exam vocabulary: 208 Spanish words in English

DGT-style practice questions reuse the same Spanish road words again and again: in ruta's bank of 6,175 practice questions, vehículo appears in 1,660 and calzada in 852. Many of the words that trip up English speakers are close pairs, such as carril (a lane), calzada (the part of the road for vehicles) and carretera (a road outside towns), which an English dictionary can turn into one word: road.

## Start here: the 30 words that appear most

Each number is how many questions in our bank of 6,175 practice questions use the word. The last section explains how we count.

| Spanish | English | Questions |
| - | - | -: |
| vehículo | vehicle | 1,660 |
| conductor | driver | 1,467 |
| velocidad | speed | 1,298 |
| circular | to travel | 1,137 |
| vía | road | 968 |
| calzada | carriageway | 852 |
| señal | sign | 826 |
| sentido | direction | 672 |
| accidente | accident | 667 |
| carril | lane | 634 |
| prohibido | prohibited | 535 |
| conducir | to drive | 532 |
| distancia | distance | 498 |
| marcha | gear | 483 |
| motor | engine | 461 |
| luz | light | 453 |
| turismo | passenger car | 451 |
| circulación | traffic flow | 450 |
| riesgo | risk | 410 |
| visibilidad | visibility | 404 |
| adelantar | to overtake | 396 |
| tráfico | traffic | 390 |
| motocicleta | motorcycle | 384 |
| conducción | driving | 376 |
| obligatorio | mandatory | 374 |
| alcohol | alcohol | 334 |
| prioridad | priority | 311 |
| detenerse | to stop | 298 |
| cruce | junction | 279 |
| fatiga | fatigue | 273 |

Add up the question counts of all 208 words and you get 29,754. These 30 words account for 18,273 of them, about 61%, and the other 178 words share the rest.

To drill these words, use ruta's [vocabulary trainer](/vocabulary), which works from this list. It is part of the ruta app, which is in Spanish and needs an account. A free account gets 30 word reviews a day, and Pro has no daily limit.

## All 208 words, grouped by exam topic

Even if you take the exam in English, its photos show Spanish signs. ruta's practice questions are in Spanish too.

Each table runs from the most used word to the least used. Where a sign shows the idea, the English column links to that sign's page.

### Definitions (Definiciones): 4 words

| Spanish | English | Questions |
| - | - | -: |
| transporte | transport | 259 |
| ciclomotor | moped | 142 |
| travesía | through road | 56 |
| peatón | pedestrian | 47 |

### Use of the road (Uso de las vías): 12 words

| Spanish | English | Questions |
| - | - | -: |
| turismo | passenger car | 451 |
| circulación | traffic flow | 450 |
| remolque | trailer | 168 |
| combustible | fuel | 147 |
| distancia de seguridad | safe distance | 127 |
| autovía | divided highway, sign [S-1a](/en/signs/s-1a) | 105 |
| ciclista | cyclist, sign [P-22](/en/signs/p-22) | 60 |
| emisiones | emissions | 56 |
| luces de emergencia | hazard lights | 44 |
| firme | road surface | 38 |
| auriculares | headphones | 19 |
| congestión | congestion | 5 |

### Speed (Velocidad): 8 words

| Spanish | English | Questions |
| - | - | -: |
| velocidad máxima | maximum speed, sign [R-301](/en/signs/r-301) | 208 |
| autopista | controlled-access highway, sign [S-1](/en/signs/s-1) | 174 |
| titular | holder | 114 |
| velocidad mínima | minimum speed, sign [R-411](/en/signs/r-411) | 41 |
| límite | limit | 29 |
| luz de freno | brake light | 23 |
| semirremolque | semi-trailer | 23 |
| límite de velocidad | speed limit, sign [R-301](/en/signs/r-301) | 5 |

### Maneuvers (Maniobras): 29 words

| Spanish | English | Questions |
| - | - | -: |
| prohibido | prohibited | 535 |
| marcha | gear | 483 |
| visibilidad | visibility | 404 |
| adelantar | to overtake | 396 |
| emergencia | emergency | 260 |
| estacionar | to park | 249 |
| arcén | hard shoulder | 230 |
| parada | halt, sign [R-307](/en/signs/r-307) | 185 |
| adelantamiento | overtaking, sign [R-305](/en/signs/r-305) | 183 |
| intermitente | turn signal | 120 |
| marcha atrás | reversing | 100 |
| túnel | tunnel, sign [S-5](/en/signs/s-5) | 98 |
| incorporarse | to merge | 85 |
| cambio de sentido | U-turn, sign [R-304](/en/signs/r-304) | 75 |
| chaleco | high-visibility vest | 63 |
| avería | breakdown | 53 |
| desplazamiento | journey | 50 |
| autobús | bus | 47 |
| pendiente | slope | 47 |
| glorieta | roundabout, sign [P-4](/en/signs/p-4) | 37 |
| rebasar | to overtake | 34 |
| incorporación | merging | 33 |
| aceleración | acceleration | 28 |
| inmovilización | vehicle immobilization | 28 |
| doble fila | double parking | 27 |
| carril de aceleración | acceleration lane | 23 |
| vía pública | public road | 20 |
| bordillo | curb | 19 |
| carril bus | bus lane, sign [S-51](/en/signs/s-51) | 10 |

### Right of way (Prioridad de paso): 9 words

| Spanish | English | Questions |
| - | - | -: |
| prioridad | priority | 311 |
| ceder | to yield | 210 |
| prioridad de paso | right of way | 122 |
| camión | truck | 101 |
| vehículo prioritario | priority vehicle | 20 |
| refugio | pedestrian refuge | 19 |
| ambulancia | ambulance | 11 |
| bomberos | fire department | 10 |
| señal horizontal | road marking | 4 |

### Carrying people and goods (Transporte de personas y mercancías o cosas): 11 words

| Spanish | English | Questions |
| - | - | -: |
| obligatorio | mandatory | 374 |
| anchura | width, sign [R-204](/en/signs/r-204) | 144 |
| pasajero | passenger | 123 |
| altura | height, sign [R-205](/en/signs/r-205) | 80 |
| mercancías | goods | 76 |
| ruido | noise | 36 |
| normativa | regulations | 30 |
| mercancías peligrosas | dangerous goods, sign [R-108](/en/signs/r-108) | 28 |
| bicicleta | bicycle | 27 |
| conductor novel | novice driver | 22 |
| maletero | trunk | 19 |

### Vehicle lights and signaling (Alumbrado y señalización óptica de los vehículos): 10 words

| Spanish | English | Questions |
| - | - | -: |
| sentido contrario | oncoming | 264 |
| estacionamiento | parking, sign [R-308](/en/signs/r-308) | 223 |
| alumbrado | lighting | 212 |
| niebla | fog | 106 |
| luz antiniebla | fog light | 67 |
| humo | smoke | 49 |
| luz de posición | position light | 26 |
| matrícula | license plate | 23 |
| luz de carretera | high beams | 20 |
| luces de cruce | low beams | 8 |

### Signs (Señales): 32 words

| Spanish | English | Questions |
| - | - | -: |
| circular | to travel | 1,137 |
| vía | road | 968 |
| calzada | carriageway | 852 |
| señal | sign | 826 |
| sentido | direction | 672 |
| carril | lane | 634 |
| luz | light | 453 |
| motocicleta | motorcycle | 384 |
| detenerse | to stop | 298 |
| cruce | junction | 279 |
| salida | exit | 221 |
| intersección | intersection, sign [P-1](/en/signs/p-1) | 187 |
| dirección | direction | 167 |
| señalización | signage | 150 |
| semáforo | traffic light, sign [P-3](/en/signs/p-3) | 136 |
| agente | traffic officer | 120 |
| entrada | entry | 97 |
| obras | roadwork, sign [P-18](/en/signs/p-18) | 95 |
| detención | stop, sign [R-2](/en/signs/r-2) | 75 |
| longitudinal | lengthwise | 66 |
| paso a nivel | railroad crossing, sign [P-7](/en/signs/p-7) | 59 |
| marca vial | road marking | 52 |
| prohibición | prohibition | 44 |
| puente | bridge | 40 |
| señal vertical | vertical sign | 34 |
| ceda el paso | yield, sign [R-1](/en/signs/r-1) | 30 |
| carril reservado | reserved lane, sign [S-51a](/en/signs/s-51a) | 27 |
| carril reversible | reversible lane | 22 |
| ganado | livestock, sign [P-23](/en/signs/p-23) | 20 |
| triángulo | warning triangle | 7 |
| desnivel | level difference | 5 |
| curva peligrosa | dangerous curve, sign [P-13a](/en/signs/p-13a) | 3 |

### Documents (Documentación): 12 words

| Spanish | English | Questions |
| - | - | -: |
| permiso | license | 253 |
| responsable | liable | 76 |
| permiso de conducción | driver's license | 66 |
| puntos | points | 58 |
| inspección técnica | technical inspection | 53 |
| ley | law | 48 |
| infracción | offense | 39 |
| sanción | penalty | 26 |
| multa | fine | 20 |
| documento | document | 15 |
| grúa | tow truck | 6 |
| examen | exam | 5 |

### The driver's physical condition (Estado físico del conductor): 13 words

| Spanish | English | Questions |
| - | - | -: |
| conductor | driver | 1,467 |
| riesgo | risk | 410 |
| alcohol | alcohol | 334 |
| fatiga | fatigue | 273 |
| volante | steering wheel | 271 |
| somnolencia | drowsiness | 146 |
| drogas | drugs | 130 |
| alcoholemia | blood alcohol level | 124 |
| medicamentos | medication | 106 |
| teléfono móvil | cell phone | 55 |
| seguridad vial | road safety | 37 |
| zona urbana | built-up area | 30 |
| desvío | detour | 2 |

### Other road users (Otros usuarios): 7 words

| Spanish | English | Questions |
| - | - | -: |
| lesiones | injuries | 165 |
| giro | turn | 72 |
| zona peatonal | pedestrian zone, sign [S-30a](/en/signs/s-30a) | 28 |
| reglamento | regulation | 27 |
| paso de peatones | pedestrian crossing, sign [S-13](/en/signs/s-13) | 18 |
| carril bici | cycle lane | 17 |
| ángulo muerto | blind spot | 6 |

### Road hazards (Peligros de la vía): 17 words

| Spanish | English | Questions |
| - | - | -: |
| vehículo | vehicle | 1,660 |
| conducir | to drive | 532 |
| conducción | driving | 376 |
| nieve | snow, sign [P-34](/en/signs/p-34) | 88 |
| adherencia | grip | 80 |
| hielo | ice, sign [P-34](/en/signs/p-34) | 73 |
| curva | curve | 66 |
| deslumbramiento | glare | 44 |
| camino | road | 42 |
| aquaplaning | aquaplaning | 18 |
| arrancar | to start a vehicle | 17 |
| faros | headlights | 17 |
| derrape | skid | 10 |
| helada | frost | 7 |
| botiquín | first-aid kit | 4 |
| atasco | traffic jam | 3 |
| resbaladizo | slippery, sign [P-19](/en/signs/p-19) | 1 |

### The vehicle (El vehículo): 14 words

| Spanish | English | Questions |
| - | - | -: |
| distancia | distance | 498 |
| freno | brake | 169 |
| cinturón de seguridad | seat belt | 120 |
| rueda | wheel | 112 |
| parabrisas | windshield | 57 |
| frenada | braking | 43 |
| acelerador | accelerator pedal | 42 |
| rueda de repuesto | spare wheel | 35 |
| freno de mano | parking brake | 29 |
| neumático | tire | 24 |
| extintor | fire extinguisher | 15 |
| freno motor | engine braking | 10 |
| sillita | child seat | 10 |
| siniestro | crash | 10 |

### Accidents (Accidentes): 13 words

| Spanish | English | Questions |
| - | - | -: |
| velocidad | speed | 1,298 |
| accidente | accident | 667 |
| tráfico | traffic | 390 |
| casco | helmet | 138 |
| seguro | insurance | 118 |
| atropello | pedestrian run-over | 89 |
| auxilio | assistance | 80 |
| acera | sidewalk | 70 |
| herido | injured person | 49 |
| exceso de velocidad | speeding | 31 |
| policía | police | 19 |
| socorro | emergency help | 16 |
| trayecto | journey | 5 |

### Car maintenance (Mantenimiento del automóvil): 6 words

| Spanish | English | Questions |
| - | - | -: |
| motor | engine | 461 |
| gasolina | gasoline | 42 |
| contaminación | pollution | 20 |
| suspensión | suspension | 16 |
| testigo | warning light | 9 |
| prevención | prevention | 1 |

### Words without a topic: 11 words

| Spanish | English | Questions |
| - | - | -: |
| descenso | descent | 1 |
| educación vial | road safety education | 1 |
| carril de frenado | deceleration lane | 0 |
| casco urbano | town center | 0 |
| discapacitado | disabled person | 0 |
| fauna | wildlife, sign [P-24](/en/signs/p-24) | 0 |
| imprudencia | recklessness | 0 |
| invasión | encroachment | 0 |
| isla | traffic island | 0 |
| paso subterráneo | underpass | 0 |
| rotonda | roundabout, sign [P-4](/en/signs/p-4) | 0 |

## A carril sits inside a calzada, and a calzada is part of a carretera

Spain's traffic law defines these words in its annex of basic concepts.[^1] Learn them as a set, from the biggest to the smallest:

- **Carretera** (road): a paved public road outside a built-up area (poblado), except the stretches that run through a town, which are a travesía.[^1]
- **Calzada** (carriageway): the part of the road for vehicles. It is made up of a number of lanes.[^1] 852 questions in our bank use the word.
- **Carril** (lane): one lengthwise strip of the calzada, with or without painted lines, wide enough for one line of cars.[^1] 634 questions use it.
- **Arcén** (hard shoulder): the paved strip next to the calzada. Motor vehicles may use it only in exceptional circumstances.[^1]
- **Acera** (sidewalk): the strip of the road for pedestrians.[^1]

The law uses them together. A car driver "debe circular por la calzada y no por el arcén, salvo por razones de emergencia": drive on the carriageway, not on the hard shoulder, except in an emergency.[^2]

> **A carril is one lane, a calzada is all the lanes together, and a carretera is the whole road.** A question about the carril asks about one lane, not about the road.

## Turismo means car, and a parada is not parking

Two more traps come from words that look familiar.

- **Turismo** (passenger car): not tourism. The law defines it as a motor vehicle for carrying people, with at least four wheels and at most eight seats besides the driver's.[^1] 451 questions in our bank use it.
- **Detención** (stop): the vehicle stops because of an emergency, the traffic, or a rule, such as at a `STOP` sign R-2 (STOP).[^1]
- **Parada** (halt): the vehicle stops for less than two minutes, and the driver may not leave it.[^1]
- **Estacionamiento** (parking): any stop that is not a detención or a parada.[^1]

Signs follow the same split. R-307 (No stopping) bans both parada and estacionamiento, and R-308 (No parking) bans estacionamiento only.

> **Under two minutes with the driver staying is a parada. A stop that is neither a parada nor a detención is an estacionamiento.**

## The law says glorieta, not rotonda

Our list has two words for a roundabout, rotonda and glorieta, and the questions in our bank pick one: **rotonda appears in none of the 6,175 questions, singular or plural**, while glorieta appears in 37. Glorieta is also the legal word, defined in the same annex,[^1] and the name of the roundabout warning sign [P-4](/en/signs/p-4).

**Learn the word the question uses**, not only the one you hear in the street. For sign words, the [English sign directory](/en/signs) gives each sign's official Spanish name next to its English meaning.

## The top 30 words in example questions

Each of the 30 words comes with one question from our bank that uses it.

1. **vehículo**: vehicle.
   _El vehículo azul…_
2. **conductor**: driver.
   _Conductor es la persona…_
3. **velocidad**: speed.
   _Una velocidad elevada…_
4. **circular**: to travel.
   _Por esta vía deben circular…_
5. **vía**: road.
   _Por esta vía deben circular…_
6. **calzada**: carriageway.
   _La señal indica, calzada…_
7. **señal**: sign.
   _Esta señal…_
8. **sentido**: direction.
   _Esta señal indica dirección y sentido…_
9. **accidente**: accident.
   _Si presencia un accidente, debe…_
10. **carril**: lane.
    _En un carril reversible…_
11. **prohibido**: prohibited.
    _Está prohibido parar…_
12. **conducir**: to drive.
    _¿Cómo debe conducir con nieve?_
13. **distancia**: distance.
    _La distancia de reacción es…_
14. **marcha**: gear.
    _¿Se puede circular marcha atrás?_
15. **motor**: engine.
    _El motor, al actuar como freno, lo hace sobre…_
16. **luz**: light.
    _¿Qué luz obliga a detenerse?_
17. **turismo**: passenger car.
    _Se prohíbe conducir un turismo…_
18. **circulación**: traffic flow.
    _La circulación de peatones por autovía…_
19. **riesgo**: risk.
    _¿La velocidad es siempre un factor de riesgo?_
20. **visibilidad**: visibility.
    _En esta curva sin visibilidad, ¿está permitido adelantar?_
21. **adelantar**: to overtake.
    _Está prohibido adelantar…_
22. **tráfico**: traffic.
    _Los accidentes de tráfico…_
23. **motocicleta**: motorcycle.
    _Si conduce una motocicleta…_
24. **conducción**: driving.
    _La conducción preventiva es…_
25. **obligatorio**: mandatory.
    _¿Es obligatorio llevar este panel?_
26. **alcohol**: alcohol.
    _El alcohol puede…_
27. **prioridad**: priority.
    _¿Cuándo tienen prioridad los ciclistas?_
28. **detenerse**: to stop.
    _¿Qué luz obliga a detenerse?_
29. **cruce**: junction.
    _En este cruce, ¿qué se debe hacer?_
30. **fatiga**: fatigue.
    _El sueño y la fatiga…_

## Where the numbers come from

The list is a snapshot of ruta's vocabulary data as of 2026-11-05. Each entry reads as follows:

- **Questions**: the number of questions in our bank that contain the word in the question, in an answer option or, where the question has one, in its explanation. Each question counts once.
- **Exact word**: accents and capital letters are ignored, but other forms count separately. Carril's 634 does not include carriles, so read each number as a floor.
- **Example**: a sentence from the bank, usually the shortest question that uses the word. Most are question stems that end in "…", because the answer options follow in the exam.
- **Topic**: the exam topic of the example question, out of the 15 topics in our bank. Each word is filed under its example's topic, so a few words sit in unexpected places, like velocidad under accidents.
- **English**: ruta's own glossary, not a DGT translation. It uses the DGT's English exam wording where that is confirmed (carriageway, overtaking, hard shoulder) and American spelling elsewhere. ruta's sign pages use American pairs such as roadway.
- **Zero counts**: nine words in the list appear in no question as written, and the tables show them with 0. They and the two words whose only question has no topic make up the last table.

This list is also the glossary behind word translations in ruta. With a free account, you can tap a word in a practice question and see its English meaning when the word is on this list.

### What to take away

- A carril is one lane, a calzada is all the lanes for vehicles, and a carretera is the whole road outside towns.
- Turismo means passenger car, not tourism.
- A parada lasts under two minutes with the driver staying; anything else that is not a detención is an estacionamiento.
- The questions in our bank say glorieta, never rotonda.
- The counts are exact-word matches across 6,175 questions; plurals and other forms are not included.

[^1]: [BOE, RDL 6/2015, Ley sobre Tráfico, anexo I (Conceptos básicos), points 15, 55, 56, 58, 61, 63, 65, 71 and 80 to 82, consolidated text](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2015-11722), last updated June 26, 2026, retrieved November 5, 2026.

[^2]: [BOE, RDL 6/2015, article 16.1, consolidated text](https://www.boe.es/buscar/act.php?id=BOE-A-2015-11722#a16), retrieved November 5, 2026.