How do I learn California road signs in my language?
Learn each sign’s meaning in your own language, then the English words it carries. Signs on California roads are in English, but most of their meaning is in the shape and the colour, which mean the same thing in every language.
Shape tells you what kind of sign it is
An eight-sided sign is a stop sign and nothing else. A downward-pointing triangle means yield. A diamond warns of something ahead. A rectangle usually states a rule, and a five-sided sign marks a school zone or crossing.
Colour tells you how to read it
Red means stop or not allowed. Yellow warns. Orange marks road work. Green gives directions, blue points to services, and brown to parks and recreation. White signs with black lettering state rules.
The English words worth knowing
A handful of words appear again and again: STOP, YIELD, ONE WAY, DO NOT ENTER, WRONG WAY, NO TURN ON RED, SPEED LIMIT. Knowing these in English is part of knowing the sign.
How DMV Prep teaches signs
Each sign is shown with its meaning in your language and the handbook passage behind it, and a sign test checks what you remember. The first signs are free.
Quick answers
Are road-sign questions part of the knowledge test?
Yes. The handbook covers road signs, and the test is drawn from the handbook.
Will I see signs in my language on the road?
No. Signs on California roads are in English, which is why the shapes, colours and key English words matter.
Content comes from the 2026 edition of the California Driver Handbook, published by the California DMV. This app is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the California DMV.
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