Photo: Jeangagnon, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Quebec road signs use French wording and pictograms, so a few French words matter for the SAAQ knowledge test and for daily driving. The red octagon says “Arrêt” (stop), the yield sign is a red-bordered triangle with no words, and orange signs mean roadwork. This guide translates the French words you will see and explains the colour system, based on the Government of Quebec’s sign pages. It is part of the Quebec learner driver guide.
French words on Quebec road signs, translated
| French on the sign | English | Where you see it |
|---|---|---|
| Arrêt | Stop | Red octagonal stop sign. Also on flag persons’ hand-held signs in roadwork zones (which may say “Arrêt” or “Stop”) |
| Préparez-vous à arrêter | Prepare to stop | Yellow warning signs with amber beacons before traffic lights, railway crossings, queues or oversized truck entrances |
| Lentement | Slowly / slow | Orange diamond on the back of a flag person’s sign in a roadwork zone |
| Fin | End | Tab under a school zone sign, marking where the zone ends |
| Excepté dépassement | Except when passing | On the uphill passing lane sign: keep to the far right lane unless overtaking on the left |
| Exempt | Exempt | Railway crossing sign telling vehicles that normally must stop (such as buses) that they need not stop |
Is the Quebec yield sign in French?
No. The yield sign is a red triangle with a white triangle inside and no wording. It means you must give the right of way to vehicles on the priority road. A variant tells you to yield to oncoming traffic where there is not room for two-way traffic, for example at roadwork.
Stop signs and all-way stops
The “Arrêt” sign means you must stop at the intersection. When drivers from every direction must stop, a tab under each “Arrêt” sign shows the layout of the intersection. Where there is no “Arrêt” sign or traffic light, drivers and cyclists must stop for a pedestrian who enters a pedestrian crosswalk.
What the colours mean
| Colour | Type | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| White, black or red | Regulatory: obligations and prohibitions | Arrêt, yield, prohibited direction, crosswalk, parking |
| Yellow | Warning: obstacle or danger ahead | Steep grade, lane ends, curves, Préparez-vous à arrêter |
| Yellow-green | School zones | Pentagon with schoolchildren; “Fin” tab at the end |
| Orange | Roadwork | Temporary speed limit, flag person ahead, detour, road closed |
| Blue, brown, yellow, red or green | Guide: destinations, services, information | Hospital, ferry, freeway names |
School zone signs
- A yellow-green sign warns that you are approaching a school zone or crossing; a pentagon-shaped one marks the start of the zone.
- The speed limit in a school zone may not exceed 50 km/h during the school year.
- Speeding fines double in a school zone during the school year: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday, September to June.
Roadwork zone signs
- Orange signs show distances to work, temporary speed limits, flag persons, closed lanes and detours.
- Speeding fines are doubled in roadwork zones.
- Obey the flag person: a raised hand with “Arrêt”/“Stop” sign (or an orange flag with a yellow X) means stop; the “Lentement” side, or a flag waved up and down, means slow down.
- A sign may warn that the work zone is monitored by mobile photo radar.
Warning signs worth knowing for the test
- Steep grade: shows a truck and a percentage. The higher the percentage, the steeper the hill.
- Chevron alignment: marks a sharp curve, generally where you need to slow by at least 35 km/h (5 km/h on freeways).
- Hazard markers: the oblique lines point to the side you should pass the obstacle on.
- Lane ends versus roadway narrows: the first means fewer lanes, so change lanes; the second means a narrower road with the same number of lanes.
Parking signs
Quebec parking signs show where parking is banned or allowed, reserved spaces for people with disabilities (permit required) and electric vehicle charging spaces. A “no parking in winter” sign works with orange lights: when the lights are on, parking is banned. Tab signs underneath add details such as towing or permit exemptions. When parking, stay within 30 cm of the curb and face the direction of traffic.
How to study Quebec signs
- The SAAQ knowledge test has a whole section on road signs and traffic signals. See the SAAQ knowledge test guide.
- The Government of Quebec offers free road sign posters (in French) and a full directory of Quebec traffic control devices, the Répertoire des dispositifs de signalisation routière du Québec.
- Testing in English? See taking the SAAQ tests in English.
Common questions
What does “Arrêt” mean on a Quebec sign?
Stop. It is the French word on Quebec’s red octagonal stop sign.
Are Quebec stop signs ever in English?
The standard Quebec stop sign reads “Arrêt”. Flag persons’ hand-held signs may read “Arrêt” or “Stop”.
What does “Préparez-vous à arrêter” mean?
Prepare to stop. When its amber beacons flash, the lights or crossing ahead are about to stop traffic.
What does a yellow-green sign mean?
A school zone. Slow down; speeding fines double during the school year.
Why are some signs orange?
They mark roadwork. Temporary speed limits on orange signs are enforceable, and speeding fines double.
Sources
- Government of Quebec, “Regulatory signs” (quebec.ca)
- Government of Quebec, “Warning signs” (quebec.ca)
- Government of Quebec, “Guide signs” (quebec.ca)
- Government of Quebec, “School zone signs and signals” (quebec.ca)
- Government of Quebec, “Signs and signals in a roadwork zone” (quebec.ca)
- Government of Quebec, “Rules for parking a vehicle on the road” (quebec.ca)
- SAAQ, “Quick Reference Guide: Obtaining a passenger vehicle driver’s licence (Class 5)” (saaq.gouv.qc.ca)