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← Road signs by country

Stop signs around the world

Almost every country uses a red octagon, but the word on it changes, and that word is one of the fastest country clues there is. Here is what each country writes, with real street photos ringed on the sign.

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What stop signs say

Each card shows the word, the countries that use it and real photos of the sign. Tap a country to see all its road signs.

STOP sign in United States United States

STOP

The English word is used across Europe, North America, Oceania and much of Asia and Africa, even where the local language has its own word. Spain, Portugal, Russia and Greece all write STOP in Latin letters.

Also used in: Philippines, Vietnam

ALTO (stop) sign in Mexico Mexico

ALTO

Mexico and most of Central America write ALTO (halt). It is the quickest way to tell Mexico from Spain, which says STOP, and from South America, which says PARE.

Also used in: Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica

PARE (stop) sign in Brazil Brazil

PARE

Brazil, Argentina, Chile and much of South America write PARE. Brazil is the Portuguese-speaking one: look for Rua and Avenida on the street signs.

Also used in: Colombia, Peru

止まれ (tomare, stop) triangle in Japan Japan

止まれ

Japan's stop sign is a red triangle pointing down, not an octagon, with 止まれ (tomare, stop). Newer signs add STOP in English.

정지 (South Korea): South Korea writes 정지 (jeongji, stop) in Hangul on a red octagon, usually with STOP underneath.

DUR (Turkey): Turkey writes DUR, Turkish for stop.

停 (China, Taiwan): China and Taiwan write 停 (tíng, stop) on a red octagon.

قف (Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates): Many Arabic-speaking countries write قف (qif, stop), often with STOP alongside.

What give-way signs say

The upside-down triangle means give way (yield). A few countries write a word on it; most leave it blank.

徐行 (slow) triangle in Japan Japan

徐行

Japan's closest sign is a triangle pointing down with 徐行 (jokō, slow down).

Questions about stop signs

Which countries use ALTO on stop signs?

Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Spain uses STOP, and most of South America uses PARE.

Which countries say PARE on stop signs?

Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Peru, among others. In Brazil the other signs are in Portuguese; in the rest they are in Spanish.

What do stop signs say in Russia?

STOP, in Latin letters. The Cyrillic word СТОП is sometimes painted on the road in front of the sign.

Which country has a triangle stop sign?

Japan. Its stop sign is a red triangle pointing down with 止まれ (stop) written on it.

Which countries write CEDA EL PASO on give-way signs?

Argentina and Mexico write it on the triangle. In Spain the give-way sign has the same name but carries no words.

Road signs compared side by side, with look-alikes →