Glossary
Essential Italian driving terms with English translations
🇮🇹Italiano
Argomento
🇬🇧English
Chapter/Topic
Each exam section is called an 'argomento'
🇮🇹Italiano
Patente
🇬🇧English
Driver's License
The main document you're working towards
🇮🇹Italiano
Segnale
🇬🇧English
Traffic Sign
General term for any road sign
🇮🇹Italiano
Divieto
🇬🇧English
Prohibition
Signs with red circles indicate prohibitions
🇮🇹Italiano
Obbligo
🇬🇧English
Obligation/Requirement
Blue circular signs indicate mandatory actions
🇮🇹Italiano
Precedenza
🇬🇧English
Right of Way
Critical for understanding intersection rules
🇮🇹Italiano
Sorpasso
🇬🇧English
Overtaking
Technical term for passing another vehicle
🇮🇹Italiano
Fermata
🇬🇧English
Stop/Station
Can mean bus stop or the act of stopping
🇮🇹Italiano
Sosta
🇬🇧English
Parking
Distinguish from 'fermata' (temporary stop)
🇮🇹Italiano
Carreggiata
🇬🇧English
Roadway
TRAP WORDThe paved driving surface only
🇮🇹Italiano
Corsia
🇬🇧English
Lane
TRAP WORDA single lane within the roadway
🇮🇹Italiano
Strada
🇬🇧English
Road
TRAP WORDThe entire road including shoulders
🇮🇹Italiano
Ovvero
🇬🇧English
Or
TRAP WORDOften mistranslated as 'i.e.' or 'that is'
🇮🇹Italiano
Svincolo
🇬🇧English
Interchange
TRAP WORDHighway exit/entrance ramp
🇮🇹Italiano
In prossimità
🇬🇧English
Near
Indicates proximity to something
🇮🇹Italiano
In corrispondenza
🇬🇧English
At / Upon
Indicates being at a specific location
🇮🇹Italiano
Salvo diversa segnalazione
🇬🇧English
Unless otherwise signaled
Common legal phrasing in traffic rules
🇮🇹Italiano
Allorché
🇬🇧English
When
TRAP WORDArchaic word for 'when'
🇮🇹Italiano
Qualora
🇬🇧English
If / When
TRAP WORDFormal conditional word
🇮🇹Italiano
Aderenza
🇬🇧English
Grip / Traction
Essential for Safety and Tires chapters
🇮🇹Italiano
Autocarro
🇬🇧English
Truck / Lorry
Often confused with Autoveicolo (any motor vehicle)
🇮🇹Italiano
Cilindrata
🇬🇧English
Engine Displacement (cc)
Used to distinguish between moped and motorcycle categories
🇮🇹Italiano
Cronotachigrafo
🇬🇧English
Tachograph
The device that records driving hours (Category B/C/D)
🇮🇹Italiano
Distanza di Sicurezza
🇬🇧English
Safe Following Distance
The gap you must keep from the vehicle in front
🇮🇹Italiano
Increspatura
🇬🇧English
Rippling / Unevenness
Used to describe 'Strada deformata' (damaged roads)
🇮🇹Italiano
Inquinamento
🇬🇧English
Pollution
Major topic in Chapter 24 (Environmental protection)
🇮🇹Italiano
Massa a pieno carico
🇬🇧English
Maximum Authorized Mass
Total weight of car + passengers + cargo
🇮🇹Italiano
Pannello integrativo
🇬🇧English
Additional Panel
The small white signs under the main signs
🇮🇹Italiano
Sospensioni
🇬🇧English
Suspension
Technical term for the vehicle's shock absorbers
🇮🇹Italiano
Uscita di strada
🇬🇧English
Running off the road
A specific type of accident mentioned in safety questions
🇮🇹Italiano
Banchina
🇬🇧English
Shoulder
The unpaved area beside the roadway
🇮🇹Italiano
Marciapiede
🇬🇧English
Sidewalk
Pedestrian walking area
🇮🇹Italiano
Intersezione
🇬🇧English
Intersection
Where two or more roads meet
🇮🇹Italiano
Rotatoria
🇬🇧English
Roundabout
Circular intersection with specific rules
🇮🇹Italiano
Passaggio a livello
🇬🇧English
Level Crossing
Where road crosses railway tracks
🇮🇹Italiano
Dosso
🇬🇧English
Hill Crest
Top of a hill with limited visibility
🇮🇹Italiano
Cunetta
🇬🇧English
Dip
Depression in the road surface