Ways to say it
| Spanish | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| señal de stop | /seɲal de stop/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| señal de alto | /seɲal de alto/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| señal de pare | /seɲal de paɾe/ (from spelling rules) | feminine |
| alto | /ˈalto/ | masculine |
| pare | /ˈpaɾe/ | masculine |
All the terms provided refer to the traffic sign that instructs drivers to come to a complete halt. Depending on the region and the level of formality, you will encounter different versions of this phrase.
Which one should you use?
The phrase señal de alto is a feminine noun phrase, whereas the single word alto can be used as a masculine noun to refer to the sign in certain contexts. Additionally, señal de stop is the standard term in Spain, while señal de alto is common in Mexico and parts of Central America and señal de pare is used in parts of Latin America such as Colombia and Venezuela.
Is it said differently in some regions?
señal de stop is the standard term in Spain. señal de alto is commonly used in Mexico and parts of Central America. señal de pare is used in some Latin American countries, such as Colombia and Venezuela. alto is used colloquially in countries like Argentina and Uruguay.
How does it change in a sentence?
señal de alto, señal de stop and señal de pare are all feminine nouns. Conversely, alto and pare are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/seɲal de stop/
Did you know?
- A driver in Spain will see STOP on the sign, but a driver in Mexico will see ALTO.
- The word alto in 'señal de alto' is actually a learned borrowing from the Latin word altus, which means 'high' or 'tall'.
Examples in context
- Tom no vio la señal de stop.Tom didn't see the stop sign.This sentence is useful for showing how to use señal de stop in a sentence about seeing the sign.Tatoeba #1598170 by teskmon, translation #1094664 by CK
- Una señal de alto en Japón tiene 3 lados, mientras que una señal de alto en los EE. UU. Tiene 8 lados.A stop sign in Japan has 3 sides, whereas a stop sign in the U.S. has 8 sides.This sentence is useful for comparing the shape of a señal de alto in different countries.Tatoeba #6764259 by UsuarioX, translation #246315 by papabear
- No vio la señal de stop en la intersección y chocó contra un auto que venía.He failed to see the stop sign at the intersection and hit an oncoming car.This sentence is useful for describing an accident involving a señal de stop.Tatoeba #855323 by cdani, translation #296217 by CK
- Al acercarme a la intersección, vi la señal de alto y detuve el auto.As I approached the intersection, I saw the stop sign and stopped the car.
- En esta esquina siempre se ignora el pare.At this corner, people always ignore the stop sign.
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
María and Alejandro are driving through a small town.
- MaríaTen cuidado con la próxima señal de stop.Be careful with the next stop sign.
- AlejandroYa la vi, María. Gracias por avisarme.I already saw it, María. Thanks for warning me.
- MaríaEs que esa señal de stop es muy pequeña.It is just that the stop sign is very small.
- AlejandroEs verdad, voy a frenar con calma.It's true, I am going to brake calmly.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “stop sign” translations and entries alto, pare, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries alto, de, pare, señal, stop, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
