Driving Exam Vocabulary: Kinyarwanda, English, French
The Rwanda theory exam and its study materials move between Kinyarwanda, English and French. If you study in one language but read a question in another, small vocabulary gaps can cost you the answer. Here are the terms that appear most often — learn them in all three languages.
Essential driving exam vocabulary
| Kinyarwanda | English | Français |
|---|---|---|
| amategeko y'umuhanda | traffic rules / the highway code | le code de la route |
| ibimenyetso by'umuhanda | road signs | les panneaux routiers |
| umuvuduko | speed | la vitesse |
| umuvuduko ntarengwa | speed limit | la limitation de vitesse |
| impamyabushobozi y'ubushoferi | driving license | le permis de conduire |
| ikizamini | exam / test | l'examen |
| hagarara | stop | s'arrêter (stop) |
| tanga umwanya | give way / yield | cédez le passage |
| kwamagana | prohibited (sign category) | interdiction |
| kuburira | warning (sign category) | avertissement |
| kumenyesha | informative (sign category) | indication |
| kwirenza | to overtake | dépasser |
| intara | distance | la distance |
| ingwate | helmet | le casque |
| intanda z'umutekano | seatbelt | la ceinture de sécurité |
| ikaraware / rond-point | roundabout | le rond-point |
| ibihano | penalties / fines | les amendes / sanctions |
| umupolisi w'umuhanda | traffic police officer | l'agent de la circulation |
Why this matters in the exam
- Sign categories: the exam asks whether a sign “prohibits”, “warns” or “informs” — know those three verbs in your exam language (and the others too).
- Sign text: regulatory signs in Rwanda use English text (STOP, GIVE WAY) — connect them to their Kinyarwanda equivalents so recognition is instant.
- Switching mid-course: our app lets you switch language anytime — practicing the same question in two languages is one of the fastest memory techniques there is.
How to memorize the vocabulary fast
- Read the table once per day for a week — five minutes each time.
- Self-test: cover two columns and recall them from the third.
- Then do practice questions with the app set to a different language than usual — the terms lock in within days.
Vocabulary is the cheapest exam advantage you can buy yourself: it costs minutes a day and removes an entire category of confusion on exam day.
Prepare with real exam questions
Practice with 1,000+ real Rwanda driving theory exam questions, road signs and timed mock tests — free to start.
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