DÉCODE / IN ENGLISH / THE THEORY TEST
The French driving theory test, explained.
The épreuve théorique générale, which everyone just calls the code, is the multiple-choice exam you pass before the practical driving test. It is taken in French. If French is not your first language, the exam is really two exams stacked on top of each other: the driving rules, and the French they are written in. This page explains the first one and shows you how Décode handles the second.
The format
Twenty seconds sounds short, and it is. That time pressure is why translating questions in your head during the exam does not work: by the time you have translated the prompt, the clock is gone. The rules have to be automatic, and the exam vocabulary has to be familiar before you walk in. Questions can have one or several correct answers, and you only score the point when you select exactly the right set.
The 10 themes
Every question in the exam belongs to one of ten official families. Here they are, with their French names, because you will meet those names everywhere:
Road traffic rules · La circulation routière
Signs, priority, speed, overtaking: the biggest theme by far.
The driver · Le conducteur
Alcohol, drugs, fatigue, distractions, attitude behind the wheel.
The road · La route
Night driving, rain, fog, snow, motorways.
Other road users · Les autres usagers
Pedestrians, cyclists, e-scooters, trucks, buses, emergency vehicles.
General knowledge · Les notions diverses
Licence points, permit categories, paperwork.
First aid · Les premiers secours
What to do at an accident scene, in the right order.
Entering and leaving the vehicle · Prendre et quitter son véhicule
Installation, mirrors, getting out safely.
Mechanics and equipment · La mécanique et les équipements
Tyres, brakes, warning lights, mandatory equipment.
Passenger and vehicle safety · La sécurité des passagers et du véhicule
Seatbelts, children, loading, driver aids.
The environment · L'environnement
Eco-driving and how your choices affect consumption.
How to prepare when French is not your first language
Learn each rule in English first, so you actually understand it, then attach the French words to a rule you already know. That is the whole idea behind Décode: every lesson, every road sign and every practice question carries a full English explanation next to the French.
Then close the vocabulary gap on purpose. A surprisingly small set of exam words does most of the damage: words like chaussée, accotement, or the difference between arrêt and stationnement. The vocabulary page collects them with plain-English definitions and example sentences.
Finally, train under real conditions. The mock exam uses the real format: 40 questions, 20 seconds each, 35 to pass. Sit it until passing feels boring. When you review your mistakes, the explanations are there in English.
ONE HONEST NOTE
The real exam bank belongs to the French state and is not public. No app has the actual questions, whatever their marketing says. Décode is training material aligned with the official syllabus (conforme au référentiel officiel): what preparation gives you is the rules, the reflexes and the vocabulary, and that is enough to pass.
START HERE
Follow the guided path from the home page, or jump straight into the mock exam to see where you stand. Free, no ads, no paid tier.