VocabTally

Spanish Colors Vocabulary: 11 Color Words

Choose the right shade when shopping, describing a picture or talking about clothes. These eleven colors include forms you will hear in different countries, plus the agreement patterns that turn a color list into useful descriptions.

11 Color Words

Black vocabulary illustration
Spanish

negro

English

black

Blue vocabulary illustration
Spanish

azul

English

blue

Brown vocabulary illustration
Spanish

marrón

English

brown

Green vocabulary illustration
Spanish

verde

English

green

Gray vocabulary illustration
Spanish

gris

English

gray

Orange vocabulary illustration
Spanish

naranja

English

orange

Pink vocabulary illustration
Spanish

rosado

English

pink

Purple vocabulary illustration
Spanish

morado

English

purple

Red vocabulary illustration
Spanish

rojo

English

red

White vocabulary illustration
Spanish

blanco

English

white

Yellow vocabulary illustration
Spanish

amarillo

English

yellow

Color words in context

Use these sentences to connect color words with situations you can picture.

  1. El bolso negro está en la mesa.The black bag is on the table.
  2. El cielo está azul hoy.The sky is blue today.
  3. Busco un cinturón marrón.I am looking for a brown belt.
  4. La puerta verde está abierta.The green door is open.
  5. El abrigo gris es muy cómodo.The grey coat is very comfortable.
  6. Prefiero la camiseta naranja.I prefer the orange T-shirt.
  7. El vestido rosado está en oferta.The pink dress is on sale.
  8. Lleva un vestido morado.She is wearing a purple dress.
  9. El semáforo está rojo.The traffic light is red.
  10. El mantel blanco está limpio.The white tablecloth is clean.
  11. El lápiz amarillo está en el cajón.The yellow pencil is in the drawer.

Talking about colors

Color adjectives often follow the noun. Match endings where needed, and add claro or oscuro when a basic color is not specific enough. When describing several objects, notice the plural too: azul becomes azules, while gris becomes grises.

Es de color…

It is … in color.

El bolso es de color rojo.The bag is red in color.

Busco algo…

I am looking for something…

Busco algo azul.I am looking for something blue.

Prefiero el…

I prefer the … one.

Prefiero el abrigo negro.I prefer the black coat.

Combina con…

It goes with…

El gris combina con el blanco.Grey goes with white.

Choosing paint for a kitchen

  1. Ana¿Qué color quieres para la cocina?What color do you want for the kitchen?
  2. LuisMe gusta el amarillo, pero es muy intenso.I like yellow, but it is very intense.
  3. Ana¿Y un verde claro?What about a light green?
  4. LuisSí, combina con las sillas blancas.Yes, it goes with the white chairs.
  5. AnaEntonces dejamos la puerta marrón.Then we leave the door brown.
  6. LuisPerfecto, así no cambiamos todo.Perfect, that way we do not change everything.

Word families

Blanco → blanquear → blanquecino connects white, whitening and whitish. Rojo → rojizo → enrojecer links red, reddish and turning red. Verde → verdoso connects green with greenish. One color root unlocks several descriptions: una pared verdosa is a greenish wall; enrojecer describes turning red.

Words people mix up

Negro is black; oscuro means dark, so azul oscuro is dark blue rather than black. Naranja can be a color or an orange fruit. El naranja refers to the color, while una naranja is a piece of fruit.

Spain vs Latin America

Marrón is common for brown in Spain; café is also common in parts of Latin America. Rosa and rosado both describe pink, with rosa especially common in Spain and rosado frequent in Latin America.

Common phrases

  • rojo oscurodark red
  • verde clarolight green
  • en blanco y negroin black and white
  • ponerse rojoto turn red

Memory tips

Picture the double l in amarillo as two yellow pencils standing side by side. Rosado starts with rosa, rose: picture a pink rose. Morado shares mora, blackberry: imagine purple blackberry juice staining a white cloth and leaving a dark purple mark.

FAQ

Do Spanish colors change gender?

Many do, including rojo/roja and blanco/blanca. Azul, verde and gris do not change for gender, though they can change for number.

How do you say brown in Spanish?

Marrón is a common word for brown. Café is another widely used option in parts of Latin America.

How do you say light blue in Spanish?

Azul claro means light blue. Azul oscuro means dark blue.

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negro

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