Shades, Hues

Shades, hues, and tints in French vocabulary, covering how to describe variations of colors including lighter, darker, and more specific tones.

Understanding how to describe different shades and hues of colors in French allows for more precise and vivid descriptions. This section covers the vocabulary for lighter, darker, and more specific color variations, including common prefixes and examples.

Color Modifiers

In French, color modifiers are adjectives or prefixes that adjust the base color to indicate lighter, darker, or more intense shades.

French Modifier	English Modifier	French Example	English Example
clair/claire	light	bleu clair	light blue
foncé/foncée	dark	rouge foncé	dark red
pâle	pale	jaune pâle	pale yellow
vif/vive	bright	vert vif	bright green
profond/profonde	deep	bleu profond	deep blue
pastel	pastel	rose pastel	pastel pink
brillant/brillante	bright/shiny	jaune brillant	bright yellow
terne	dull	couleur terne	dull color
saturé/saturée	saturated	rouge saturé	saturated red
métallique	metallic	argent métallique	metallic silver

___ means pale in French and does not change with gender.

Which French word means 'pale' and is invariable in color descriptions?

clair

pâle

foncé

vif

pâle

'pâle' means pale and is invariable, so it stays the same for masculine and feminine nouns.

___ means dark in French when describing colors.

What is the French modifier for 'dark' when describing colors?

clair

foncé (masc.) / foncée (fem.)

pâle

vif

foncé (masc.) / foncée (fem.)

'foncé' (masculine) and 'foncée' (feminine) are used to indicate a dark shade in French color descriptions.

Specific Shades

Here are some common French terms for specific shades that often come up in color descriptions.

French Shade	English Shade	French Example	English Example
écarlate	scarlet	rouge écarlate	scarlet red
pourpre	purple	robe pourpre	purple dress
saumon	salmon	saumon fumé	smoked salmon
turquoise	turquoise	mer turquoise	turquoise sea
lavande	lavender	fleur de lavande	lavender flower
corail	coral	rouge corail	coral red
bordeaux	burgundy	vin de bordeaux	burgundy wine
ocre	ochre	peinture ocre	ochre paint
indigo	indigo	jean indigo	indigo jeans
émeraude	emerald	pierre d’émeraude	emerald stone

Forming Color Phrases

In French, adjectives often follow the noun. When using a shade or hue, the full color phrase describes the noun.

Noun + Color Phrase	English Translation	French Example	English Example
une robe bleu clair	a light blue dress	Elle porte une robe bleu clair.	She is wearing a light blue dress.
une voiture rouge foncée	a dark red car	J’ai une voiture rouge foncée.	I have a dark red car.
un mur jaune pâle	a pale yellow wall	Le mur est jaune pâle.	The wall is pale yellow.
des fleurs rose vif	bright pink flowers	Elles ont des fleurs rose vif.	They have bright pink flowers.
un pull vert profond	a deep green sweater	Il porte un pull vert profond.	He’s wearing a deep green sweater.

Using “de” + Color

For more complex or poetic descriptions, French sometimes uses “de” + color instead of the adjective form.

French Phrase	English Translation	French Example	English Example
une jupe de couleur lavande	a lavender-colored skirt	Elle a une jupe de couleur lavande.	She has a lavender-colored skirt.
des murs de teinte ocre	ochre-toned walls	Les murs de teinte ocre sont chauds.	The ochre-toned walls are warm.
un pull de ton saumon	a salmon-tone sweater	Il porte un pull de ton saumon.	He’s wearing a salmon-tone sweater.
une robe de nuance turquoise	a turquoise-hued dress	C’est une robe de nuance turquoise.	It’s a turquoise-hued dress.

Common Mistakes

French color agreement can be tricky. Here are some tips:

Mistake	Explanation	Correct Form
bleu clair (blue clear)	Modifier follows noun, “clair” agrees with “bleu” (masc.)	bleu clair (masc.) / bleue claire (fem.)
rouge foncé (red dark)	“foncé” agrees with noun gender	rouge foncé (masc.) / rouge foncée (fem.)
jaune pâle (yellow pale)	“pâle” is invariable	jaune pâle (both masc. and fem.)
vert vif (green bright)	“vif” agrees with noun gender	vert vif (masc.) / verte vive (fem.)
rose pastel (pink pastel)	“pastel” is invariable	rose pastel (both masc. and fem.)

Understanding these patterns will help you describe colors more naturally in French.

Is 'pâle' variable or invariable in French color descriptions?

variable

invariable

changes to 'pâlee' (fem.)

becomes 'pâles' in plural

invariable

'pâle' does not change form for gender; it remains the same for masculine and feminine singular.

English Modifier: light
English Example: light blue

French