The "Describing Color" page covers German vocabulary and grammar for talking about colors in more detail. It includes words for shades and tints, phrases for combining and comparing colors, and example sentences to show how color descriptions fit into everyday conversation.
Shades and Tints
This section covers German words for common modifiers that change or specify colors, such as light, dark, bright, and pastel.
German Shades and Tints
| German Singular | German Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Example Sentence (German) | Example Sentence (English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| hell | hellen | light | lights | Sie trägt ein helles Blau. | She is wearing a light blue. |
| dunkel | dunklen | dark | darks | Der dunkle Rotton ist sehr intensiv. | The dark shade of red is very intense. |
| bunt | bunten | bright / colorful | brights / colorf. | Das Bild ist sehr bunt. | The picture is very colorful. |
| pastell | pastellfarben | pastel | pastels | Ich mag pastellfarbene Kleidung. | I like pastel-colored clothes. |
| kräftig | kräftigen | strong / vivid | strong / vivid | Die Farben sind sehr kräftig. | The colors are very vivid. |
| blass | blassen | pale | pales | Ihr Gesicht ist blass. | Her face is pale. |
| schimmernd | schimmernden | shimmering | shimm. | Die Stoffe sind schimmernd. | The fabrics are shimmering. |
| matt | matten | matte | mattes | Der Lack hat eine matte Oberfläche. | The paint has a matte surface. |
| glanz | glänzend | glossy / shiny | glossies | Der Lack ist glänzend. | The paint is glossy. |
| verblasst | verblassten | faded | faded | Die Farbe ist verblasst. | The color is faded. |
Combining Colors
This section introduces phrases that let you describe mixed or combined colors in German.
German Phrases for Combining Colors
| German Phrase | English Phrase | Example Sentence (German) | Example Sentence (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| gemischt mit | mixed with | Blau gemischt mit Weiß ergibt Hellblau. | Blue mixed with white creates light blue. |
| kombiniert mit | combined with | Rot kombiniert mit Schwarz sieht elegant aus. | Red combined with black looks elegant. |
| in Kombination mit | in combination with | Gelb in Kombination mit Blau ergibt Grün. | Yellow in combination with blue creates green. |
| überlagert mit | overlaid with | Das Bild ist mit Gold überlagert. | The picture is overlaid with gold. |
| durchzogen von | streaked with | Das Haar ist durchzogen von roten Strähnen. | The hair is streaked with red strands. |
| schattiert mit | shaded with | Der Stoff ist schattiert mit Dunkelgrün. | The fabric is shaded with dark green. |
| getönt mit | tinted with | Das Glas ist getönt mit Blau. | The glass is tinted with blue. |
| versehen mit | adorned with | Die Vase ist versehen mit blauen Mustern. | The vase is adorned with blue patterns. |
| kombiniert aus | composed of | Der Farbton ist kombiniert aus Rot und Gelb. | The shade is composed of red and yellow. |
| abgestuft in | graduated in | Das Bild ist abgestuft in mehreren Blautönen. | The painting is graduated in several shades of blue. |
Red combined with black looks elegant.
Rot kombiniert mit Schwarz sieht elegant aus.
The phrase «kombiniert mit» means 'combined with.' Thus, 'Rot kombiniert mit Schwarz' correctly means 'Red combined with black.' The other combinations do not convey the same meaning.
Color-Related Adjectives
This section covers German adjectives commonly used when describing colors, including those for texture, appearance, and intensity.
German Color-Related Adjectives
| German Adjective | English Adjective | Example Sentence (German) | Example Sentence (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| farbig | colored | Das Papier ist farbig. | The paper is colored. |
| einfarbig | solid-colored | Sie trägt ein einfarbiges Kleid. | She is wearing a solid-colored dress. |
| gestreift | striped | Der Pullover ist blau-weiß gestreift. | The sweater is blue and white striped. |
| kariert | checkered | Das Hemd ist rot kariert. | The shirt is red checkered. |
| gefleckt | spotted | Der Hund ist schwarz-weiß gefleckt. | The dog is black and white spotted. |
| glänzend | shiny | Die Schuhe sind glänzend schwarz. | The shoes are shiny black. |
| matt | matte | Der Lippenstift hat einen matten Ton. | The lipstick has a matte shade. |
| transparent | transparent | Das Material ist transparent und farblos. | The material is transparent and colorless. |
| leuchtend | luminous | Die Farben sind sehr leuchtend. | The colors are very luminous. |
| blass | pale | Sie hat einen blassen Teint. | She has a pale complexion. |
Using Colors in Sentences
This section shows how to properly use color words in German sentences, including correct adjective endings and examples of natural color descriptions.
Examples of Using Colors in German
| Example Sentence (German) | Example Sentence (English) |
|---|---|
| Das Kleid ist rot. | The dress is red. |
| Ich habe einen blauen Pullover. | I have a blue sweater. |
| Die Wände sind hellgelb gestrichen. | The walls are painted light yellow. |
| Er trägt eine dunkelgrüne Jacke. | He is wearing a dark green jacket. |
| Die Blumen sind in verschiedenen Farben. | The flowers are in various colors. |
| Der Stuhl ist aus dunkelbraunem Holz. | The chair is made of dark brown wood. |
| Wir brauchen weißen und schwarzen Stoff. | We need white and black fabric. |
| Der Himmel ist heute wolkenlos und blau. | The sky is cloudless and blue today. |
| Meine Lieblingsfarbe ist Türkis. | My favorite color is turquoise. |
| Das Geschenkpapier ist bunt gemustert. | The wrapping paper is colorfully patterned. |
The chair is made of dark brown wood.
Der Stuhl ist aus dunkelbraunem Holz.
The noun 'Holz' is neuter singular in the dative case after 'aus,' so the adjective takes the '-em' ending: 'dunkelbraunem Holz.' Other endings do not match this grammatical context.
Common Color Shades
This section provides German names for common color shades that appear frequently in conversation and writing.
German Names for Common Color Shades
| German Shade | English Shade | Example Sentence (German) | Example Sentence (English) |
|---|---|---|---|
| hellblau | light blue | Er trägt ein hellblaues Hemd. | He is wearing a light blue shirt. |
| dunkelblau | dark blue | Das Meer wirkt dunkelblau. | The sea appears dark blue. |
| karminrot | carmine red | Das Kleid ist karminrot. | The dress is carmine red. |
| weinrot | wine red | Sie hat weinrote Lippen. | She has wine-red lips. |
| smaragdgrün | emerald green | Der Schmuck ist smaragdgrün. | The jewelry is emerald green. |
| lindgrün | pale green | Der Raum ist lindgrün gestrichen. | The room is painted pale green. |
| goldgelb | golden yellow | Die Blätter sind goldgelb. | The leaves are golden yellow. |
| rostbraun | rust brown | Der Mantel ist rostbraun. | The coat is rust brown. |
| silbergrau | silver gray | Das Auto ist silbergrau lackiert. | The car is painted silver gray. |
| altrosa | dusty pink | Sie trägt ein Kleid in Altrosa. | She is wearing a dress in dusty pink. |
Color Idioms and Expressions
This section introduces common German idioms and expressions that use color words, helping learners understand figurative language.
Common German Color Idioms
| German Idiom | English Idiom | Literal Translation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rot sehen | See red | to see red | to become very angry |
| Blau machen | Play hooky | to do blue | to skip work or school |
| Grün hinter den Ohren sein | Be green behind the ears | to be green behind the ears | to be inexperienced |
| Jemandem gelb vor Augen werden | To see yellow before one's eyes | to see yellow before one's eyes | to feel faint or dizzy |
| Etwas schwarz auf weiß haben | Have something in black and white | something black on white | to have something written down officially |
| Eine graue Maus sein | Be a gray mouse | to be a gray mouse | to be unremarkable or shy |
| Alles in Butter | Everything in butter | everything in butter | everything is fine |
| Das kommt unter die Rubrik ... | That falls under the category ... | that comes under the heading ... | that belongs to the category ... |
| Jemandem einen roten Teppich ausrollen | Roll out the red carpet for someone | roll out the red carpet for someone | to treat someone with special honor |
| Sich schwarz ärgern | Be black angry | to be black angry | to be very upset |
What is the meaning of the German idiom 'Grün hinter den Ohren sein'?
to be inexperienced
'Grün hinter den Ohren sein' literally means 'to be green behind the ears' and refers to someone who is inexperienced or naive.
Conclusion
By learning these additional color-related words and phrases, you'll be able to describe colors more precisely and naturally in German. You can talk about shades, mix and match colors, use descriptive adjectives, and even understand common color idioms. Keep practicing these examples to build your confidence in describing color in everyday conversation.
Flashcards (1 of 60)
- English Singular: light
- English Plural: lights
- Example Sentence (English): She is wearing a light blue.
Last updated: Wed Jun 18, 2025
