Basic colors in Spanish, including traditional color names, plural forms, and example sentences to help you describe the world around you.
Learning basic color vocabulary is an essential step in any language journey. In Spanish, colors can be singular or plural, and they often agree in gender with the nouns they describe. This guide covers the most common color words, their plural forms, and examples for natural usage.
Traditional Color Names
These are the fundamental color words in Spanish, used across all Spanish-speaking regions.
| Singular (Sing./Plural) | English (Sing./Plural) | Singular Example (Spanish) | Singular Example (English) | Plural Example (Spanish) | Plural Example (English) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rojo/rojos (m.) | red/reds | El coche es rojo. | The car is red. | Los coches son rojos. | The cars are red. |
| roja/rojas (f.) | red/reds | La flor es roja. | The flower is red. | Las flores son rojas. | The flowers are red. |
| azul/azules | blue/blues | El cielo es azul. | The sky is blue. | Los zapatos son azules. | The shoes are blue. |
| verde/verdes | green/greens | La hoja es verde. | The leaf is green. | Las hojas son verdes. | The leaves are green. |
| amarillo/amarillos (m.) | yellow/yellows | El limón es amarillo. | The lemon is yellow. | Los globos son amarillos. | The balloons are yellow. |
| amarilla/amarillas (f.) | yellow/yellows | La mariposa es amarilla. | The butterfly is yellow. | Las mariposas son amarillas. | The butterflies are yellow. |
| negro/negros (m.) | black/blacks | El gato es negro. | The cat is black. | Los gatos son negros. | The cats are black. |
| negra/negras (f.) | black/blacks | La noche es negra. | The night is black. | Las noches son negras. | The nights are black. |
| blanco/blancos (m.) | white/whites | El papel es blanco. | The paper is white. | Los papeles son blancos. | The papers are white. |
| blanca/blancas (f.) | white/whites | La nube es blanca. | The cloud is white. | Las nubes son blancas. | The clouds are white. |
___ es azul.
How do you say 'The sky is blue' in Spanish?
El cielo
'El cielo es azul' means 'The sky is blue.' 'Cielo' is masculine, so it uses 'el'.
Gender and Number Agreement
In Spanish, color adjectives agree in gender and number with the nouns they describe. Colors ending in -o have four forms (m. singular/plural, f. singular/plural), while colors not ending in -o have only two forms (singular/plural).
| Color Ending | Forms | Example Singular (m./f.) | Example Plural (m./f.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| -o (e.g., rojo) | rojo/roja/rojos/rojas | El sombrero rojo. / La camisa roja. | Los sombreros rojos. / Las camisas rojas. |
| (consonant or -e, e.g., azul) | azul/azules | El libro azul. / La mesa azul. | Los libros azules. / Las mesas azules. |
Countable Color Nouns
When talking about "reds," "blues," etc., plural forms are used. These can refer to people, objects, or even teams by color.
| Singular (Sing.) | Plural (Plur.) | Example Singular | Example Plural |
|---|---|---|---|
| rojo | rojos | El rojo ganó. | Los rojos ganaron. |
| azul | azules | El azul es intenso. | Los azules son claros. |
| verde | verdes | El verde es fresco. | Los verdes son brillantes. |
Sample Sentences with Colors
Using color words in simple sentences helps solidify understanding. Here are some basic structures:
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| El libro es rojo. | The book is red. |
| La silla es azul. | The chair is blue. |
| Mi camiseta es blanca. | My T-shirt is white. |
| Los coches son negros. | The cars are black. |
| Las flores son amarillas. | The flowers are yellow. |
Conclusion
Building a strong foundation in basic color vocabulary opens the door to more descriptive and expressive Spanish. Remember to match the color endings with the gender and number of the nouns for natural-sounding sentences.
How do you form the plural of color adjectives that end in '-o'?
Add -s to 'o' for masculine (rojos) and change 'a' to -as for feminine (rojas)
For colors ending in '-o' (like rojo), the masculine plural adds '-s' (rojos), and the feminine changes '-a' to '-as' (rojas).
Flashcards (1 of 15)
- Singular (Sing./Plural): rojo/rojos (m.)
- English (Sing./Plural): red/reds
- Singular Example (English): The car is red.
- Plural Example (English): The cars are red.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
