The basic colors in Spanish are essential vocabulary for describing the world around us. They are used in a wide range of contexts, from clothing and design to food and nature. Here are the core colors everyone should know:
- Red: rojo
- Blue: azul
- Yellow: amarillo
- Green: verde
- Black: negro
- White: blanco
- Orange: naranja
- Pink: rosa
- Purple: morado or violeta
- Brown: marrón or café
Most color words are adjectives and must agree in gender and number with the noun they describe (e.g., libro rojo, camisa roja, libros rojos, camisas rojas).
Basic Spanish colors include rojo (red), verde (green), and azul (blue). 'Rosado' is also a color (pink), but 'rosa' is the more common term used as a basic color.
The Spanish word for 'yellow' is 'amarillo'.
'Green' in Spanish is 'verde'.
Color Agreement in Spanish
In Spanish, color adjectives must agree with the noun in both gender and number:
| Color | Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red | rojo | roja | rojos | rojas |
| Blue | azul | azul | azules | azules |
| Yellow | amarillo | amarilla | amarillos | amarillas |
| Green | verde | verde | verdes | verdes |
Note: Some colors like azul, verde, and amarillo follow the same pattern as above, while others, like naranja, are invariable in the singular (naranja/naranjas).
- Example:
- El coche rojo (masc. sing.)
- La casa roja (fem. sing.)
- Los coches rojos (masc. pl.)
- Las casas rojas (fem. pl.)
The correct form is 'casas azules' due to plural and feminine agreement.
The feminine singular form of 'yellow' is 'amarilla'.
Azul and verde remain the same in masculine and feminine singular forms.
Colors as Nouns
Colors can also function as nouns in Spanish. When used this way, they often require the definite article and follow gender/number rules:
- El rojo (the red [color/male red one])
- La roja (the red one, feminine)
- Los azules (the blues)
- Las verdes (the greens)
Example:
- Me gusta el rojo. (I like red.)
- Prefiero las verdes. (I prefer the green ones.)
The correct phrase is 'Me gusta el rojo'.
'Los azules son populares.' is the correct translation.
'Las rosas' is the correct way to say 'the pink ones' (feminine).
Conclusion
Spanish basic colors are more than just words; they are key to understanding agreement, usage as nouns, and much more.
- Remember to match colors with the gender and number of nouns.
- Colors can be both adjectives and nouns.
- Learning colors opens doors to describing everything around you in Spanish!
'Coches rojos' is correct. The adjective must match in gender and number.
'Naranja' is the Spanish word for orange.