Describing color in Spanish, including vocabulary for common colors, adjectives for shades and intensity, and how to make color descriptions using simple phrases.
Describing color is a fundamental skill in Spanish that helps you talk about everything from clothing and objects to art and nature. This section covers the essential color vocabulary, how to customize descriptions with shades and intensity, and simple sentence structures for talking about color in everyday situations.
This section introduces the most common color words in Spanish, covering basic colors that appear in everything from conversation to reading. These colors are essential building blocks for any description.
| Spanish Singular | Spanish Plural | English Singular | English Plural | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rojo/roja | rojos/rojas | red | reds | Tengo una camisa roja. | I have a red shirt. |
| azul | azules | blue | blues | Los cielos son azules. | The skies are blue. |
| amarillo/amarilla | amarillos/amarillas | yellow | yellows | Ella tiene un sombrero amarillo. | She has a yellow hat. |
| verde | verdes | green | greens | Me gustan las manzanas verdes. | I like green apples. |
| negro/negra | negros/negras | black | blacks | El gato es negro. | The cat is black. |
| blanco/blanca | blancos/blancas | white | whites | La mesa es blanca. | The table is white. |
| naranja | naranjas | orange | oranges | Compré una naranja. | I bought an orange. |
| rosa | rosas | pink | pinks | Quiero un vestido rosa. | I want a pink dress. |
| morado/morada | morados/moradas | purple | purples | Ella tiene zapatos morados. | She has purple shoes. |
| gris | grises | gray | grays | El coche es gris. | The car is gray. |
Spanish has simple adjectives that can be added before or after color words to describe shades (like light or dark) and intensity (like bright). This lets you be more specific about the exact color.
| Spanish | English | Spanish Example | English Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| claro/a | light | azul claro | light blue |
| oscuro/a | dark | verde oscuro | dark green |
| brillante | bright | rojo brillante | bright red |
| pastel | pastel | rosa pastel | pastel pink |
| intenso/a | intense | azul intenso | intense blue |
| apagado/a | dull | amarillo apagado | dull yellow |
| vivo/a | vivid | naranja vivo | vivid orange |
| suave | soft | color suave | soft color |
| profundo/a | deep | morado profundo | deep purple |
| metálico/a | metallic | gris metálico | metallic gray |
Now that you know the vocabulary, these common Spanish phrases will help you build complete color descriptions. They work for everything from simple sentences to more detailed observations.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| es de color … | is the color … |
| tiene color … | has the color … |
| está pintado de … | is painted … |
| parece … | looks like … |
| es … (adjective) | is … |
| tiene un tono … | has a … shade/tone |
| es … y … | is … and … |
| el/la … es … | the … is … |
| se ve … | looks … |
| tiene … de color | has … color |
Here are some examples to see all the pieces in action. You can swap out the color words and adjectives to make your own sentences.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| La camisa es roja. | The shirt is red. |
| El coche es azul oscuro. | The car is dark blue. |
| Tengo una flor rosa pastel. | I have a pastel pink flower. |
| El gato negro tiene ojos verdes. | The black cat has green eyes. |
| La pared está pintada de blanco. | The wall is painted white. |
| Ella lleva un vestido amarillo brillante. | She’s wearing a bright yellow dress. |
| Los lápices tienen colores vivos. | The pencils have vivid colors. |
| El vestido es de un tono azul suave. | The dress is a soft blue shade. |
| Mis zapatos son gris metálico. | My shoes are metallic gray. |
| La fruta parece naranja y roja. | The fruit looks orange and red. |
In Spanish, color adjectives must match the gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural) of the noun they describe. This is a key grammar rule for accurate color descriptions.
| Singular Masculine | Singular Feminine | Plural Masculine | Plural Feminine | Example (Singular Masculine) | Example (Singular Feminine) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| rojo | roja | rojos | rojas | El coche rojo | La casa roja |
| azul | azul | azules | azules | El vestido azul | La blusa azul |
| verde | verde | verdes | verdes | El árbol verde | La hoja verde |
| amarillo | amarilla | amarillos | amarillas | El sombrero amarillo | La bolsa amarilla |
| negro | negra | negros | negras | El gato negro | La gata negra |
- Essential color vocabulary includes basic colors like rojo, azul, verde, and more.
- Use adjectives like claro, oscuro, brillante, and pastel to describe shades and intensity.
- Common phrases like “es de color…”, “tiene color…”, and “se ve…” help create complete descriptions.
- Always match color adjectives to the noun’s gender and number for correct grammar.
- Practice by mixing different colors, shades, and sentence structures to build confidence.
Flashcards (1 of 40)
- English Singular: red
- English Plural: reds
- English Example: I have a red shirt.
Last updated: Thu Jun 12, 2025
