Colors in Spanish Red, Purple, Beige, and More

Like other adjectives, names of the common colors in Spanish must agree with the nouns they describe in both gender and number. However, in most cases, names of colors come after the nouns they describe, not before as in English. Additionally, the names of some of the more unusual colors in Spanish are given a unique treatment. Names for the basic colors in Spanish behave the same way as other adjectives do: They come after the noun they refer to and must match it in number and gender.Less common colors can be formed by using de color, color de, or simply color followed by the name of the color.If a noun such as cereza (cherry) or naranja (orange) is used as a color by itself, many speakers do not modify it for number or gender. Names of Common Spanish Colors Here are some common colors: amarillo: yellowanaranjado: orangeazul: blueblanco: whitedorado: goldengris: graymarrà ³n: brownnegro: blackpà ºrpura: purplerojo: redrosado: pinkverde: green Note that the form of these Spanish colors will change depending on the number and gender of whats being described: Tengo un coche amarillo. (I have one yellow car.)Tiene dos coches amarillos. (He has two yellow cars.)Tienes una flor amarilla. (You have a yellow flower.)Tenemos diez flores amarillas. (We have ten yellow flowers.) The Grammar of Color in Spanish The most common colors are used in the same way as other adjectives. However, almost any suitable noun can be used as the name for a color, in at least four different ways. For example, here are four ways you could say cherry-colored car. (A car is un coche and a cherry is una cereza.) coche cerezacoche color de cerezacoche de color cerezacoche color cereza Similarly, a coffee-colored shirt could be camisa de color cafà ©, camisa color de cafà ©, camisa color cafà ©, and camisa cafà ©. The choice will depend on the region and speaker. However, nouns that are frequently used as color (such as cereza or cafà ©) are more likely to be used alone. Here are some nouns that are commonly used as colors in this way, although numerous others can be used: beige, beis: beigecereza: cherry-coloredchocolate: chocolate-coloredesmerelda: emeraldgrana: dark redhumo: smokylila: lilacmalva: mauvemostaza: mustard-colorednaranja: orangeoro: goldpaja: straw-coloredrosa: pinkturquesa: turquoisevioleta: violet When a noun is used by itself in such a way, it is often still treated as a noun rather than an adjective, so it doesnt change form as adjectives typically do. (Some grammarians consider nouns used in this way to be invariable adjectives—adjectives that dont change for number or gender.) Thus, mustard-colored houses would likely be casas mostaza, not casas mostazas (although the latter could also be used). However, the more often a noun is used as a color, the more likely it is to be treated as a regular adjective—one that changes in number with the noun being described. Often, however, different speakers will disagree. Compound Colors Compound colors are those that are preceded by descriptors like light and dark, such as light blue and dark blue. In Spanish, the most common words for those specific terms are claro and oscuro, respectively, used to form compound colors such as azul claro and azul oscuro. The compound colors are invariable, meaning they dont change with number or gender. Sample Sentences Showing Color Usage Casi la mitad de los estadounidenses tenà ­an ojos azules. (Almost half of U.S. residents have blue eyes.)La sangre puede tener un color rojo brillante o casi negruzco dependiendo del nivel de oxà ­geno. (Blood can have a brilliant red color or almost blackish, depending on the oxygen level.)Està ¡ rodeado por uvas color de ajenjo. (It is surrounded by absinthe-colored grapes.)Te presentamos los diferentes estilos de uà ±as color de vino. (Were showing you the different styles of wine-colored fingernails.)Las hortalizas de hojas verde oscuro son fuentes importantes de carotenos. (Vegetables with dark-green leaves are important sources of carotenes.)