Colors in Spanish: A Beginner-Friendly Guide

Learning how to say and use colors in Spanish is one of the easiest ways to build vocabulary. Whether you’re describing a red apple (manzana roja) or looking for the blue marker (el marcador azul), color words show up everywhere—and they’re great for beginners.

This guide includes a full list of Spanish colors, pronunciation tips, and simple examples of how to use Spanish color words in real sentences. Whether you’re learning Spanish yourself or teaching it in the classroom, you’ll find easy, practical ideas for putting these words into action.

List of Spanish Colors (with Pronunciation)

Here’s a handy list of basic colors in Spanish, including English translations and pronunciation tips to help learners at any level.

Spanish	English	Pronunciation
Rojo	Red	ROH-hoh
Azul	Blue	ah-SOOL
Amarillo	Yellow	ah-mah-REE-yoh
Verde	Green	BEHR-deh
Naranja	Orange	nah-RAHN-hah
Morado	Purple	moh-RAH-doh
Negro	Black	NEH-groh
Blanco	White	BLAHN-koh
Gris	Gray	GREES
Rosado	Pink	roh-SAH-doh
Marrón / Café	Brown	mah-ROHN / kah-FEH
Celeste	Light blue	seh-LES-teh
Dorado	Gold	doh-RAH-doh
Plateado	Silver	plah-teh-AH-doh

 

Note: In Latin America, café is often used for “brown,” while marrón is more common in Spain. Likewise, rosado and rosa are both used for “pink,” depending on the region—rosado is especially common in Latin America.

How to Use Spanish Color Words in Sentences

Knowing the Spanish words for colors is useful—but being able to use them in real sentences is even better! Here are a few basics to keep in mind:

Grammar Rules:

1. Color adjectives go after the noun

• El coche rojo (The red car)
• La flor amarilla (The yellow flower)

2. In Spanish, many color adjectives must agree with the noun they describe in gender (masculine/feminine) and number (singular/plural). Some colors do not change based on gender—they stay the same whether the noun is masculine or feminine. However, they do change for singular/plural.

Colors that change based on gender:

Color	Masculine Example	Feminine Example
Rojo	El carro rojo (red car)	La flor roja (red flower)
Amarillo	El lápiz amarillo (yellow pencil)	La camisa amarilla (yellow shirt)
Negro	El perro negro (black dog)	La mesa negra (black table)
Blanco	El cuaderno blanco (white notebook)	La silla blanca (white chair)
Rosado	El globo rosado (pink balloon)	La falda rosada (pink skirt)

 

Colors that are gender-neutral:

Color	Masculine Example	Feminine Example
Verde	El libro verde (green book)	La planta verde (green plant)
Azul	El cuaderno azul (blue notebook)	La mochila azul (blue backpack)
Gris	El gato gris (gray cat)	La nube gris (gray cloud)
Marrón	El sombrero marrón (brown hat)	La chaqueta marrón (brown jacket)

 

Plural forms: Just add -es to make these colors plural when describing multiple objects. Example: Los libros verdes, Las mochilas azules

Sample Sentences:

• ¿Cuál es tu color favorito? (What’s your favorite color?)
• Mi cuaderno es azul. (My notebook is blue.)
• Quiero una camiseta blanca. (I want a white t-shirt.)
• Los globos son rojos y verdes. (The balloons are red and green.)
• Ella tiene un carro negro. (She has a black car.)
• El gato es gris y blanco. (The cat is gray and white.)
• Busco una mochila rosada. (I’m looking for a pink backpack.)
• Tus zapatos marrones son bonitos. (Your brown shoes are nice.)

Practicing with real-life objects helps reinforce the grammar naturally.

Tips to Memorize Color Words in Spanish

Looking for easy ways to help learners remember this vocabulary? Try one or two of these simple tricks:

• Color of the Day: Focus on one color at a time and ask students to find or draw things that match it.
• Sticky note labels: Label objects in your home or classroom with the Spanish color (puerta marrón, silla negra).
• Games like “Find something [Insert Color].” Call out colors and have students race to find matching items in the room.

Hands-on practice goes a long way in helping vocabulary stick!

Encourage Speaking with Short Spanish Phrases

Saying colors out loud is just as important as recognizing them. Here are a few fun, beginner-friendly ways to encourage speaking practice:

Use sentence starters and common phrases:

• Mi color favorito es… (My favorite color is…)
• Yo tengo una pluma rosada. (I have a pink pen.)
• Veo algo azul. (I see something blue.)
• ¿De qué color es? (What color is it?)
• Es de color verde. (It’s green.)
• ¿Te gusta el color rojo? (Do you like the color red?)
• Sí, me gusta mucho. (Yes, I like it a lot.)
• No me gusta el color gris. (I don’t like the color gray.)

Practicing with phrases like these builds both vocabulary and confidence, and makes it easier for learners to start using color words naturally in conversation.

Mastering the basic colors in Spanish opens the door to real communication—from describing everyday objects to expressing preferences. With this complete list of Spanish colors and easy grammar tips, learners can start building confidence and having fun with the language right away.

Keep this guide bookmarked—you’ll want to return to it as you introduce new words, build sentences, or find fresh ways to keep your Spanish lessons engaging.