Colors in French
Colors are French adjectives that you should learn by heart. Obviously, the number of colors and shades is very important, to express yourself correctly with any French-speaking person, mastering the vocabulary of a dozen colors should be enough!
Here is a non-exhaustive list of colors in French and their meaning in French
| French color | English translation |
|---|---|
| Noir | Black |
| Blanc | White |
| Rouge | Red |
| Vert | Green |
| Bleu | Blue |
| Jaune | Yellow |
| Orange | Orange |
| Gris | Grey |
| Marron | Brown |
| Violet | Purple |
| Rose | Pink |
Specify color shades in French
DARK / LIGHT / BRIGHT
The terms "foncé" (dark), "clair" (light), "vif" (bright) will be very useful if you need to give more details about the color you are talking about.
These terms should be placed after the name of the color to indicate its chromatic intensity.
For example, "bleu foncé" means dark blue, "bleu clair" means light blue, and "bleu vif" means bright blue.
THE -ISH SUFFIX
The suffix -âtre at the end of an adjective gives it an uncertainty. When attached to a color, this suffix shows that the color is not clear, not really well defined. In French we use the suffix -ish in the same sense. It can be a color that is tinged with another color, like a blue-green, or an orange-red.
- Aujourd’hui le ciel st bleuâtre: Today, the sky is bluish.
- Le lac de Lugano est verdâtre: The Lugano lake is greenish.
- Ta peau est jaunâtre aujourd’hui: Your skin is yellowish today.
Discover new words to learn in French with the help of our other revision sheets: do you know all the French adjectives?