10 Basic Colors In Spanish With Cultural Insights (+ Examples)

Learning the colors in any language is one of those first steps that can expand the way you speak and express yourself.

In this informative video from Spring Spanish, a project I co-founded, Maria Fernanda explains the various nuances of using colors in Spanish:

If you learn the basics, you’ll learn to describe people and objects better and even explain the details of every little thing.

1. Red in Spanish (Rojo)

The Spanish word for red is “rojo” (masculine) or “roja” (feminine), pronounced [ˈro.xo] and [ˈro.xa].

Imagine this exchange between two people:

• ¿Te gusta mi camisa roja? (Do you like my red shirt?)
• Sí, el color rojo te queda muy bien. (Yes, the red color suits you very well.)

Cultural Insight 📖
In Spanish-speaking countries, red is often associated with passion, love, and sometimes, anger. The red of the bullfighting arena is a symbol in their culture.

2. Blue in Spanish (Azul)

To use the color blue for describing anything, you would say “azul” [aˈsul].

Here’s a snippet of dialogue demonstrating the use of this color:

• Prefiero el cielo azul a los días nublados. (I prefer the blue sky to cloudy days.)
• A mí también, especialmente en la playa. (Me too, especially at the beach.)

Cultural Insight 📖
In countries like Argentina, the color blue (“azul“) can be connected to one of the most famous football teams, Boca Juniors, whose fans are famously known as ‘la 12‘ (the 12th player) due to their blue and yellow jerseys.

3. Green in Spanish (Verde)

The Spanish color for green is “verde” [ˈβeɾ.ðe], used for both masculine and feminine nouns, changing to “verdes” in the plural.

Observe how the color is used in this verbal exchange:

• El verde de los árboles me tranquiliza. (The green of the trees calms me.)
• Sí, el verde es un color muy relajante. (Yes, green is a very relaxing color.)

Cultural Insight 📖
In many Spanish-speaking countries, green represents nature and hope. Mexico’s flag prominently features green, symbolizing independence and hope for the future.

4. Black in Spanish (Negro)

“Negro” [ˈne.ɣɾo] is the Spanish word for black, modifying to “negra“, “negros“, or “negras” to agree with the noun in gender and number.

This is how the color might come up in a casual conversation:

• Quiero un coche negro, es más elegante. (I want a black car, it’s more elegant.)
• Tienes razón, pero los coches negros se calientan más en verano. (You’re right, but black cars get hotter in the summer.)

Cultural Insight 📖
Black in Spanish-speaking countries can symbolize mourning or solemnity – much like many other cultures. The traditional Andalusian dress, often black, is a striking example of elegance and cultural expression.

5. White in Spanish (Blanco)

The color white in Spanish is “blanco” [ˈblaŋ.ko], with its forms “blanca“, “blancos“, and “blancas“. It’s a color that’s often used to symbolize purity and peace in Spanish-speaking regions.

Here’s a real-world dialogue example featuring the color:

• Me gusta la nieve porque es tan blanca y pura. (I like the snow because it’s so white and pure.)
• Sí, el blanco da una sensación de calma. (Yes, white gives a sense of calm.)

Cultural Insight 📖
In Spain, white is often worn in festivals, such as the famous ‘Fiesta de San Fermín‘ where participants wear white outfits with red scarves.

6. Brown in Spanish (Marrón or café)

Brown in Spanish can be said as “marrón” [maˈron] or “café” [ˈka.fe], depending on the country. This is a case where the use depends on the country: different regions have different ways of using it.

To understand its use better, here’s a conversational example:

• Prefiero zapatos marrones en lugar de negros. (I prefer brown shoes over black ones.)
• Es verdad, el marrón es más versátil. (That’s true, brown is more versatile.)

Cultural Insight 📖
In many Latin American countries, brown is associated with the earth and agriculture, which are central to many of the region’s economies and way of life.

7. Purple in Spanish (Morado)

Purple, or “morado” [moˈɾa.ðo], changes according to gender and number like “morada“, “morados“, or “moradas“. It’s a hue that appears in festivities and has significant symbolism.

Here’s an example of how someone might use the color in conversation:

• La flor morada es hermosa. (The purple flower is beautiful.)
• Sí, el morado es un color muy real y místico. (Yes, purple is a very royal and mystical color.)

Cultural Insight 📖
In Spanish-speaking countries, purple is often associated with royalty and religion. During Holy Week, purple is worn to signify penance.

8. Orange in Spanish (Naranja)

The color orange can be a bit tricky as it has two different words: “naranja” [naˈɾaŋ.xa] or “anaranjado” [anaˈɾan.xa.ðo]. “Naranja” stays the same for masculine and feminine but changes for plural (“naranjas“), while “anaranjado” follows regular adjective rules.

Picture this conversational scenario with the color:

• ¿Te gusta el jugo de naranja? (Do you like orange juice?)
• Sí, y también me gusta llevar camisas anaranjadas. (Yes, and I also like wearing orange shirts.)

Cultural Insight 📖
“Anaranjado” is associated with creativity and enthusiasm in Latin cultures. During celebrations like ‘Día de los Muertos‘ in Mexico, orange is a prominent color, representing the marigold flowers that guide the spirits.

9. Yellow in Spanish (Amarillo)

To say yellow in Spanish, you use “amarillo” [amaˈri.ʎo], adjusting for gender and number: “amarilla“, “amarillos“, “amarillas“. It’s a color that pops up in many aspects of Spanish culture.

Let’s look at a typical conversation involving yellow in Spanish:

• Las flores amarillas siempre me alegran el día. (Yellow flowers always brighten my day.)
• Claro, el amarillo es un color tan alegre y vivo. (Of course, yellow is such a cheerful and lively color.)

Cultural Insight 📖
In Spain, yellow is sometimes considered bad luck, especially in the world of theater. But, it also represents the richness of gold and the sun in many Spanish-speaking nations.

10. Pink in Spanish (Rosa)

Pink in Spanish is “rosa” [ˈro.sa], and like “azul” and “verde“, it does not change with gender, only with number to “rosas“.

Envision this colloquial use of the color in a day-to-day chat:

• Mi hija quiere pintar su habitación de rosa. (My daughter wants to paint her room pink.)
• Es un color muy dulce y calmante para un dormitorio. (It’s a very sweet and calming color for a bedroom.)

Cultural Insight 📖
In Latin America, pink is often considered a traditional clothing and is a color for celebrations, symbolizing joy and femininity.

11. Spanish color chart – List of colors mentioned in the article

We went over the most important colors in Spanish. Now, below is a handy Spanish color chart to help you remember how to use these colors in sentences. All in one table!

Practice colors in Spanish often to speak this beautiful language more fluently!

12. Practice the Spanish colors!

Since we already mentioned practice… here’s a practice exercise for colors in Spanish!

And this is just part of the exercise! If you click the button below, you’ll get access to the full exercise, along with our Practice Worksheet Library for Spanish article.

13. Using basic colors in Spanish with Conversation Based Chunking Starter Pack

You’ve seen how colors are used in Spanish sentences, and you’ve had a glimpse into how they are a part of the very fabric of Spanish-speaking cultures.

Here’s a tip: you can take your understanding of these basic colors in Spanish to the next level with the Conversation Based Chunking method! This method teaches you language in lexical chunks or phrases, the same way you encounter them in real life. This is a great way to help you remember the correct use of Spanish color words.

Express yourself in Spanish with confidence, and add more color to your conversations!