One of the easiest and earliest words we ever learn to say in a foreign language is “color.” And, knowing the colors in English will make it simpler for you to communicate. Even though you don’t have to be familiar with every hue and shade, the more you do, the more precise your descriptions will be.
Once you have a basic understanding of color, you will be able to communicate with others by saying things like, “I like your blue t-shirt,” “I want white roses,” and “I would prefer this pair of shoes in purple.” In this guide, we will walk you through every color in the rainbow and its various shades.
But before we get into colors in English, it is crucial for you to understand why you need to learn them:
The ability to describe things is one of the main reasons why learning different colors in English is important. We need colors to paint a vivid picture of whatever we are describing, whether it’s while looking for new clothes at a clothing store or telling our best friend about the girl or guy we like.
In English, there are different dialects describing color differently:
– In American English, it’s spelled “color” and pronounced <kuh-lr>.
– In British English, it’s spelled “colour” and pronounced <kuh-luh>.
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Learn the color words in English
Purple
One of the most significant colors in English is purple. Learn the various shades of purple if you want to describe the color of some fruits, like grapes or plums, or the shade of lovely springtime flowers. If you are thinking about going purple, you can get ideas from the purple palette below since purple is also a popular nail and hair color.
| Shade of purple | Pronunciation |
| Lavender | /lævəndə/ |
| Purple | /pɜːpl̩/ |
| Violet | /vaɪələt/ |
| Grape | /ɡreɪp/ |
| Mauve | /məʊv/ |
| Mulberry | /mʌlbri/ |
| Plum | /plʌm/ |
| Lilac | /laɪlək/ |
| Indigo | /ɪndɪɡəʊ/ |
You can use different English learning apps to know more about different shades and colors. You need to look for multiple resources to expand your English knowledge.
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Orange
Orange is a vibrant and happy color that makes everyone happy. You will need to be familiar with these shades of orange if you want to describe the Caribbean sunset or the hues of different tropical fruits, like mangoes or papayas.
| Shade of orange | Pronunciation |
| Tangerine | /tændʒəriːn/ |
| Orange | /ɒrɪndʒ/ |
| Amber | /æmbə/ |
| Bronze | /brɒnz/ |
| Burnt Orange | /bɜːntɒrɪndʒ/ |
| Marmalade | /mɑːməleɪd/ |
| Mango | /mæŋɡəʊ/ |
| Rust | /rʌst/ |
| Papaya | /pəpaɪə/ |
Blue
One of those hues that we frequently use is blue. There are many different blue hues. Light blues like sky blue, blues with a hint of green like teal or turquoise, and dark blues like navy or midnight blue are all variations of the color blue.
| Shade of blue | Pronunciation |
| Royal Blue | /rɔɪəl bluː/ |
| Blue | /bluː/ |
| Turquoise | /tɜːkwɔɪz/ |
| Teal | /tiːl/ |
| Cyan | /saɪən/ |
| Sky Blue | /skaɪ blu:/ |
| Navy Blue | /neɪvi bluː/ |
| Baby Blue | /beɪbi blu:/ |
| Midnight Blue | /mɪdnaɪt bluː/ |
Red
Red is a color that evokes feelings of love, passion, and power. Similar to blue, red comes in a variety of hues, from dark shades like burgundy to vivid hues like crimson or scarlet. If you enjoy wearing lipstick, you probably already know about the various red hues.
| Shade of red | Pronunciation |
| Burgundy | /bɜːɡəndi/ |
| Red | /red/ |
| Cherry | /tʃeri/ |
| Crimson | /krɪmzn̩/ |
| Brick Red | /brɪk red/ |
| Blood Red | /blʌd red/ |
| Maroon | /məruːn/ |
| Berry | /beri/ |
| Scarlet | /skɑːlət/ |
If you want to use colors in your conversations, you need to learn English vocabulary. Words are the building blocks of any language. Learn English words to structure your sentences and convey your meaning.
Yellow
Yellow is an upbeat color that makes people happy and joyful. It has a wide range of hues, from muted yellows like light yellow and cream to vibrant ones like lemon or canary.
| Shade of yellow | Pronunciation |
| Lemon | /lemən/ |
| Yellow | /jeləʊ/ |
| Cream | /kriːm/ |
| Canary | /kəneəri/ |
| Chartreuse | /ʃɑːtrɜːz/ |
| Gold | /ɡəʊld/ |
| Light Yellow | /laɪtjeləʊ/ |
| Sand | /sænd/ |
| Mustard | /mʌstəd/ |
Brown
The primary inspirations for the shades of the adaptable color brown’s names come from coffee, nuts, and chocolate. So, if you enjoy both coffee and chocolate, you may already be familiar with the various brown hues.
| Shade of brown | Pronunciation |
| Caramel | /kærəməl/ |
| Brown | /braʊn/ |
| Sepia | /siːpɪə/ |
| Chestnut | /tʃesnʌt/ |
| Chocolate | /tʃɒklət/ |
| Almond | /ɑːmənd/ |
| Cedar | /siːdə/ |
| Coffee | /kɒfi/ |
| Walnut | /wɔːlnʌt/ |
Pink
Pink is the color of hope. It is a comforting color that promotes tranquility. Its hues range from bright hues with purple and red undertones, like magenta or strawberry, to vivid ones with orange-like hues, like peach and coral.
| Shade of pink | Pronunciation |
| Peach | /piːtʃ/ |
| Pink | /pɪŋk/ |
| Coral | /kɒrəl/ |
| Rouge | /ruːʒ/ |
| Magenta | /mədʒentə/ |
| Salmon | /sæmən/ |
| Blush | /blʌʃ/ |
| Hot Pink | /hɒt pɪŋk/ |
| Strawberry | /strɔːbri/ |
Green
The color of nature is green. Looking out of our window, we see green trees; inside our home, green plants provide fresh air; and while working at the office, we dream of green palm trees. Due to its adaptability, green comes in a wide range of hues. The color scheme of various shades of green below will probably appeal to those who love the color green.
| Shade of green | Pronunciation |
| Sage | /seɪdʒ/ |
| Green | /ɡriːn/ |
| Jade | /dʒeɪd/ |
| Seafoam | /si:fəʊm/ |
| Lime | /laɪm/ |
| Forest | /fɒrɪst/ |
| Olive | /ɒlɪv/ |
| Emerald | /emərəld/ |
| Mint | /mɪnt/ |
Black
Black is often thought of as a dramatic color, but in branding, it is regarded as the pinnacle of luxury, elegance, mystery, and power. There are numerous shades of black as well, but they are all very similar.
| Shade of black | Pronunciation |
| Ebony | /ebəni/ |
| Black | /blæk/ |
| Cool Black | /ku:lblæk/ |
| Ink | /ɪŋk/ |
| Obsidian | /əbsɪdɪən/ |
| Jet Black | /dʒetblæk/ |
| Charcoal | /tʃɑːkəʊl/ |
| Onyx | /ɒnɪks/ |
| Midnight | /mɪdnaɪt/ |
White
White is a subtle, elegant color with many lovely shades that is used in interior design, fashion, or graphic design, despite the fact that it may seem uninteresting. Knowing the various white hues may be useful when selecting drapes and bed linens for your bedroom, painting your home, or shopping for a new wardrobe.
| Shade of white | Pronunciation |
| Beige | /beɪʒ/ |
| White | /waɪt/ |
| Ivory | /aɪvəri/ |
| Eggshell | /eɡʃel/ |
| Coconut | /kəʊkənʌt/ |
| Pearl | /pɜːl/ |
| Bone | /bəʊn/ |
| Alabaster | /æləbɑːstə/ |
| Off white | /ɒfwaɪt/ |
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Conclusion
It takes time and effort to become familiar with the colors in English and their shades. But it is always fun learning them. The majority of the color names can be learned in a matter of minutes using the proper techniques, after which you will have no trouble remembering them all.
We hope that this guide has assisted you in becoming familiar with the various colors and shades used in English.
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