Knowing your colors in French is essential to describe anything.
Today, we will learn sixty French color names, Iâll explain the rules of French color adjectives rules and give you many examples using the French clothing vocabulary.
60 French Color Names
You wouldnât believe the names for colors I found⊠Pretty much everything is possible. Yet here is a list of colors Iâve heard⊠So I would say pretty common colors in French.
In bold are the essential colors in French. If you just one to learn the main ones, learn these.
abricot | apricot |
ambre | amber |
améthyste | amethyst |
ardoise | slate-grey |
argent (argenté) | silver |
aubergine | eggplant |
blanc (blanche) | white |
bleu | blue |
brique | brick-red |
brun | brown |
café | coffee |
canari | canary yellow |
caramel | caramel |
cerise | cherry red |
champagne | champagne |
chocolat | chocolate-brown |
citron | lemon-yellow |
corail | coral |
Ă©bĂšne | ebony |
emeraude | emerald green |
framboise | raspberry |
grenat | garnet |
incarnat | crimson red |
indigo | indigo |
ivoire | ivory |
jade | jade |
jaune | yellow |
kaki | khaki |
lavande | lavender |
lilas | lilac |
marine | navy |
marron | brown |
noir | black |
noisette | hazel |
ocre | ochre |
olive | olive-green |
or (doré) | gold |
orange | orange |
paille | straw-colored |
pastel | pastel |
pĂȘche | peach |
pie | piebald, black and white |
pistache | pistachio-green |
prune | plum |
rose | pink |
rouille | rust-colored |
rouge | red |
rubis | ruby red |
sable | sand-colored |
safran | saffron-colored |
saphir | sapphire-blue |
saumon | salmon-pink |
sépia | sepia |
tabac | tobacco brown |
tomate | tomato red |
topaze | topaz |
turquoise | turquoise |
vermillon | vermillion |
vert | green |
violet (violette) | purple |
More French colors? Iâll direct you to the list of French color names on wikipedia (without translation but with swatches so itâs perfectly clear!)
Color Adjectives Agreements in French
Like any French adjectives, color adjectives will agree in number (singular or plural) and gender (feminine or masculine) with the noun they modify.
Unlike English, French color adjective go after the noun.
- Des cravates noires â black ties:
Ties is feminine plural in French so you add an âeâ and and âsâ to the regular adjective ânoirâ.
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Invariable French Color Adjectives
However some color adjectives are invariable, meaning they will never change spelling (they wonât agree with the noun they modify).
1 â đđđ·
Adjectives coming from nouns of fruits, precious stones or flowers are invariable, in general â there are exceptions such as âroseâ, âmauveâ and âincarnatâ.
- Des cravates orange â orange ties (not oranges)
- Des yeux marron â brown eyes (not marrons)
- Des yeux noisette â hazel eyes (not noisettes)
2 â Several colors to make one color
When a color uses several colors, then the color adjectives are invariable.
- Une Chemise bleu vert (not bleue verte)
- Des yeux gris bleu (not gris bleus)
3 â Nuances of colors
The same rules apply when you nuance a color adjective with an adjective of nuance.
- Des cheveux brun fonceÌ. (not bruns fonceÌs)
- Une chemise vert paÌle. (not verte paÌle)
French Color Adjectives Examples
We were reviewing the adjectives of colors with my Australian Skype student Robyn.
For homework, I asked Robyn to review the extended vocabulary list about clothes in my intermediate level audiobook âA Moi Paris L2â (chapter 4), the precise rules about color adjectives in French in my audio lesson on French adjectives (chapter 5) and to write sentences describing what sheâd be wearing in certain occasions (and to be creative!).
All the logic that rules French adjectives as well as a lot of truly useful vocabulary
And now, letâs train with my French Skype student Robynâs homework. Merci Robyn !
Use the floating blue icon in the bottom right to hide/reveal the English translations below or just click here.
1 â French Clothes for the Beach đ
Quand je suis Ă la plage, je porte un maillot de bain noir, un chapeau en paille noir et jaune et un parĂ©o rouge avec des fleurs. Jâai une serviette bleue et jâemporte des sandales jaunes.
When I am at the beach, I wear a black swimsuit, a black and yellow straw hat and a red pareo with flowers. I have a blue towel and Iâm taking yellow sandals.
2 â French Clothes for the Office đ
Quand je suis au bureau, je porte une jupe noire, un chemisier blanc, une ceinture grise, une Ă©charpe rouge et des chaussures Ă talons noires. Je porte une sacoche noire.
When Iâm at the office, I wear a black skirt, a white blouse, a gray belt, a red scarf and black heeled shoes. I carry a black satchel.
3 â Dressy French Clothes đ
Quand je sors au restaurant, je porte une robe argentée, une écharpe noire, un sac à main argenté et des chaussures incarnates.
When I go out to a restaurant, I wear a silver dress, a black scarf, a silver handbag and incarnate shoes.
Quand je vais à un mariage, je porte une robe verte, un chapeau de paille jaune à large bord, une pochette dorée, des collants beiges et des chaussures à talons marron.
When I go to a wedding, I wear a green dress, a wide-brimmed yellow straw hat, a gold clutch, beige tights and brown heels.
4 â French Clothes for Sports đ„Ÿ
Quand je vais faire une randonnée, je porte un pantalon marron, un chemisier rose pùle à manches longues, une veste marron, une ceinture beige, un foulard rose foncé à petits carreaux et une paire de bottes marron foncé.
When I go hiking, I wear brown pants, a pale pink blouse with long sleeves, a brown jacket, a beige belt, a dark pink scarf with small checks and a pair of dark brown boots.
Quand je vais faire une randonnée dans la neige, je porte un pantalon bleu marine, un chandail bleu clair, un manteau rouge avec un col de fourrure, un chapeau rouge en laine, une écharpe blanche, des gants bleu vert et des bottes marron.
When I go for a hike in the snow, I wear navy pants, a light blue sweater, a red coat with a fur collar, a red wool hat, a white scarf, blue green gloves and brown boots.
5 â French Sleepwear Vocabulary đŽ
Quand je vais me coucher, je porte une culotte blanche, des chaussettes roses et une chemise de nuit rose clair. Avant, le soir, chez moi, je porte une robe de chambre saumon et des pantoufles orange.
When I go to bed, I wear white panties, pink socks and a light pink nightgown. Before, in the evening, at home, I wear a salmon dressing gown and orange slippers.
You may also like Sharonâs blog about adjectives describing peopleâs appearance and personality, my blog about how to dress in Paris and French Underwear Vocabulary.
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