Translations For Colors

•  what color is it? = ¿de qué color es?
•  it’s yellow = es amarillo/amarilla

Note the use of the preposition de in the following sentences:

•  she always wears green = siempre se viste de verde
•  to paint something yellow = pintar algo de amarillo
•  dressed in black = vestido de negro
•  the woman in white = la mujer de blanco

Nouns of color

These are all masculine:

•  a deep red = un rojo intenso
•  you look good in green = el verde te queda bien
•  violet = el violeta (i.e. the color; the flower is feminine – la violeta)

They are used as in English: 

•  we have it in red and yellow = lo tenemos en rojo y amarillo
•  I love green = me encanta el verde
•  blue is in fashion = está de moda el azul

Adjectives of color

Some of the most common of these agree in gender and number with the noun they modify: 

•  a yellow blouse = una blusa amarilla
•  blue/black shoes = zapatos azules/negros

Many, however, are invariable in form:

•  turquoise curtains = unas cortinas turquesa

Some adjectives may be either variable or invariable in number, principally naranja, rosa, malva, and violeta:

•  pink shirts = camisas rosa or rosas

Note the use of the Spanish word color in combination with adjectives of color, whether as an integral part of a compound: 

•  cream trousers = pantalones color crema

or as an optional addition:

•  strawberry-pink = (color) fresa
•  salmon = (color) salmón
•  lilac socks = calcetines (color) lila
•  lemon yellow paint = pintura (color) amarillo limón

De color is also used to indicate approximation: 

•  flesh-colored tights = medias (de) color carne

‘Combined’ colors

Most of these in Spanish are compound nouns as in English:

•  dusty pink = rosa viejo
•  cherry red = rojo cereza
•  emerald green = verde esmeralda

Several ‘combined’ colors are expressed in Spanish by a single word:

•  bluish white = blanquiazul
•  greenish-white = verdiblanco
•  red-green = verdirrojo
•  red-and white = blanquirrojo
•  black-and-white = blanquinegro (but note that black-and-white TV/ photos is translated by televisión/ fotos en blanco y negro)

Shades of color

Spanish has various endings which can be used to translate the suffix -ish:

•  greenish = verdoso
•  yellowish = amarillento
•  reddish = rojizo
•  blackish = negruzco
•  bluish = azulado
•  whitish = blancuzco

It also uses the phrase tirando a to denote tinges of color:

•  a bright orangish yellow = un amarillo fuerte tirando a naranja
•  a blackish grey = un gris oscuro tirando a negro

Shades of color expressed with adjectives such as light and dark are always invariable in Spanish:

•  a light blue skirt = una falda azul claro
•  dark brown shoes = zapatos marrón oscuro

Hair color

•  fair/blond hair = pelo rubio
•  brown hair = pelo marrón
•  light/dark brown hair = pelo marrón claro/oscuro
•  mousy(-colored) hair = pelo color castaño desvaído
•  black hair = pelo negro
•  white hair = pelo blanco
•  auburn hair = pelo castaño rojizo or pelo color caoba

But: 

•  she has red hair = es pelirroja
•  he has gray hair = es canoso or tiene el pelo canoso

Eye color

•  blue eyes = ojos azules
•  brown eyes = ojos marrones or (AmC, Chi, Méx) café
•  light blue eyes = ojos azul claro
•  green eyes = ojos verdes
•  gray eyes = ojos color grises or gris
•  hazel eyes = ojos color avellana

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