French offers a rich palette of colors, each with its unique sound and, often, a masculine and feminine form. Here are 20 common colors in French, along with their English equivalents and pronunciation guides.
Common Colors in French
Understanding the pronunciation and the gender agreement of colors is key when speaking French. Many colors change their ending to agree with the noun they describe, while some remain invariable.
| English Color | French Color (Masculine/Feminine) | French Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| White | Blanc / Blanche | blahng / blahnsh |
| Blue | Bleu / Bleue | bluh |
| Yellow | Jaune | zhawn |
| Black | Noir / Noire | nwahr / nwarh |
| Red | Rouge | roozh |
| Green | Vert / Verte | vehr / vehrt |
| Grey | Gris / Grise | gree / greez |
| Brown (invariable) | Marron | mah-ron |
| Orange | Orange | oh-rahnj |
| Pink | Rose | rohz |
| Purple | Violet / Violette | vee-oh-leh / vee-oh-leht |
| Brown (variable) | Brun / Brune | broh(ng) / broon |
| Golden | Doré / Dorée | doh-reh |
| Silvery | Argenté / Argentée | ahr-zhahn-teh |
| Turquoise | Turquoise | tur-kwahz |
| Beige | Beige | behzh |
| Khaki | Kaki | kah-kee |
| Indigo | Indigo | ahn-dee-goh |
| Cream | Crème | krehm |
| Burgundy | Bordeaux | bohr-doh |
Understanding Gender Agreement for Colors
In French, most adjectives, including colors, must agree in gender (masculine or feminine) and number (singular or plural) with the noun they modify.
-
Masculine vs. Feminine:
- For many colors, a silent 'e' is added to the masculine form to create the feminine form (e.g., vert becomes verte).
- If the masculine form already ends in 'e', it generally remains the same for the feminine (e.g., rouge).
- Some colors have irregular feminine forms (e.g., blanc becomes blanche).
- Example:
- Un pull bleu (A blue sweater - masculine singular)
- Une voiture bleue (A blue car - feminine singular)
-
Plural Forms:
- To make colors plural, an 's' is usually added to the singular form (e.g., bleus, bleues).
- Example:
- Des pulls bleus (Some blue sweaters - masculine plural)
- Des voitures bleues (Some blue cars - feminine plural)
Invariable Colors
A special group of colors remains unchanged regardless of the gender or number of the noun they describe. These are often colors derived from fruits, flowers, or specific objects.
- Colors that do not change:
- Marron (brown)
- Orange (orange)
- Rose (pink - although derived from a flower, it's very common and often listed as invariable in this context, like marron and orange)
- Turquoise
- Beige
- Kaki
- Indigo
- Crème
- Bordeaux
These invariable colors are useful as they simplify agreement rules. For instance, you would say "des chaussures marron" (brown shoes) for both masculine and feminine, singular and plural nouns.
Pronunciation Tips for French Colors
- Silent Letters: Many final consonants in French words are silent. For example, the 'c' in blanc or the 't' in vert are not pronounced in the masculine form. However, they become audible in the feminine form when an 'e' is added (e.g., blanche, verte).
- Vowel Sounds: Pay attention to French vowel sounds, which can be different from English (e.g., the 'eu' in bleu or the nasal 'an' in blanc).
- R Sound: The French 'r' sound is typically guttural, produced in the back of the throat.
