Colors In Italian: Your #1 Easy Guide
Original blog post: https://ling-app.com/it/colors-in-italian/
Have you been wondering how to say the colors in Italian? It’s always helpful to know the colors in Italian, especially if you are shopping, ordering food, or if you are asking others what their preferences are. For example, if you know the colors, you can ask others what their favorite color is or you can answer if you are asked!
So, let’s go over what the essential colors are in Italian and how to best learn Italian!
How To Say Colors In Italian?
There are so many colors to learn. However, it’s best to start with the colors that are most well-known. Here is a list of common Italian colors:
- Grigio — Gray
- Oro — Gold
- Argento — Silver
- Giallo — Yellow
- Rosa — Pink
- Azzurro — Light blue
- Bronzo — Bronze
- Multicolore — Multicolor
- Nero — Black
- Bianco — White
- Scuro — Dark
- Chiaro — Light
- Arcobaleno — Rainbow
- Arancione — Orange
- Blu scuro — Dark blue
- Blu — Blue
- Rosso — Red
- Verde — Green
- Marrone — Brown
- Rosa — Pink
- Viola — Purple
- Lilla — Lilac
- Nocciola — Hazel brown
- Beige — Beige
- Indaco — Indigo
- Kaki — Khaki
- Lavanda — Lavender
- Magenta — Magenta
- Mogano — Mahogany
- Platino — Platinum
- Purple — Porpora
- Rosso rosa — Pink red
- Violetto — Violet
- Zaffiro — Sapphire
- Blue cobalto — Cobalt blue
Keep in mind that Italian colors change based on gender, which is divided into feminine or masculine, and if they are meant to describe a single object or many objects, known as singular or plural nouns.
How To Use These Color Words In a Sentence?
In case you are not familiar with how to say the colors in Italian, you can get some inspiration from the following sentences:
- Capelli castani — Brown hair
- Occhi marroni — Brown eyes
- Un orso bruno — A brown bear
- Un cielo blu — A blue sky
- Una casa rossa — A red house
- Un vestito giallo — A yellow dress
- Una macchina rosso brillante — A bright red car
- Una maglia grigia — A gray sweater
- Un gatto nero — A black cat
- Il prato è verde. — The lawn is green.
If you want to ask other people what their favorite color is, all you have to do is say:
Qual’è il tuo colore preferito? — What is your favorite color?
If someone asks you what your favorite color in Italian is, all you have to do is say:
Il mio colore preferito è [insertar color aquí]. — “ My favorite color is [insert color here].”
For example, you can answer:
- Il mio colore preferito è rosso. — My favorite color is red.
- Mi piace il blue. — I like blue.
- Il mio colore preferito è viola chiaro. — My favorite color is light purple.
Other useful sentences include:
- Quali altri colori ti piacciono? — What other colors do you like?
- Ti piace il color bianco? — Do you like the color white?
- Ti piacciono le rose rosa? — Do you like pink roses?
How To Use Color Words Grammatically In A Sentence?
There are some grammar rules to keep in mind when associating a color with a noun!
Color words can change based on gender and whether they are in plural form. A good rule of thumb is that all the color words that are not associated with any noun are singular and masculine.
If you want to make a noun feminine in the Italian language, you must end the word with an “a.”
For example:
“Bianco” (white) in its feminine form is “bianca.”
- “Un vestito bianco” — A white dress (masculine)
- “Una casa bianca” — A white house (feminine)
There are always exceptions to the rule. In fact, the word “nero” (black) is the same for both the masculine and feminine forms.
For the plural form, in Italian you must change the last letter of a word into an “i.”
For example:
- Giallo — yellow (masculine)
- Gialla — yellow (feminine)
- Gialli — yellow (plural form)
Italian Curiosity About Colors
You might not be familiar with certain colors that are specific only to Italians. For example, the color called “Terra di Siena” (Earth of Siena). It is a yellowish-brownish color that refers to a pigment named after the city of Siena in Tuscany. The pigment becomes red and brown when heated, and it was a source of inspiration for a lot of artists during the Renaissance.
Another typical Italian color is “Giallo Napoli” (Naples yellow). It is a yellow that ranges from reddish-yellow to a bright shade of light yellow. The color goes back to the 17th century when artists used it for their work. Unfortunately, the color isn’t used much nowadays.
One of the most significant colors for Italians is blue. This is because the Italian national football team uses blue jerseys. For this reason, in Italy, the National Team is referred to as the “blues.”
Another color that you should add to your vocabulary is “Rosso Valentino” (Valentine Red). It is a red color with notes of dark orange. It is named after the Italian designer Valentino Garavani, who used a poppy red color in his first collection. After the initial success, it became a signature color in Italian fashion.
If you talk to Italians, you will most likely speak about “Rosso Ferrari” (Ferrari Red). It refers to the bright red color associated with the famous Italian racing car. The color was adopted in 1907 and, since then, it has been the signature color for the Italian car manufacturer Ferrari.
Ready To Learn Italian?
Congratulations! You’ve learned so much about colors in Italian! To keep learning, check out our posts about Italian Introductions and Happy Birthday In Italian.
Do you want to know more about Italian pronunciation and grammar? Or, are you interested in learning more than one language? If so, you should use the Ling App!
Ling is a language learning application that provides all the tools to learn any language you want. You can learn on the go through the mobile app or in your home through your computer. Learning Italian is easy with Ling!
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