Colors In Russian: #1 Easy List Of Words

Original Blog Post: https://ling-app.com/ru/colors-in-russian/

How many colors in Russian are you familiar with? In Russia, the colors are often seen as a symbol of something. For example, white is typically associated with light and purity, while black signifies night or death. In Russian culture, there are many sayings about what different colors mean. The color spectrum is a beautiful thing. It has so many different colors that it’s hard to pick just one favorite.

Some people like the blues, some prefer the pinks and purples, and others love reds or yellows. Russian culture has been known to use color symbolism to convey complex messages and feelings, including love, respect, honor, and victory. Let’s dig into a comprehensive list of colors in Russian at the very beginning of our article.

Words For Colors In Russian

Do you know how many colors there are in the world? I don’t think anyone knows the exact amount. Russia has a lot of different hues, but it is important to have a basic understanding of the most common ones, so we’ll start with those for now. Have a look at the table below for a set of Russian words used to describe basic colors.

Different Shades Of Russian Colors

Colors are beautiful, and having the ability to manipulate them to visually convey a certain feeling or emotion is fascinating. There are millions of different shades of colors out there, each serving different purposes and creating different looks. From neon green to electric white, there are several ways to express different shades of colors in Russian.

You can do exactly that and express these differences by using the adjectives that you can find below.

1. Adjectives For Light And Dark Colors

The adjective ‘light’ is ‘светлый’ in Russian, while ‘dark’ is ‘тёмный,’ but you can’t just add them in a sentence like that.

Instead, you have to use the ‘o + hyphen’ structure.

For example, light green becomes ‘светло-зелёный’ and dark yellow ‘тёмно-желтый.’

2. Adjectives For Bright Colors

In Russian, we can describe bright colors as “яркий. “

Once again, you have to follow the ‘o + hyphen’ rule for the first adjective, while the second one can stand alone.

You can also use the word “кричащий” (screaming), to describe a color that’s very intense.

3. Adjectives For Soft Colors

If any colors are particularly dull or boring, you’d use “приглушённые” to describe them.

You would say something like “приглушенный зеленый цвет” to describe a light green flower.

4. Other Shades And Tones

In Russian, the word “неоновые” is used to describe neon colors, which are very bright and intense at the same time.

However, electric colors are described using the adjective “ядерный”, which translates to “nuclear.”

There’s also an adjective used to describe acid colors — “кислотные.”

All of the adjectives mentioned above can bestand-alone, or with “o + hyphen.”

Color Symbolism In Russian

Russia has a long history of using color symbolism and associating colors with different feelings or emotions. For example, in the old days white was considered to be the color of death and funerals, while black was associated with mourning. Red is often used for warmth and happiness, but it can also symbolize anger and blood. Colors in Russian

Blue (синий)

The color blue is often associated with the sky and cleanliness. It also symbolizes power, stability, confidence, and intelligence. Blue has long been a favorite of Russians. Blue symbolizes clarity in Russian culture and is also one of the colors found on the Russian flag.

Throughout history, the blue color was often associated with the nobility in Russia, who were considered “blue-blooded,” and it became a symbol of authority with time. For example, the uniforms of police officers are often dark-blue.

Yellow (жёлтый)

In Russian culture, the color yellow mostly has a negative connotation. Yellow is often used to signify separation, betrayal, or infidelity, so unless you want to have an argument or abandon someone forever — make sure you never give them a bunch of yellow flowers in Russia.

Red (красный)

This is the color that has the most positive connotations among all other colors in Russian culture. The main square in Moscow is named the Red Square, and it’s believed that it got that name because of its beauty. In Russian, the word “beautiful” (krasivy) and the word “red”(krasny) have the same root and are very close indeed. Red symbolizes power, strength, and courage in Russian culture.

It is also commonly associated with the Communist Party. For example, the flag of the Soviet Union was red with a gold hammer and sickle on it, and during this period, Russia was communist. Apart from that, red also symbolizes love in Russian culture. If you give someone a bouquet with red roses, they will know that you love them.

Green (зелёный)

Green is associated with nature, life, and fertility. There’s a popular antiseptic in Russia, called зелёнка due to its brilliant green color, used to treat burns and bruises. Green is also commonly associated with various herbs, so the word “зелень” indicates cooking herbs and vegetation.

Orange (оранжевый)

The next one in the rainbow spectrum, this bright, sunny color, represents the opposition in Russian culture. It only acquired this ideological meaning after the so-called Orange Revolution in Ukraine about ten years ago.

Learn Russian With Ling App

While you may be an accomplished English, Korean, or Thai native speaker, if you’re looking to expand your vocabulary and learn a new language, don’t despair if Russian is not your native tongue. One trick can make things easier: using Ling App by Simya Solutions. This way, you can take control of your language learning process and learn to speak Russian the way you learn any other subject. The app provides a complete Russian language learning experience by teaching Russian using a personalized approach in a gamified environment.

It’s available for both iOS and Android, so the only thing you have to do is to choose a platform of your preference. In addition to that, visiting our blog and reading about Russian people and their culture is something I highly recommend if you want to become a master of Russian.

Also, please check out our other related posts, like the vocab for colors in Japanese and Korean. That would be all for this article, though, so go ahead, download the app and start learning Russian with us!