Vocabulary · Basics
Colours in English
A1
Colours in English: the basic colours, light and dark shades, metallic colours and rarer names like crimson or maroon. With British pronunciation (IPA) and examples.
Quick answer
Basic colours
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| red(adj.)“The apple is red.” | the colour of blood | /red/ |
| blue(adj.)“The sky is blue.” | the colour of a clear sky | /bluː/ |
| green(adj.)“Grass is green.” | the colour of grass and leaves | /ɡriːn/ |
| yellow(adj.)“The sun is yellow.” | the colour of lemons and bananas | /ˈjeləʊ/ |
| orange(adj.) | the colour of carrots | /ˈɒrɪndʒ/ |
| purple(adj.) | a mix of red and blue | /ˈpɜːpl/ |
| pink(adj.) | a light red colour | /pɪŋk/ |
| brown(adj.) | the colour of chocolate and wood | /braʊn/ |
| black(adj.) | the colour of the night sky | /blæk/ |
| white(adj.) | the colour of snow and milk | /waɪt/ |
| grey / gray(adj.)“Grey (UK) / Gray (US).” | a mix of black and white | /ɡreɪ/ |
Light shades
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| light blue(adj.) | a pale, soft blue | /laɪt bluː/ |
| light green(adj.) | a pale, soft green | /laɪt ɡriːn/ |
| pale(adj.)“A pale yellow.” | light, with very little colour | /peɪl/ |
| pastel(adj.) | soft and light, like baby clothes | /ˈpæstl/ |
Dark shades
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| dark blue(adj.) | a deep, strong blue | /dɑːk bluː/ |
| dark red(adj.) | a deep red, like ripe cherries | /dɑːk red/ |
| navy blue(adj.) | a very dark blue, like sailors' uniforms | /ˈneɪvi bluː/ |
| bright(adj.)“A bright red.” | strong and full of light | /braɪt/ |
| dull(adj.) | not bright or shiny | /dʌl/ |
Metallic and natural colours
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| gold(adj.) | the colour of a first-place medal | /ɡəʊld/ |
| silver(adj.) | the colour of a second-place medal | /ˈsɪlvə/ |
| bronze(adj.) | the colour of a third-place medal | /brɒnz/ |
| beige(adj.) | the light colour of sand | /beɪʒ/ |
| turquoise(adj.) | a bright blue-green colour | /ˈtɜːkwɔɪz/ |
More precise colours
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| crimson(adj.) | a deep, rich red | /ˈkrɪmzn/ |
| scarlet(adj.) | a very bright red | /ˈskɑːlət/ |
| maroon(adj.) | a dark brownish red | /məˈruːn/ |
| lavender(adj.) | a pale purple, like the flower | /ˈlævəndə/ |
| mint(adj.) | a pale, fresh green | /mɪnt/ |
Common mistakes to avoid
Grey or gray?
Both spellings are correct. Grey = British English (UK). Gray = American English (US). Choose one and use it in the whole text.
A car red ❌: the colour comes first
In English, the adjective goes before the noun: a red car, not a car red. It also never changes in the plural: green apples, not greens apples.
The sky has blue ❌: use be
The sky is blue. Her dress was red. To describe a colour, always use be + colour. Never The sky has blue.
Practice quiz
Related pages: Colours
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Going further
The “Colours” topic is part of the contest vocabulary
Every year, the English contest uses a wide range of cultural topics. Register your students so they can see what they really remember.
Register my students5,000 students every year · Primary and secondary
Practise on PLAYColours: learn these words for good
Learning a long list by heart and forgetting it a few days later? With PLAY, you review the words at the right moment (spaced repetition), so they stay in your head.
Review “Colours” on PLAYFree · No sign-up · 3 minutes
For teachers“Colours” vocabulary, ready for your lessons
The Academy groups these words into topic-based sequences, with quizzes and practice in context: your students remember the words, and you have nothing to mark.
Discover the Academy30-day free trial · No bank card needed
Frequently asked questions
What are the basic colours in English?+
The basic colours are red, blue, green, yellow, orange, purple, pink, brown, black, white and grey. Use them after be (The apple is red.) or before a noun (a red apple).
What is the difference between grey and gray?+
There is no difference in meaning, only in spelling. Grey is British English and gray is American English. Both are the same colour. Choose one spelling and use it in the whole text.
How do you say a colour is light or dark?+
Put light or dark before the colour: light blue, dark blue. Some shades have their own name: navy blue is a very dark blue and sky blue is a light blue.
Does the colour go before or after the noun?+
Always before the noun: a red car (not a car red), the blue dress, the yellow sun. Colour words also stay the same in the plural: green apples, not greens apples.
How do you describe the colour of something in English?+
Use be + colour: The grass is green. Her eyes are blue. My shoes are black. Never use have: The grass has green is wrong. To ask about a colour, say What colour is it?
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/vocabulary/colours
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.