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Vocab: Colours — A1
Colours vocabulary at A1 level.
Maskulin Feminin Neutrum Plural
blau — blue
Blau can describe a colour literally, as in blaue Augen, and in some contexts can describe a bruise or a person who is drunk. The comparison is regular: blau, blauer, am blauesten.
Der Himmel ist blau.
The sky is blue.
der Himmel means the sky. Blau is predicative after sein, so it has no adjective ending; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Sie trägt ein blaues Kleid.
She is wearing a blue dress.
trägt means is wearing, and das Kleid means the dress. Blaues is attributive and takes -es after ein with a neuter accusative noun; ein blaues Kleid is the direct object of trägt.
Der See ist blauer als der Fluss.
The lake is bluer than the river.
der See means the lake, and der Fluss means the river. Blauer is the comparative after ist, and als introduces the thing used for comparison.
Der Himmel ist im Sommer am blauesten.
The sky is bluest in summer.
im Sommer means in summer. Am blauesten is the predicative superlative after ist; do not put an adjective ending on blauesten in this am form.
blond — blond
The adjective describes hair colour and can be used before a noun or after sein. The related noun die Blondine means a blond woman, but blond itself is also used for men and children.
Mein Bruder ist blond.
My brother is blond.
mein Bruder means my brother. Blond is a predicative adjective after sein, so it has no ending, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Sie hat ein blondes Pferd.
She has a blond horse.
ein Pferd means a horse, and hat means has. Ein blondes Pferd is accusative because haben takes an accusative object; the adjective gets -es after the indefinite article ein.
Tom ist blonder als sein Bruder.
Tom is blonder than his brother.
als sein Bruder means than his brother. The comparative blonder follows sein without an ending, and als introduces the person used for comparison.
Von allen Kindern ist Mia am blondesten.
Of all the children, Mia is the blondest.
von allen Kindern means of all the children. Von takes the dative, while the predicative superlative uses am blondesten; do not add a noun ending after am.
Das blonde Mädchen sitzt im Garten.
The blond girl is sitting in the garden.
das Mädchen means the girl, sitzt means is sitting, and im Garten means in the garden. Blonde stands before the noun and has the adjective ending -e after das; im is short for in dem and marks location.
braun — brown
Der Bär ist braun.
The bear is brown.
der Bär means the bear. braun is predicative here, so it has no adjective ending; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Sie trägt eine braune Jacke.
She is wearing a brown jacket.
trägt means is wearing, and eine Jacke is a jacket. Jacke is accusative because trägt takes a direct object, and braune has an adjective ending after eine.
Dieser Mantel ist brauner als meiner.
This coat is browner than mine.
dieser Mantel means this coat, and meiner means mine. The comparative brauner is followed by als when two things are compared; the finite verb ist is in position two.
Das ist der braunste Hund im Park.
That is the brownest dog in the park.
der Hund means the dog, and im Park means in the park. The attributive superlative braunste takes an adjective ending after der; im is short for in dem and expresses location.
bunt — colourful; varied
Bunt can describe colours, but it can also mean varied or lively, as in ein buntes Programm. Its comparison is regular: bunt, bunter, am buntesten.
Der Ball ist bunt.
The ball is colourful.
Der Ball means the ball, and ist means is. After sein, the adjective is predicative and has no ending; bunt comes after the finite verb ist.
Sie trägt ein buntes Kleid.
She is wearing a colourful dress.
Sie trägt means she is wearing, and das Kleid is the dress. ein buntes Kleid is accusative because tragen takes an accusative object, so the adjective has the ending -es.
Dieses Bild ist bunter als das andere.
This picture is more colourful than the other one.
Dieses Bild means this picture, and das andere means the other one. Bunter is formed with -er; comparisons of difference normally use als, and the adjective is predicative after ist.
Das ist das bunteste Kleid im Laden.
That is the most colourful dress in the shop.
das Kleid means the dress, and im Laden means in the shop. Das bunteste Kleid is a noun phrase with the superlative ending -este; im means in dem and takes the dative for location.
dunkel — dark
Dunkel describes a lack of light or a low-brightness colour. In comparison, the stem is shortened: dunkel – dunkler – am dunkelsten.
Der Raum ist dunkel.
The room is dark.
Der Raum means the room, and ist means is. Dunkel is predicative after sein, so it has no adjective ending; the verb ist stands in position two.
Wir sitzen in einem dunklen Zimmer.
We are sitting in a dark room.
Wir sitzen means we are sitting, and einem Zimmer means a room. Dunklen comes before the noun and therefore has an ending; in takes the dative here because the sentence describes a location, not movement into the room.
Der Keller ist dunkler als das Wohnzimmer.
The basement is darker than the living room.
Der Keller means the basement, and das Wohnzimmer means the living room. Dunkler is predicative after ist, and als introduces the thing used for comparison.
Dieser Raum ist am dunkelsten.
This room is the darkest.
Dieser Raum means this room, and ist means is. Am dunkelsten is the predicative superlative; do not use the am form directly before a noun, where you need a form such as der dunkelste Raum.
die Farbe — colour, color
Farbe is used for a colour in general. For a particular shade, German often combines it with another word, for example die Farbe Rot means the colour red.
Die Farbe ist schön.
The colour is beautiful.
schön means beautiful or nice. Die Farbe is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Ich mag die Farbe.
I like the colour.
mag means like. die Farbe is accusative because mögen takes a direct object; the finite verb mag is in position two.
Ich helfe dem Kind bei der Farbe.
I help the child with the colour.
helfe means help, and das Kind is the child. dem Kind is dative because helfen takes a dative person, while bei der Farbe is also dative because bei takes dative.
Die Intensität der Farbe ist stark.
The intensity of the colour is strong.
die Intensität means intensity, and stark means strong. der Farbe is genitive because it shows which colour's intensity is meant; the feminine genitive article is der.
Im Laden sehe ich viele Farben.
In the shop I see many colours.
im Laden means in the shop, sehe means see, and viele means many. Farben is plural and accusative because it is the direct object of sehe.
gelb — yellow
The adjective normally comes before a noun with an ending, as in ein gelbes Kleid, but it has no ending after a form of sein, as in Das Kleid ist gelb.
Die gelbe Jacke ist sehr schön.
The yellow jacket is very nice.
die Jacke means the jacket, and schön means nice or beautiful. The adjective is predicative after ist, so it has no ending; the finite verb ist is in the second position.
Sie trägt ein gelbes Kleid.
She is wearing a yellow dress.
sie trägt means she is wearing, and das Kleid is the dress. ein gelbes Kleid is an accusative object because tragen takes an accusative object; the neuter adjective takes -es after ein.
Dieses Papier ist gelber als das andere.
This paper is more yellow than the other one.
dieses Papier means this paper, and das andere means the other one. gelber is the comparative and is followed by als, not wie, when two things are compared.
Die Banane ist am gelbsten.
The banana is the most yellow.
die Banane means the banana. am gelbsten is the predicative superlative; the finite verb ist stays in position two and the superlative comes after it.
grau — grey, gray; dull, gloomy
grau describes the colour grey. It can also describe something dull or depressing, and its comparison is regular: grauer, am grauesten.
Der Himmel ist grau.
The sky is grey.
Der Himmel means the sky. grau stands after ist as a predicative adjective, so it has no ending; the finite verb ist is in position two.
Sie trägt eine graue Jacke.
She is wearing a grey jacket.
trägt means is wearing, eine Jacke means a jacket, and sie means she. eine graue Jacke is an accusative object after trägt, so grau takes the feminine accusative ending -e.
Der Himmel ist heute grauer als gestern.
The sky is greyer today than yesterday.
heute means today and gestern means yesterday. grauer compares the sky with yesterday using als; after ist, the comparative is predicative and therefore has no additional adjective ending.
Dieser Pullover ist am grauesten.
This sweater is the greyest.
Dieser Pullover means this sweater. am grauesten is the predicative superlative after ist; the form uses am and -sten, and it is not the same as the attributive form before a noun.
Der Alltag wirkt grau.
Everyday life seems dull.
Der Alltag means everyday life and wirkt means seems or appears. grau is predicative after wirkt, so it has no ending; the verb is in position two.
Nach dem Regen war die Stadt grau und leer.
After the rain, the city was dull and empty.
Nach dem Regen means after the rain, die Stadt means the city, and leer means empty. grau and leer are predicative adjectives after war, so neither takes an ending; nach takes the dative here because it refers to a time.
grün — green
For colours, grün normally comes after sein without an ending or before a noun with an adjective ending. It can also describe traffic lights in grünes Licht.
Das Gras ist grün.
The grass is green.
das Gras means grass. grün is predicative after sein, so it has no adjective ending; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Sie trägt ein grünes Kleid.
She is wearing a green dress.
trägt means is wearing and das Kleid means dress. ein grünes Kleid is accusative because tragen takes an accusative object, and the adjective gets -es after ein with a neuter noun.
Der Park ist heute grüner als gestern.
The park is greener today than yesterday.
der Park means the park, heute means today, and gestern means yesterday. grüner compares the park with als gestern; after sein, the comparative is predicative and has no ending.
Im Frühling ist der Garten am grünsten.
In spring, the garden is greenest.
im Frühling means in spring, and der Garten means the garden. im forces the dative, while am grünsten is the predicative superlative after sein.
hell — bright, light-coloured; high-pitched, bright-sounding
hell describes strong light or a light colour and contrasts with dunkel. Before a noun it takes an adjective ending, as in ein helles Zimmer, but after sein it stays unchanged.
Das Zimmer ist hell.
The room is bright.
das Zimmer means the room. The adjective hell comes after ist because it is used predicatively after sein and therefore has no ending.
Wir haben ein helles Zimmer.
We have a bright room.
wir haben means we have, and ein Zimmer is a room. ein helles Zimmer is accusative because haben takes an accusative object; the adjective has -es after the neuter article ein.
Dieses Zimmer ist heller als das andere.
This room is brighter than the other one.
dieses Zimmer means this room, and das andere means the other one. heller compares two rooms and is followed by als; after ist, the comparative has no adjective ending.
Das Zimmer im Süden ist am hellsten.
The room in the south is the brightest.
im Süden means in the south. am hellsten is the superlative in a predicative phrase; im is in dem, and in takes the dative here because this describes a location, not movement.
Sie hat eine helle Stimme.
She has a high-pitched voice.
sie hat means she has, and die Stimme is the voice. eine helle Stimme is accusative because haben takes an accusative object, and the feminine adjective takes -e after eine.
Das Kind lacht hell.
The child laughs in a high, bright voice.
das Kind means the child, and lacht means laughs. Here hell describes how the child laughs, so the adjective is used adverbially and has no ending.
hell — brightly; in a high or bright-sounding way
As an adverb, hell describes how something shines, looks, or sounds and never takes an adjective ending. Do not confuse this use with the attributive adjective helles, as in helles Licht.
Die Lampe leuchtet hell.
The lamp shines brightly.
die Lampe means the lamp, and leuchtet means shines. hell describes the verb leuchtet, so it is an adverb and does not take an adjective ending; the finite verb is in position two.
Der Mond scheint heute hell.
The moon is shining brightly today.
der Mond means the moon, scheint means shines, and heute means today. hell describes the manner of shining and therefore stays unchanged; heute can stand in position three after the finite verb.
Das Mädchen lacht hell.
The girl laughs in a high voice.
das Mädchen means the girl, and lacht means laughs. hell describes the sound of the laugh, so it is an unchanged adverb placed after the verb.
Er singt hell und klar.
He sings in a high and clear voice.
er singt means he sings, and klar means clear. hell and klar describe how he sings; und joins the two adverbs without changing the verb position.
die Lieblingsfarbe — favorite color
The compound combines Lieblings-, meaning favorite, with Farbe, meaning color. It is feminine because the final noun Farbe is feminine.
Die Lieblingsfarbe ist Grün.
The favorite color is green.
Grün means green. Die Lieblingsfarbe is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Ich wähle die Lieblingsfarbe für mein Zimmer.
I choose the favorite color for my room.
wähle means choose, and für mein Zimmer means for my room. Die Lieblingsfarbe is accusative because wählen takes a direct object; für also takes an accusative phrase.
Das Bild gefällt der Lieblingsfarbe nicht.
The picture does not match the favorite color.
Das Bild means the picture, and gefällt ... nicht means does not please or match. Der Lieblingsfarbe is dative because gefallen takes the person or thing that is pleased in the dative; the finite verb gefällt is in position two.
Die Wirkung der Lieblingsfarbe ist angenehm.
The effect of the favorite color is pleasant.
Die Wirkung means the effect, and angenehm means pleasant. Der Lieblingsfarbe is genitive because it says whose effect it is; the feminine genitive article is der.
Die Lieblingsfarben der Kinder sind Rot und Blau.
The children's favorite colors are red and blue.
der Kinder means of the children, and Rot und Blau mean red and blue. Die Lieblingsfarben is plural; Lieblingsfarbe adds -n after the singular ending -e.
Meine Tasche hat die Lieblingsfarbe meiner Tochter.
My bag has my daughter's favorite color.
Meine Tasche means my bag, hat means has, and meiner Tochter means my daughter's. Die Lieblingsfarbe is accusative after haben, while meiner Tochter is a possessive genitive phrase.
lila — purple, lilac
lila is normally indeclinable: it does not take adjective endings before a noun, as in ein lila Kleid. Comparison is uncommon; speakers often say mehr lila and am meisten lila instead of adding endings.
Die Blume ist lila.
The flower is purple.
die Blume is the flower. lila is predicative after ist, so it has no adjective ending; colour adjectives normally do not change after sein.
Sie trägt ein lila Kleid.
She is wearing a purple dress.
sie trägt means she is wearing, and das Kleid is the dress. lila stands before Kleid as an attributive adjective, but colour adjective lila is commonly indeclinable, so it has no ending after ein.
Dieses Kleid ist lilaer als das andere.
This dress is more purple than the other one.
dieses Kleid means this dress and das andere means the other one. Although lilaer is possible when a comparison is needed, many speakers prefer mehr lila; als introduces the thing being compared.
Der Stoff wirkt am lilasten im Sonnenlicht.
The fabric looks most purple in sunlight.
der Stoff is the fabric, wirkt means looks or seems, and im Sonnenlicht means in sunlight. A superlative with lila is uncommon and often replaced by am meisten lila; the example is grammatically possible but stylistically less usual.
die Orange — orange
The noun die Orange means the fruit. Its plural is die Orangen; do not confuse it with lowercase orange, the colour adjective.
Die Orange ist süß.
The orange is sweet.
süß means sweet. Orange is nominative because it is the subject, and the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Ich esse eine Orange.
I am eating an orange.
esse means eat. eine Orange is accusative because essen takes a direct object; the finite verb esse is in position two.
Ich gebe meiner Schwester eine Orange.
I give my sister an orange.
gebe means give and meiner Schwester means to my sister. meiner Schwester is dative because it is the recipient, while eine Orange is the accusative thing being given.
Die Schale der Orange ist dick.
The orange peel is thick.
Schale means peel and dick means thick. der Orange is genitive because it identifies whose peel it is; the finite verb ist stands in position two.
Auf dem Tisch liegen drei Orangen.
Three oranges are lying on the table.
auf dem Tisch means on the table, and liegen means are lying. Orangen is plural and nominative because it is the subject; auf takes the dative here because this describes a location, not movement.
rosa — pink
rosa is the colour adjective pink and is often unchanged before a noun, as in ein rosa Kleid. It can also be compared as rosaner, am rosasten; this adjective is separate from the name Rosa.
Die Blume ist rosa.
The flower is pink.
die Blume means the flower. rosa is predicative after ist, so it has no adjective ending, and ist stands in position two.
Sie trägt ein rosa Kleid.
She is wearing a pink dress.
tragen means to wear and das Kleid means the dress. rosa is before an accusative neuter noun but is commonly unchanged; ein Kleid is the direct object of trägt.
Dieses T-Shirt ist rosaner als meins.
This T-shirt is pinker than mine.
dieses T-Shirt means this T-shirt and meins means mine. rosaner compares two colours and is followed by als, meaning than; after ist it is predicative and has no adjective ending.
Der Sonnenuntergang ist am rosasten.
The sunset is the pinkest.
der Sonnenuntergang means the sunset. am rosasten is the predicative superlative, and ist is in position two.
rot — red
Rot is the basic colour word for red. Its comparison is irregular: röter, am rötesten; the umlaut is easy to miss.
Die Tomate ist rot.
The tomato is red.
die Tomate means the tomato. Rot is predicative because it follows ist and describes the subject; predicative adjectives do not take an ending.
Sie trägt ein rotes Kleid.
She is wearing a red dress.
trägt means is wearing and das Kleid means the dress. Rotes is attributive and takes -es because ein Kleid is neuter accusative; trägt is in position two.
Der Apfel ist röter als die Birne.
The apple is redder than the pear.
der Apfel means the apple, die Birne means the pear, and als means than. Röter compares two things and follows ist, so it is predicative and has no adjective ending.
Diese Paprika ist am rötesten.
This pepper is the reddest.
diese Paprika means this pepper. Am rötesten is the predicative superlative after ist; the am form does not take a separate noun ending.
schwarz — black; illegal, undeclared; under the table
The colour word schwarz takes normal adjective endings before nouns, for example schwarze or schwarzen. It can also describe black coffee, clothes or other things whose colour is very dark.
Die Katze ist schwarz.
The cat is black.
die Katze means the cat. schwarz is a predicative adjective after ist, so it has no adjective ending.
Er trägt einen schwarzen Mantel.
He is wearing a black coat.
trägt means is wearing, and der Mantel is a coat. einen schwarzen Mantel is accusative because tragen takes an accusative object, and the masculine adjective takes -en after einen.
Dieser Kaffee ist schwärzer als der andere.
This coffee is blacker than the other one.
dieser Kaffee means this coffee, and der andere means the other one. schwärzer is the comparative and is followed by als when two things are compared.
Diese Nacht ist am schwärzesten.
This night is the blackest.
diese Nacht means this night. am schwärzesten is the predicative superlative; the am-form is not used directly before a noun.
Er arbeitet schwarz.
He works illegally.
arbeitet means works, and illegal means illegally here. schwarz is used adverbially to describe undeclared work; the finite verb arbeitet is in position two.
Sie bezahlt den Handwerker schwarz.
She pays the tradesperson under the table.
bezahlt means pays, der Handwerker is the tradesperson, and unter der Hand is the idea expressed by this sense. den Handwerker is accusative because bezahlen takes an accusative object, while schwarz describes how the payment is made.
violett — purple, violet
Violett is used for colours. As a colour adjective, it can also be written as the noun Violett when the colour itself is meant.
Die Blume ist violett.
The flower is purple.
die Blume means the flower. After ist, the adjective is predicative and has no ending; ist is the finite verb in position two.
Sie trägt ein violettes Kleid.
She is wearing a purple dress.
sie trägt means she is wearing, and das Kleid means the dress. ein violettes Kleid is an accusative object of trägt, so the adjective takes -es after ein with a neuter noun.
Diese Farbe ist violetter als die andere.
This colour is more purple than the other one.
diese Farbe means this colour, and die andere means the other one. violetter compares two things and is followed by als; after ist, it is predicative and has no adjective ending.
Dieses Tuch ist am violettesten.
This cloth is the most purple.
dieses Tuch means this cloth. The predicative superlative uses am violettesten; ist remains in position two and the adjective phrase comes later.
weiß — white
Weiß describes colour and can be used before a noun or after sein. In compounds such as Weißbrot, it is written with a capital letter because the whole compound is a noun.
Der Schnee ist weiß.
The snow is white.
Der Schnee means “the snow”, and sein means “to be”. Weiß is predicative after ist, so it has no adjective ending; the finite verb ist is in position two.
Sie trägt ein weißes Kleid.
She is wearing a white dress.
tragen means “to wear”, and das Kleid is a dress. Ein weißes Kleid is accusative because tragen takes a direct object, and -es appears because Kleid is neuter after ein.
Dieses Papier ist weißer als das andere.
This paper is whiter than the other one.
Dieses Papier means “this paper”, and das andere means “the other one”. Weiß becomes weißer in the comparative, and als introduces the thing it is compared with.
Der Schnee in den Bergen ist am weißesten.
The snow in the mountains is the whitest.
Die Berge are the mountains, and in den Bergen means “in the mountains”. Am weißesten is the predicative superlative after ist; the superlative phrase does not take a noun ending here.