In this grammar lesson you will learn how to use colours in French.
In this lesson you will learn about:
- what the colours are in French
- how to use colours in French
- how colours are used in French sentences
- how you can quiz yourself on colours in French
- how to practice with flashcards on colours in French
- how and why you should use the courses of Language Atlas to learn French
Please refer to the French A1 Curriculum to get a better overview of French grammar, if you are curious about this fits in French A1.
By the end of the lesson, you will know all about how to use colours in French!
Table of Contents
Overview of Colours in French
Masculine Singular | Feminine Singular | Masculine Plural | Feminine Plural | |
white | blanc | blanche | blancs | blanches |
blue | bleu | bleue | bleus | bleues |
dark brown | brun | brune | bruns | brunes |
grey | gris | grise | gris | grises |
yellow | jaune | jaune | jaunes | jaunes |
brown | marron | marron | marron | marron |
orange | orange | orange | orange | orange |
black | noir | noire | noirs | noires |
pink | rose | rose | roses | roses |
red | rouge | rouge | rouges | rouges |
green | vert | verte | verts | vertes |
purple | violet | violette | violets | violettes |
The masculine endings are in blue, and the feminine endings are in pink.
Generally speaking the following rules apply:
- in the feminine singular form an –e is added,
- in the masculine plural form an –s is added,
- in the feminine plural form an –es is added.
The colours yellow (jaune), orange, pink (rose), and red (rouge) remain the same in the feminine singular form, because they end with a mute -e.
The colours brown (marron) and orange don’t change.
How to Use Colours in French
Adjectives of simple colours must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.
As you can see in the table above, there is a different form of adjective depending on the gender and number.
Please take a look at the following examples to get a practical understanding on how to use colours in French.
J’ai un placard blanc et une chaise blanche.
I have a white closet and a white chair.
J’ai une voiture bleue et deux vélos bleus.
I have a blue car and two blue bicycles.
J’ai une chemise orange et un sac orange.
I have an orange shirt and an orange bag.
J’ai un téléphone noir et deux guitares noires.
I have a black phone and two black guitars.
Il a un costume violet et des chaussures violettes.
He has a purple suit and some purple shoes.
Elle a les yeux marron et les cheveux bruns.
She has brown eyes and brown hair.
As you can see, the colour changes depending on the gender and number of the noun.
Please note that in French, brun will be used to describe hair, skin and fur, and marron for everything else.
Example Sentences with Colours in French
The final section of this lesson on how to use colours in French is about seeing the colours in action.
This is valuable because you can improve your understanding on how to use colours in French through examples.
J’ai un placard blanc et une chaise blanche.
I have a white closet and a white chair.
J’ai une voiture bleue et deux vélos bleus.
I have a blue car and two blue bicycles.
J’ai une chemise orange et un sac orange.
I have an orange shirt and an orange bag.
J’ai un téléphone noir et deux guitares noires.
I have a black phone and two black guitars.
Il a un costume violet et des chaussures violettes.
He has a purple suit and some purple shoes.
Elle a les yeux marron et les cheveux bruns.
She has brown eyes and brown hair.
Nous avons deux lampes rouges et une porte rouge.
We have two red lamps and a red door.
Quiz Yourself on Colours in French
At the end of every lesson you can do a small quiz.
You will see the sentences of the previous chapter.
You will either need to fill in the blanks, choose the correct multiple choice option, or both.
Once you are done the correct answer will be shown.
You can redo the quiz as many times as you want.
Time's up
How to Practice With Flashcards for This Lesson
Using flashcards is an absolute necessity when it comes to learning a language!
It is the best way to memorize what you learn, you can personalize your progression because it adapts to your actions, and all flashcards have audio to improve your hearing and pronunciation.
Please read our article on how to learn a new language for more information on flashcards and the best way to learn a new language.
There are two ways to practice with Flashcards for this lesson.
- Anki
- The Flashcards in our Courses
Anki is a free software with which you can create and practice flashcards.
After you have downloaded Anki for free, you can get our French A1 Anki Deck.
This Anki Deck contains 3,764 flashcards with which you can practice absolutely everything for French A1.
All the flashcards have text, images, explanations, and audio.
You can also use our courses that have flashcards integrated alongside lessons with audio, quizzes and much more!
However, I am sure you are wondering, what are your courses, and why should I take them?
The Courses of Language Atlas
Have you ever wondered what the best way is to learn a new language?
I have been learning languages for over 20+ years and I was always frustrated with books, courses, and classes that I had tried.
It never really seemed to work for me.
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So I thought, “why not make something myself?“.
Using my experience and by doing research I created Language Atlas, a platform where people can learn French and Spanish in the most effective and efficient way.
I created free lessons and quizzes so that there would always be a easy and accessible way for people to learn or brush up on their language skills.
However, I also created courses that are much more comprehensive and in-depth.
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The courses of Language Atlas have:
- 800+ Lessons with audio
- 800+ Quizzes
- 10,000 Flashcards with explanations, images, and audio
- A gamified way of learning a new language
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You can register for free and try the French A0/A1 and Spanish A0/A1 Courses for free!
This includes over 60 lessons and quizzes, 500 flashcards that adapt to how you learn, and access to the community (including support from me).
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