Colors

1. rot

   Red

   Grammar Note

   As an adjective, inflects by case/gender/number: ein roter Apfel, eine rote Rose. As a noun: "das Rot" (capitalized)

2. orange

   Orange

   Grammar Note

   As a color adjective, "orange" is often used indeclinably (without endings). As a noun: "das Orange"

3. gelb

   Yellow

   Grammar Note

   Inflects as a regular adjective: ein gelbes Taxi, eine gelbe Blume. Noun form: "das Gelb"

4. grün

   Green

   Grammar Note

   Inflects as a regular adjective: ein grüner Baum, eine grüne Wiese. Noun form: "das Grün"

5. dunkelblau / marineblau

   Dark blue / Navy

   Grammar Note

   German "blau" covers blue in general; "dunkelblau" (dark blue) and "marineblau" (navy blue) are used to specify

6. hellblau / himmelblau

   Sky blue

   Grammar Note

   "Hellblau" (light blue) and "himmelblau" (sky blue, lit. "heaven blue") both describe a light, sky-like blue

7. lila / violett

   Purple

   Grammar Note

   "Lila" (lilac-purple) is often indeclinable. "Violett" (deeper violet) inflects normally as an adjective

8. rosa

   Pink

   Grammar Note

   "Rosa" is typically indeclinable: ein rosa Kleid (a pink dress). Sometimes "pinke" is used informally in spoken German

9. braun

   Brown

   Grammar Note

   Inflects as a regular adjective: ein brauner Bär (a brown bear), eine braune Tasche. Noun: "das Braun"

10. weiß

    White

    Grammar Note

    Contains the German letter ß (Eszett/sharp S). Inflects normally: ein weißes Hemd (a white shirt), eine weiße Wand

11. schwarz

    Black

    Grammar Note

    Inflects as a regular adjective: ein schwarzer Hund (a black dog), eine schwarze Katze. Noun: "das Schwarz"

12. grau

    Gray

    Grammar Note

    Inflects normally: ein grauer Himmel (a gray sky), eine graue Maus (a gray mouse). Noun: "das Grau"

13. blau

    Blue

    Grammar Note

    The colour of a clear sky or clear water. Inflects normally: ein blauer Himmel (a blue sky), eine blaue Jacke (a blue jacket). Noun: "das Blau". "Dunkelblau" (dark blue) and "hellblau" (light blue) are this word plus a modifier. Colloquially it also means "drunk"

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