Why learn the colors in English?

Whether you’re learning English to have a basic conversation while you travel to an English-speaking country or for professional reasons, colors are something you won’t be able to do without. Here are a few reasons why:

Describe things

One of the main reasons why you should learn different shades of color in English is to be able to describe things. Whether while shopping for new clothes at a clothing store or describing the girl or guy we like to our best friend, we need colors to paint a vivid picture of whatever we’re describing.

Speak more fluently

Can you imagine not being able to describe what you see or the thing you want just because you don’t know how to name its color? It would be very uncomfortable! And it would make communicating much more difficult. Learning colors in English and their different shades will help you be more specific when describing things and communicate your message more efficiently.

Use fun idiomatic expressions

English uses a lot of fun idiomatic expressions with colors. Someone can be green with envy, see red, or be tickled pink. Do you know what these mean? If you know the colors, you might be able to figure it out!

This is because colors are closely tied to our emotions (there’s even such as thing as color psychology).

Colors in English

In English, there are a few words that describe the color of something. Of course, the most basic one is the word “color”.

  • In American English, it’s spelled “color” and pronounced kuh-lr.
  • In British English, it’s spelled “colour” and pronounced kuh-luh.

Apart from the word “color”, there’s also “hue” and “shade”. The hue can be described as an indication of the color. For example, you can have blue ocean water with a green hue. On the other hand, a shade is the tone of the color. For example, a blue ocean can have turquoise or aquamarine shade.

Let’s take a look at the main colors and their shades.

Shades of purple

Purple is one of the most important colors in English. If you want to describe the shade of beautiful flowers that bloom in spring or the color of some fruits, such as grapes or plum, you’ll need to learn the various shades of purple.

Purple is also a popular nail and hair color, so if you’re currently considering going purple, you can take inspiration from the below purple palette.

Shade of purple Pronunciation HEX color code
Lavender /lævəndə/ #E39FF6
Purple /pɜːpl̩/ #800080
Violet /vaɪələt/ #710193
Grape /ɡreɪp/ #6F2DA8
Mauve /məʊv/ #FFD700
Mulberry /mʌlbri/ #7FFF00
Plum /plʌm/ #601A35
Lilac /laɪlək/ #C812C8
Indigo /ɪndɪɡəʊ/ #4B0082

Shades of orange

Orange is a vivid and bright color that bring joy to anyone’s life! If you want to describe the Caribbean sunset or the colors of various tropical fruits, such as mangos or papayas, you’ll need to know these shades of orange.

Shade of orange Pronunciation HEX color code
Tangerine /tændʒəriːn/ #F28500
Orange /ɒrɪndʒ/ #FFA500
Amber /æmbə/ #FFBF00
Bronze /brɒnz/ #B2560D
Burnt Orange /bɜːntɒrɪndʒ/ #CC5500
Marmalade /mɑːməleɪd/ #D16002
Mango /mæŋɡəʊ/ #FFBF34
Rust /rʌst/ #AB0B23
Papaya /pəpaɪə/ #E66A35

Shades of blue

Blue is one of those colors that we use on a daily basis. The shades of blue vary a lot. There are light blues such as sky blue, blues with a hint of green such as turquoise or teal, and dark blues, such as navy or midnight blue.

Shade of blue Pronunciation HEX color code
Royal Blue /rɔɪəl bluː/ #281E5D
Blue /bluː/ #0000FF
Turquoise /tɜːkwɔɪz/ #30D5C8
Teal /tiːl/ #008080
Cyan /saɪən/ #00FFFF
Sky Blue /skaɪ blu:/ #63C5DA
Navy Blue /neɪvi bluː/ #000080
Baby Blue /beɪbi blu:/ #89CFF0
Midnight Blue /mɪdnaɪt bluː/ #191970

Shades of red

Red is a color of love, passion, and strong emotions. Just like blue, red has many different shades, ranging from dark reds, such as burgundy to bright reds, such as crimson or scarlet. If you like to wear lipstick, you’re probably already familiar with different shades of red.

Shade of red Pronunciation HEX color code
Burgundy /bɜːɡəndi/ #800020
Red /red/ #FF0000
Cherry /tʃeri/ #990F02
Crimson /krɪmzn̩/ #DC143C
Brick Red /brɪk red/ #CB4154
Blood Red /blʌd red/ #710C04
Maroon /məruːn/ #800000
Berry /beri/ #AB0B23
Scarlet /skɑːlət/ #FF2400

Shades of yellow

Yellow is an energetic colors that brings joy and happiness. It has many different shades, ranging from toned-down yellows, such as light yellow and cream, to move vivid ones, such as lemon or canary.

Shade of yellow Pronunciation HEX color code
Lemon /lemən/ #EFFD5F
Yellow /jeləʊ/ #FFFF00
Cream /kriːm/ #FFFDD0
Canary /kəneəri/ #FF00FF
Chartreuse /ʃɑːtrɜːz/ #DFFF00
Gold /ɡəʊld/ #FFD700
Light Yellow /laɪtjeləʊ/ #FFFFA7
Sand /sænd/ #D8B863
Mustard /mʌstəd/ #E1AD01

Shades of brown

Brown is a versatile color and its shades are mainly named after coffee, nuts, and chocolate. So, if you’re a coffee or chocolate lover (or both!), you might already know the different shades of brown.

Shade of brown Pronunciation HEX color code
Caramel /kærəməl/ #65350F
Brown /braʊn/ #964B00
Sepia /siːpɪə/ #80613C
Chestnut /tʃesnʌt/ #3DED97
Chocolate /tʃɒklət/ #4E403B
Almond /ɑːmənd/ #EED9C4
Cedar /siːdə/ #4A3728
Coffee /kɒfi/ #8A624A
Walnut /wɔːlnʌt/ #59392B

Shades of pink

In psychology, pink is the color of hope. It’s a reassuring color that brings a sense of peace. Its shades range from orange-y ones, such as peach and coral to bright ones with purple and red hues, such as magenta or strawberry.

If you’re a makeup enthusiast, you may already be familiar with them!

Shade of pink Pronunciation HEX color code
Peach /piːtʃ/ #FC9483
Pink /pɪŋk/ #FFC0CB
Coral /kɒrəl/ #FE7D6A
Rouge /ruːʒ/ #F26B8A
Magenta /mədʒentə/ #FF00FF
Salmon /sæmən/ #FDAB9F
Blush /blʌʃ/ #FEC5E5
Hot Pink /hɒt pɪŋk/ #FF69B4
Strawberry /strɔːbri/ #FC4C4E

Shades of green

Green is the color of the nature. It’s everywhere. We see green trees when looking out of our window, we have green plants bring a breath of fresh air into the four walls of our home, and we dream about green palm trees while sitting in the office. Because of this versatility, green has many different shades. If you love the color green, you’ll very likely appreciate the shades of green color palette below.

Shade of green Pronunciation HEX color code
Sage /seɪdʒ/ #728C69
Green /ɡriːn/ #3CB043
Jade /dʒeɪd/ #00A86B
Seafoam /si:fəʊm/ #3DED97
Lime /laɪm/ #AEF359
Forest /fɒrɪst/ #0B6623
Olive /ɒlɪv/ #98BF64
Emerald /emərəld/ #50C878
Mint /mɪnt/ #99EDC3

Shades of black

Although we tend to consider black as a dramatic and sad color, in psychology, as well as in branding, it’s considered to be the ultimate expression of luxury, elegance, mystery, and power.

Black also has many shades, although the differences between them are very subtle.

Shade of black Pronunciation HEX color code
Ebony /ebəni/ #080402
Black /blæk/ #000000
Cool Black /ku:lblæk/ #151922
Ink /ɪŋk/ #070504
Obsidian /əbsɪdɪən/ #020403
Jet Black /dʒetblæk/ #030303
Charcoal /tʃɑːkəʊl/ #28231D
Onyx /ɒnɪks/ #030104
Midnight /mɪdnaɪt/ #040406

Shades of white

Although white may seem boring, it’s a subtle, elegant color with many beautiful shades used in interior design, fashion, or graphic design. Knowing the different shades of white may be helpful when shopping for a new wardrobe, painting your house or choosing the drapes and bedsheets for your bedroom.

Shade of white Pronunciation HEX color code
Beige /beɪʒ/ #F5F5DC
White /waɪt/ #FFFFFF
Ivory /aɪvəri/ #FFFFF0
Eggshell /eɡʃel/ #F9FEFF
Coconut /kəʊkənʌt/ #F0EDE5
Pearl /pɜːl/ #F8F6F0
Bone /bəʊn/ #F9F6EE
Alabaster /æləbɑːstə/ #F8F3ED
Off white /ɒfwaɪt/ #FAF9F6

Songs about colors in English

Songs are a fun way to learn vocabulary in English without much effort. Singing songs can help you memorize new words more easily.

So, here are a few songs to help you learn colors in English. These are just three examples, but you can find many more on YouTube!

1. Rainbow Colors Song by The Singing Walrus

Most songs about colors in English are made for kids. However, songs for kids are often very catchy and easy to sing, which makes them very efficient tools for English learners!

2. Colors of the Rainbow by Jack Hartmann

This is another song about colors. Although it’s made for kids, it’s also a great one for adult English learners, as it walks you through all the colors of the rainbow with a catchy tune!

3. What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong

If you’re not into children's songs and you’d like something for adults, this beautiful song by Louis Armstrong is a perfect choice to learn the colors of our wonderful world.

English colors FAQs

Red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet are the colors of the rainbow. The first letter of each of these colors spells ROYGBIV, an acronym commonly used to remember the colors of the rainbow.

Red is found at one end of the visible light spectrum, while violet is at the other end. The other colors are found in between.

Both ways are correct. “Color” is the American and Canadian spelling, and “colour” is the British and Australian spelling.

The correct spelling depends on whether you’re writing in American, Canadian, British, or Australian English.

Dogs see colors differently than humans. While humans can perceive a broad spectrum of colors, dogs can only see shades of grey, brown, yellow, and blue due to the structure of their eyes.

A few bonus hacks to learn English colors quickly

Although it’s fun, learning different colors in English and their shades can be pretty overwhelming. Here are a few tips you can implement to make this process easier.

1. Picture things in different colors

Learning colors will be easier if you can associate them with tangible things. To do that, pick a color and imagine different things of that color in your head. For example, if you chose blue, imagine something blue in your mind.

Now say it out loud or write it down. Try to make as many sentences as you can. For example, “I like the blue sky”, “He has blue eyes”, or “Her dress is blue”. This will help you remember the color and use it in different sentences.

2. Use flashcards

Flashcards are cards with words on them, usually one word on each side of the card. They are very useful for learning English words because you can test yourself with them.

You can buy flashcards or make your own by cutting up pieces of paper into cards. Write down the color on one side and paint the other side of the card in that color.

3. Play games with colors

There are many fun games that can help you practice your color vocabulary skills. For example, you can play “I Spy” with your friends during a party. In this game, you describe an object and have them guess what it is based on its color (e.g., “I spy something blue!”).

You can also hide small things around your home or yard and have your friends find objects of a specific color. You can even create a point system and fun prizes for the winners!

Ready to make your English more colorful?

Learning the names of colors in English and their shades takes time and effort. However, it is not as tricky as you might think, and can be a lot of fun, so embrace it. With the right methods, all it takes is a few minutes to learn the names for most of the colors; after that, you can easily remember them all.

We hope that this guide has helped you get familiar with different colors in English and their shades. And we believe that the vocabulary covered in this guide will help you make your English sound more colorful!

If you loved this article and would like to learn more useful English vocabulary, check our English blog or get in touch with us via the form below to see how we can help you reach your language goals.