black
IPA: /blæk/
the darkest colour
English vocabulary by topic
Colour names in English
Essential colours for describing clothes, nature, interiors and everyday objects.
Go to the wordsCommon colours in English
The collection covers basic colours such as black, white, red, blue, green and yellow, together with orange, purple, pink, brown, grey and beige. Each visual swatch connects the spelling and pronunciation directly to the colour.
Colour adjectives do not change before a plural noun: say a red bag and two red bags. Add light or dark when you need a more precise shade, as in light blue or dark green.
Vocabulary
Words in this topic
Use the speaker icon to hear each word in British English.
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white
IPA: /waɪt/
the colour of fresh snow
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red
IPA: /rɛd/
the colour of ripe tomatoes
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blue
IPA: /bluː/
the colour of a clear sky
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green
IPA: /ɡriːn/
the colour of grass and leaves
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yellow
IPA: /ˈjɛləʊ/
the colour of lemons
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orange
IPA: /ˈɒrɪndʒ/
the colour between red and yellow
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purple
IPA: /ˈpɜːpəl/
a colour between red and blue
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pink
IPA: /pɪŋk/
a pale red colour
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brown
IPA: /braʊn/
the colour of wood or chocolate
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grey
IPA: /ɡreɪ/
a colour between black and white
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beige
IPA: /beɪʒ/
a pale sandy brown colour
01
How to remember these words
- Name the colours of five objects around you.
- Learn contrasting pairs: black — white, red — green and blue — orange.
- Build clothing phrases such as a blue shirt, black shoes and a beige coat.
02
Useful phrases
Her coat is dark blue.
The walls are light grey.
I have a red bag and brown shoes.
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between grey and gray?
They are two spellings of the same colour. Grey is more common in British English, while gray is more common in American English.
What is the difference between color and colour?
Color is the American spelling and colour is the British spelling. Their pronunciation is the same.
Do colour names need an article?
When a colour describes a singular object, put the article before the whole phrase: a green apple. A colour used as a general noun needs no article: Green is my favourite colour.
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