Colors in English: How to describe hues and shades

From the crisp blues of the morning sky to the reddish shades at sunset, from the bright yellows of the mid-afternoon sun to the whitish glow of the moon, colors are everywhere. Learning the names of colors in English is essential if you want to describe the world effectively. And basic color words and different shades if you want to, say, choose the perfect paint for your new house, identify ripe fruits at the market and describe other aspects of the world around you. 

Learn languages at your pace

What are the 11 basic colors in English?

Have you ever heard this song? 

Red and yellow and pink and green, 

Purple and orange and blue.

I can sing a rainbow…

Sure enough, those aren’t the only colors in a rainbow. But they are some of the most common colors in English — and some of the first words you’ll pick up when learning English. Add brown, gray, black and white, and you get the 11 basic colors in English. 

But there’s more to the story than that. Each of the basic colors includes a wide variety of nuances and tone variations. Here are the basic colors listed out with some of their most common shades. 

Now, let’s take a closer look at each color, from its shades to its cultural significance in English-speaking countries.

Red

Red is the color of passion in many English-speaking countries. For example, we present red roses to romantic partners (or hopeful romantic partners). But red is also the color of danger and warning, which explains why many road signs are red. 

You’ll encounter dark reds, like maroon and burgundy (the shade of red wine), as well as bright reds, like crimson and scarlet. A bright red lipstick communicates both power and passion and has become the signature feature of celebrities ranging from Marilyn Monroe to Taylor Swift and Alexandria Ocasio Cortez. 

Fun fact: Red is the first primary color that babies recognize.

Learn languages at your pace

Yellow 

As the color typically associated with sunshine, yellow represents happiness and optimism. Yellow is also the color of ripe lemons and spring daffodils. 

Many shades of yellow are named after plants or animals found in nature. To cite a few examples: the gold color of saffron, bright canary yellow and the pale yellow color called straw. 

Fun fact: U.S. school buses are yellow because they are easy to see.

Blue

Blue can make people feel calm and relaxed. It can also represent trust, which is why many businesses (especially banks) use blue in their logos. Blue comes in many shades, from pale baby blue and periwinkle to darker shades like navy and royal blue. We also often see very bright shades of blue, like aqua and cyan.

Fun fact: Blue is the most popular favorite color globally.

Green

For many people, green is connected to nature and it can be a very calming color. In the U.S., where money is green, the color may also be associated with envy and greed. Other cultures sometimes associate green with sickness. As you can see, it’s a very diverse color! There are pale shades, like mint green; deep shades, like forest green; and very bright shades, like neon green.

Fun fact: Ireland is often called the “Emerald Isle” because the countryside is very green.

Orange

A midpoint between red and yellow, orange symbolizes energy, optimism and warmth. Think of a flame in a fire or a setting sun. 

Many fruits and vegetables give their names to shades of orange, including tangerine, carrot and pumpkin. There are dark shades of orange, like rust, and lighter shades, like mango (another fruit-derived moniker). There is also a color called “safety orange,” which you’ll often see on traffic cones and construction sites in the U.S. and U.K.

Fun fact: Around 80% of orange cats are male!

Purple

Purple is associated with royalty and luxury. Roman emperors and medieval kings and queens often wore purple. There are soft purples (lavender and heather), bright purples (violet) and deep purples (indigo and eggplant).

Fun fact: Purple fabric was once very expensive, so only very wealthy or important people wore it.

Pink

The color pink is a mixture of red and white. It represents romance, sweetness and joy. One of the paler and more calming shades is called baby pink. Other variants include bright shades like fuchsia and darker shades like rosewood pink. 

Fun fact: The term “pink tax” refers to the fact that products marketed toward women are often more expensive than the same products for men. 

Learn languages at your pace

Brown

Many people say they don’t like the color brown, but does that mean they don’t like chocolate or coffee?! Brown is a color that represents nature and the earth to many people. Lighter shades include tan and taupe, while darker shades include walnut and mocha. 

Fun fact: Brown is the most common eye color in the world.

Gray

Are there 50 shades of gray? No, there are even more! From pale cloud gray to deep slate, gray is a conservative and cool color. It can have positive associations — think of the seriousness of business suits — but it can also be a somewhat depressing color.

Fun fact: “Gray” is the North American spelling. “Grey” is the British English spelling. 

Black

Black has many associations in English and other languages. It can bring to mind darkness, death and evil magic. But it can also symbolize power and sophistication. Shades of black include very dark onyx and licorice as well as lighter shades like ebony. 

Fun fact: A polar bear’s skin is black, and its hairs are hollow, not white!

White

Anyone who has ever painted a room white knows there isn’t just one shade of this color. There are bright whites, like snow and porcelain, and softer whites, like coconut and eggshell. To many people in English-speaking countries, white symbolizes purity and innocence, which is why brides traditionally wear white dresses. 

Fun fact: Until the middle of the 19th century, parents dressed their children in white until they were around six years old. This is because white was easy to clean with bleach!

A language with many hues

Now, you should feel better able to describe the colors you see around you in English. You can say that you want to paint your kitchen canary yellow or your bedroom royal blue. If you buy lipstick, you can ask for crimson or fuchsia instead of just red or pink. And you can talk poetically about even the most “drab” colors, like walnut, mocha and slate.

Learn languages at your pace

Laura Jones

Laura is a freelance writer and was an ESL teacher for eight years. She was born in the UK and has lived in Australia and Poland, where she writes blogs for Lingoda about everything from grammar to dating English speakers. She’s definitely better at the first one. She loves travelling and that’s the other major topic that she writes on. Laura likes pilates and cycling, but when she’s feeling lazy she can be found curled up watching Netflix. She’s currently learning Polish, and her battle with that mystifying language has given her huge empathy for anyone struggling to learn English. Find out more about her work in her portfolio.

ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7rbXNoKadmV6YvK57waWmoGeVo3ymusaloKygXZi8rbvRrGY%3D