In a nutshell, the French color names are: Rouge (red), jaune (yellow), bleu (blue), vert (green), orange (orange) blanc (white), noir (black) and gris (gray). Keep reading to learn the gender agreement (masculine vs. feminine) rules for French colors as well as how to describe objects with colors in French.

What are the names of colors in French?

These are the names of the most common colors in French. Some colors have two pronunciations. This is due to the masculine vs. feminine gender agreement, which we’ll explain below.

beige beige
noir black
bleu blue
marron brown
vert, verte green
gris, grise gray
orange orange
rose pink
rouge red
bronzé tan
blanc, blanche white
jaune yellow

French colors: Grammatical rules

Gender agreement (masculine vs. feminine) for colors

As colors are adjectives they must match the gender and number of the noun they’re describing. For example, un pantalon gris (gray pants) and une chemise grise (gray shirt). The following table show both gender and number agreement for commonly used French colors.

English	Masculine singular	Feminine singular	Masculine plural	Feminine plural
black	noir	noire	noirs	noires
blue	bleu	bleue	bleus	bleues
brown	marron	marron	marron	marron
dark blue	bleu foncé	bleu foncée	bleu foncés	bleu foncées
green	vert	verte	verts	vertes
grey	gris	grise	gris	grises
light blue	bleu clair	bleu claire	bleu claires	bleu claires
orange	orange	orange	orange	orange
pink	rose	rose	roses	roses
purple	violet	violette	violets	violettes
red	rouge	rouge	rouges	rouges
white	blanc	blanche	blancs	blanches
yellow	jaune	jaune	jaunes	jaunes

Gender agreement notes

The following is an example of basic gender agreement for a color that ends in a consonant. Our two examples are vert for green and noir for black. To make each of them feminine, simply add an -e.

un vélo vert, une voiture verte a green bike, a green car
un panetlon noir, une chemise noire black pants, a black shirt

If a color ends in the letter -e in both the masculine and feminine forms, there’s nothing to change. For example we’re using jaune (yellow). Since it ends in an -e, both the masculine and feminine forms are the same.

un chemisier jaune, une jupe jaune a yellow blouse, a yellow skirt

The rules for the color white are particular. Normally, the French reading rules dictate that if a word ends in CaReFuL, the CRF and L get pronounced. However, for the masculine form of white, blanc, the -c is silent.

un cheval blanc a white horse (don’t say the -c on blanc!)
une voiture blanche a white car

The colors marron (brown) and orange (orange) are invariable. This means that they’re the same for all the forms. For example:

une chemise orange, des chemises orange orange shirt, orange shirts
une maison marron, des maisons marrons brown house, brown houses

The words clair and foncé can be added to colors mean light and dark, respectively. Notice that they aren’t hyphenated like in English. For example:

un chapeau vert foncé a dark-green hat
un costume bleu claire a light-blue suit

A blue car (une voiture bleu); A yellow bike (un vélo jaune).

Colors can also be nuanced with elements from nature. Here are some examples:

jaune citron yellow lemon
rouge framboise red rasberry
bleu nuit night blue
bleu turquoise blue turquoise
gris souris grey mouse

These kinds of color adjectives don’t require gender or number agreement. For example:

des lunettes gris souris grey glasses
une veste bleu turquoise a blue-turquoise jacket

Finally, the words vif and pale can be added to colors to express bright and light, respectively. For example:

rose vif bright pink
vert pâle light green

A red house (une maison rouge); A pink house (une maison rose).

Video lesson

My friend Dylane does an amazing job explaining the French colors at a slightly more advanced level. Dylane is a native speaker and in this lesson she’ll show you precisely how to use the names for French colors in complete sentences. A complete explanation and exercises for Dylane’s lesson can be found on pp. 61-62 of her book, The Complete French Vocabulary Couse.

French colors list in detail

The following is an extensive list of lesser known and more specific colors. This list will come in very handy for artists and professionals working in the fashion industry.

amethyst améthyste
apple green pomme
apricot colored abricot
azure, sky blue azur
black and white pie
bright yellow topaze
bright yellow serin
brown-red puce
burgundy lie-de-vin
caramel-colored caramel
carmine red, crimson carmin
celadon céladon
champagne champagne
charcoal grey gris anthracite
cherry red cerise
chestnut-brown châtaigne
chocolate brown chocolat
cobalt blue cobalt
copper-colored cuivré
coral corail
cream-colored crème
cyclamen cyclamen
daffodil yellow jonquille
dark blue bleu foncé
dark brown tête-de-nègre
dark green cul-de-bouteille
dark green pastèque
dark orange tango
ebony ébène
emerald-green émeraude
flesh-colored chair
garnet-colored grenat
golden doré
gray-blue ardoise
green-yellow réséda
greeny-yellow caca d’oie
greyish-brown bistre
hazel, nut-brown noisette
indigo-blue bleu indigo
iridescent gorge de pigeon
ivory ivoire
jade green jade
khaki kaki
lavender lavande
lemon-yellow citron
light blue bleu clair
light brown café-au-lait
light yellow bulle
light yellow isabelline isabelle
lime green tilleul
lovat green vert-de-gris
mahogany acajou
mother of pearl nacre
mouse gray souris
muli-colored multicolore
mustard yellow moutarde
navy blue outremer
olive green olive
orangey-red, russet capucine
periwinkle pervenche
petrol blue pétrole
pistachio green pistache
plum aubergine
plum-colored prune
poppy red, dark red ponceau, coquelicot
purple violet
purple-red opéra
putty-colored mastic
rainbow-colored arc-en-ciel
raspberry pink framboise
red-brown brique
red-maroon sang-de-bœuf
russet, yellowish brown feuille-morte
rust-colored rouille
saffron, saffron-yellow safran
salmon pink saumon
salt and pepper poivre et sel
sapphire blue saphir
sepia sépia
silver argenté
straw-colored paille
tobacco-brown tabac
turquoise turquoise
vermilion, bright red vermillon
yellow ocher ocre jaune
yellow ochre chamois
yellow-green absinthe

French colors – conclusion

Félicitations! Congratulations! Now you’re mastered the French colors! Now it’s time to take a look at the French numbers 1-100. Our post offers some great tips for mastering the tricky high numbers. Another logical lesson to read next is our page explaining French adjectives!