All the colours, with an example
The dictionary form of each word ends in -ый or -ой (си́ний is the one exception, -ий). Tap a row to hear the word and its example.
| Colour | Say it | Example | |
|---|---|---|---|
| кра́сный ▸red | KRAS-ny | кра́сный светKRAS-ny svyetкра́сныйredсветlight | |
| ора́нжевый ▸orange | a-RAN-zhy-vy | ора́нжевый апельси́нa-RAN-zhy-vy a-pil’-SEENора́нжевыйorangeапельси́нorange (fruit) | |
| жёлтый ▸yellow | ZHOL-ty | жёлтое со́лнцеZHOL-ta-ye SON-tseжёлтоеyellowсо́лнцеsun | |
| зелёный ▸green | zi-LYO-ny | зелёная трава́zi-LYO-na-ya tra-VAзелёнаяgreenтрава́grass | |
| голубо́й ▸light blue, sky blue | ga-lu-BOY | голубы́е глаза́ga-lu-BY-ye gla-ZAголубы́еlight blueглаза́eyes | |
| си́ний ▸dark blue | SEE-niy | си́нее мо́реSEE-ni-ye MO-ryeси́нееdark blueмо́реsea | |
| фиоле́товый ▸purple, violet | fi-a-LYE-ta-vy | фиоле́товая ру́чкаfi-a-LYE-ta-va-ya RUCH-kaфиоле́товаяpurpleру́чкаpen | |
| ро́зовый ▸pink | RO-za-vy | ро́зовая ро́заRO-za-va-ya RO-zaро́зоваяpinkро́заrose | |
| кори́чневый ▸brown | ka-REECH-ni-vy | кори́чневые ту́флиka-REECH-ni-vy-ye TUF-liкори́чневыеbrownту́флиshoes | |
| се́рый ▸grey | SYE-ry | се́рое не́боSYE-ra-ye NYE-baсе́роеgreyне́боsky | |
| чёрный ▸black | CHOR-ny | чёрный хлебCHOR-ny khlyepчёрныйblackхлебbread (rye) | |
| бе́лый ▸white | BYE-ly | бе́лый снегBYE-ly snyekбе́лыйwhiteснегsnow | |
| золото́й ▸gold, golden | za-la-TOY | золото́е кольцо́za-la-TO-ye kal’-TSOзолото́еgoldкольцо́ring | |
| серебри́стый ▸silver | si-rib-REES-ty | серебри́стая маши́наsi-rib-REES-ta-ya ma-SHEE-naсеребри́стаяsilverмаши́наcar |
голубо́й and си́ний: not two shades, two colours
To an English speaker they’re both “blue”. To a Russian speaker they are separate basic colours, and choosing the wrong one sounds like calling something pink “light red”. Researchers have even found that Russian speakers tell the two apart slightly faster than English speakers do.
Colour words change to match their noun
An adjective is a describing word. In Russian it takes the same gender (masculine, feminine or neuter) and number as the noun it describes. So “red” has four everyday forms. Most colours follow кра́сный; си́ний has soft endings with я and е.
| Colour | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Plural |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| кра́сный · red | ||||
| бе́лый · white | ||||
| голубо́й · light blue | ||||
| си́ний · dark blue (soft) |
Colours also change for case, like every adjective: в кра́сной маши́не (f KRAS-nay ma-SHEE-nye; в = in, кра́сной = red, маши́не = car). The full pattern is in Adjective endings.
Shades: тёмно-, све́тло-, -ова́тый
Three building blocks make any shade. Join тёмно- (dark) or све́тло- (light) to the front with a hyphen; only the second half changes its ending. Add the suffix (word ending) -ова́тый for “-ish”.
“What colour is it?” Како́го цве́та?
Russian asks “of what colour?”, using the genitive case (the form meaning “of”). The answer can use the same pattern, or simply the colour word.
Colours in Russian culture and idiom
Red Square is not named for communism. In old Russian, кра́сный meant “beautiful”, and the square was “the beautiful square” long before 1917. That old meaning survives in краси́вый (beautiful).