Spanish for Beginners: Colors and Shapes (Colores y Formas)
Want to describe a shirt, a logo, or a flag in Spanish? Colors and shapes are super practical and perfect for Day 1 Spanish. In this lesson, you’ll learn essential words, simple sentence patterns, and a few friendly grammar tips so you can say what things look like.
By the end, you’ll be able to say sentences like: “The ball is red” and “It’s a triangle.” We’ll keep it simple and support you with clear examples and quick practice.
Color Basics: Key Words You’ll Use Everywhere
Colors are adjectives in Spanish, and you’ll use them all the time. Here are the most common ones you need first:
Quick Grammar: Where do color words go?
In Spanish, color adjectives usually come after the noun. Also, they agree with the noun:
- Masculine singular: "rojo" (El coche es rojo.)
- Feminine singular: "roja" (La pelota es roja.)
- Plural adds -s or -es: "rojos/rojas", "azules", "verdes" (Los libros son verdes.)
Note: "rosa" and "naranja" don’t change for gender (feminine/masculine), but do for number: "rosas", "naranjas".
rojo coche → coche rojo Adjectives usually follow the noun in Spanish.La pelota es .
Shapes You See Every Day
Shapes are usually nouns in Spanish. Use them to say what something looks like.
Simple Patterns to Describe Things
Use these patterns:
- “[Thing] es [color].” Example: "La pelota es roja." (The ball is red.)
- “Es un/una [shape].” Example: "Es un círculo." (It’s a circle.)
- “[Thing] es [shape] y [color].” Example: "El logo es cuadrado y negro." (The logo is square and black.)
- Alternative: “Es de color [color].” This avoids gender agreement: "La camiseta es de color rojo." (The T-shirt is the color red.)
Start with the noun phrase “La estrella” (the star).
Es círculo.
Es estrella.
The verb you need: ser (to be)
You use “ser” to describe colors and shapes. Here’s the present tense:
| Pronoun | Conjugation |
|---|---|
| yo | soy |
| tú | eres |
| él/ella | es |
| nosotros | somos |
| ustedes | son |
| ellos | son |
Las flores son .
Cultural and usage notes
- Brown varies: "marrón" is common in Spain; "café" is widely used in Latin America. Both are understood.
- Purple: "morado" is very common; "púrpura" is also correct, often a more formal/literary tone.
- Navy blue is "azul marino." Light colors often use “claro” (light) and dark use “oscuro” (dark): "verde claro" (light green), "rojo oscuro" (dark red).
- In art and design contexts, colors can be used as nouns: "el rojo" (the color red), but as a beginner, focus on adjective use: "es rojo/roja".
Keep practicing with things around you: What color is your cup? What shape is a road sign? Try a few sentences aloud.
Your turn: quick practice
- Look around and name 3 items: say their color. Example: "La taza es verde." (The mug is green.)
- Spot 3 shapes: say what they are. Example: "Es un rectángulo." (It’s a rectangle.)
- Combine both: "El logo es círculo y negro" is not correct—remember noun first, adjective after. Say: "El logo es un círculo y negro." Or even more natural: "El logo es un círculo negro." Both are understandable. If you want it extra simple: "El logo es un círculo de color negro."
You’ve got this! Colors and shapes are a great foundation. Keep describing things you see every day, and soon these patterns will feel natural.