Want to make your Japanese pop? Colors and simple adjectives are everywhere: in shops, on signs, and in friendly small talk. Today, you’ll learn the most common color words, how to use them with nouns, and a handful of everyday adjectives to describe things around you. We’ll practice right away with short, confidence-building exercises.

Colors you’ll use every day

Here are core color words you’ll hear and use often. I’ll include notes on how they behave in sentences.

• 赤 (あか) — red. Has an adjective form 赤い (あかい).
• 青 (あお) — blue. Adjective form 青い (あおい).
• 白 (しろ) — white. Adjective form 白い (しろい).
• 黒 (くろ) — black. Adjective form 黒い (くろい).
• 黄色 (きいろ) — yellow. Adjective form 黄色い (きいろい) also exists.
• 緑 (みどり) — green. No “緑い”; use 緑の to modify a noun.
• 茶色 (ちゃいろ) — brown. Often used with の: 茶色の, though 茶色い also appears.
• ピンク — pink. Use ピンクの to modify nouns.
• オレンジ — orange. Use オレンジの or オレンジ色の.
• 灰色 (はいいろ) — gray. Use 灰色の.
• 水色 (みずいろ) — light blue. Use 水色の.

Everyday phrases:

• 赤いりんご (a red apple)
• 黒いくつ (black shoes)
• 緑のシャツ (a green shirt)
• ピンクの花 (pink flowers)

Pro tip: If the color word ends in い (like 赤い), it’s an i-adjective and can sit directly before the noun. If it’s a noun (like 緑), use の between the color and the noun: 緑のシャツ.

緑いシャツを買いました。 → 緑のシャツを買いました。 緑 is a noun, so use の to modify シャツ.

このりんごはです。

Mini-practice: spot the pattern

• 青い + noun: 青い空 (a blue sky)
• 緑の + noun: 緑の公園 (a green park)
• 黒い + noun: 黒いバッグ (a black bag)

When you’re unsure, think: does it end in い? If yes, it’s probably an i-adjective and can go right before the noun.

Basic adjectives for daily life

Beyond color, a few adjectives will supercharge your descriptions:

Common i-adjectives (end in い):

• 大きい (おおきい) — big
• 小さい (ちいさい) — small
• 新しい (あたらしい) — new
• 古い (ふるい) — old
• 高い (たかい) — expensive; tall
• 安い (やすい) — cheap
• おいしい — tasty
• あつい (熱い/暑い) — hot (objects/weather)
• さむい — cold (weather)

Common na-adjectives (need な before a noun):

• きれい — clean/pretty
• 便利 (べんり) — convenient
• 有名 (ゆうめい) — famous

Use with です to make polite statements:

• このコートは高いです。 (This coat is expensive.)
• この店は安いです。 (This shop is cheap.)
• きれいな花ですね。 (They’re pretty flowers, aren’t they?)
• その駅は便利です。 (That station is convenient.)

これは花です。

Culture note: color vibes in Japan

• “青” can mean both blue and (traditionally) green. That’s why Japanese traffic lights are often called 青信号, even though they look green.
• Red (赤) is lively and festive; you’ll see bright red torii gates at shrines.
• White (白) symbolizes purity; it’s common in ceremonial clothing.
• Black (黒) suits are typical for formal business; you’ll see many on trains.
• Pink (ピンク) is popular in fashion and gifts, often seen as cute and cheerful.

These associations can help you remember words and notice real-life usage.

Put it all together

Use a color plus a noun, and add a simple adjective to describe:

• 赤いバッグは大きいです。 (The red bag is big.)
• 緑のコートは安いです。 (The green coat is cheap.)
• 白いねこはきれいです。 (The white cat is pretty/clean.)

Try this pattern when you go out: point to an item and say its color and one adjective. Keep it short and clear.

Ready-made phrases:

• このTシャツは青いです。 (This T-shirt is blue.)
• そのくつは黒いです。 (Those shoes are black.)
• この店は安いです。 (This shop is cheap.)
• ピンクの花がきれいですね。 (Pink flowers are pretty, aren’t they?)

Quick review

• If the color ends with い (赤い、青い、白い、黒い、黄色い), it’s an i-adjective: 赤い車。
• If the color is a noun (緑、ピンク、オレンジ、灰色、水色、茶色), use の: 緑のシャツ。
• i-adjectives go directly before nouns; na-adjectives take な: 便利な駅。
• Make polite sentences with です: そのかばんは大きいです。

Keep noticing colors and descriptions around you. The more you point and say them out loud, the faster they’ll stick.

Your turn

Pick three objects near you. Say their color and one adjective. Example:

• 青いノートは新しいです。
• 茶色のかばんは小さいです。
• ピンクのペンはおいしく…? (Not for pens! Try かわいいです。)

You’ve got this—small, accurate sentences are the path to smooth Japanese.