Need to know your colors in German but don’t know where to start? Check out this post for a one stop resource for colors in German.
As an A1 German speaker, learning your colors in German can definitely come in handy if you’re planning a trip to Germany. For one thing, knowing them can be really helpful if you’re out and about shopping. For example, sometimes you may find a piece of clothing that you would like to purchase in the store but it’s not in the color you’d hope. By knowing your colors in German, you’ll be able to communicate with an employee to see if they have the color you were hoping to find.
So, if you’re new to the German language and you’re looking for a one stop resource for colors in German, you’ve come to the right place. This post alone highlights all the common colors in German as well as some typical color sayings you might hear.
German Language & Culture Series
P.S. This is a post in my German Language & Culture series. Here is the complete series:
German Addresses: German Address Format: How to Mail a Letter to Germany
German Time: The Non-Native Speaker Guide to Telling Time in German
German Greetings: The 10 Most Common German Greetings and Introductions
German Numbers: The Ultimate Guide for Learning German Numbers 1 to 100
German Alphabet: The Best Alphabet Guide of All Time
German Days of the Week: A Beginner’s Guide to the Days of the Week in German
German Emails: The American Guide to Writing German Emails
German Body Parts: A Step-by-Step Guide to the Body Parts in German
German Vegetables: The Ultimate Guide to Vegetables in German
German Pronouns: The American Guide to Learning German Pronouns
German Colors: Colors in German: A One Stop Resource
German Fruits: Fruits in German: What You Need to Know
German TV: 10 German TV Shows You Need to Watch
German Curses: German Swear Words: What You Need to Know
German Idioms: 10 German Idioms Every American Should Know
Colors in German
Here are the most common colors in German every A1 German speaker should know! Each color in Germany plays a different part in its culture which is also a nice fun fact.
Rot (Red)
Rot is an important color to learn if you’re planning to drink wine in Germany. The German word for red wine is Rotwein and Spätburgunder is a popular wine variety there.
Orange (Orange)
Orange should be the easiest color for English speakers to learn since it is spelled the same way as the word “orange” in English. In fact, Germany also calls “oranges” the German word for Orange as well except the fruit is capitalized since it is a noun.
Gelb (Yellow)
When it comes to gelb, Germans usually associate it with envy. In fact, the German color saying for this would be Gelb vor Neid which translates to “yellow with envy” in English.
Grün (Green)
When it comes to gruen, Germans actually use it as a color saying for nature lovers. Nature lovers in Germany are typically known for having “a green thumb” or einen grünen Daumen. In fact, the color was also used to influence the name of a political party in Germany, Die Grüne. The party itself focuses on protecting the environment which makes them a champion for public transportation, renewable energy and sustainability.
Blau (Blue)
When it comes to blau, it’s normally associated with drunkenness in Germany. In fact, when Germans feel hungover they take a day off work or what they like to call blau machen.
Hellblau (Light Blue)
When it comes to hellblau, Germans usually use this color to describe a light blue sky.
Dunkelblau (Dark Blue)
When it comes to dunkelblau, it symbolizes relaxation, balance, and harmony in Germany.
Lila (Purple)
When it comes to lila, Germany typically has purple fields or lilafelden across the countryside in autumn. The lila colored flowers are called Phacelia and they’re planted after the grain harvest.
Rosa (Pink)
When it comes to rosa, Germans actually has a color saying that says durch die rosa Brille schauen. The saying literally translates to “to look through pink glasses”and it essentially means to have an optimistic outlook on things.
Khaki (Khaki)
Similar to English, the color khaki is also associated with the pants that are used to do outdoor sports.
Schwarz (Black)
When it comes to schwarz, it’s actually the most common last name in Germany. Therefore, if you were to visit Germany, it would be uncommon to not meet someone with that last name.
Weiß (White)
When it comes to weiss, it’s actually another common last name in Germany. In fact, it’s the only color in Germany with a ligature as a letter.
Grau (Gray)
When it comes to grau, Germans actually have a color saying that says Nachts sind alle Katzen grau. The saying literally translates to “all cats are gray in the night” and it’s essentially a way to say “everything looks alike”.
Braun (Brown)
When it comes to braun, Germans actually usually use this color to describe someone who returns from their summer vacation with a dark tan. A color saying for this would be du bist aber braun geworden and it just means “you’ve got a nice tan”.
Color Characteristics
Here are the adjectives Germans use to describe everyday colors! These adjectives should always come before the color and sometimes they can be combined with a color to form a whole new one.
Hell (Light)
Hell in German means “light” in English and it can be used to describe colors that have a lighter tone. For example, blau means “blue” and hellblau means “light blue”.
Dunkel (Dark)
Dunkel in German means “dark” in English and it can be used to describe colors that have a darker tone. For example, blau means “blue” and dunkelblau means “dark blue”.
Matt (Dull)
Matt in German means “dull” in English and it can be used to describe car colors that are dull in appearance.
Bunt (Colorful)
Bunt in German means “colorful” in English and it can be used to describe anything that is colorful in appearance.
Color Sayings in German
Here are some other color sayings or idioms that are popular in German!
Bei Mutter Grün
This color saying literally translates to “with mother green” in English and it essentially means to be in nature.
Alles im grünen Bereich
This color saying literally translates to “everything in the green area” in English and it essentially means everything is fine.
Das ist graue Theorie
This color saying literally translates to “that is gray theory” in English and it essentially means something is nothing but a mere theory or not proven.
Colors in German FAQ
Here are some frequently asked questions you might have about colors in German!
What color is used to describe someone who is drunk at Oktoberfest?
Blau is the color used to describe someone who is heavily drunk at Oktoberfest. The German phrase for this specifically would be blau sein.
What color is the most popular car color in Germany?
Gray is the most popular car color in Germany.
What color is used to describe someone who rides the train in Germany without buying a ticket?
Black is the color used to describe someone who rides the train in Germany without a ticket. The German word for this specifically is Schwarzfahrer or Schwarzfahrerin.
What is the color for grief in Germany?
Black is typically the color for grief in Germany along with any other dark color.
What color is loyalty in Germany?
The color for loyalty in Germany is gold.
Is there a German song for learning colors in German?
Yes, there are a lot of German songs for learning colors in German. Here is a German song that follows a tune that might sound familiar to you:
Overall, I really hope you enjoyed reading this one stop resource for learning the colors in German. Please let me know in the comments down below if you have questions. I would love to hear from you!
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