Colours in Italian

Whether you’re describing your favourite outfit or a scenic landscape, knowing the colours in Italian is essential for everyday conversations. In this short guide, you’ll learn the most important Italian colour words and how to pronounce them. All audio is included to help you practise effectively and learn Italian online for free.

Colours in Italian, or “i colori”, are used just like in English to describe nouns — and they often agree in gender and number. But don’t worry! For now, let’s start with the most commonly used colour names to build a strong foundation.

Basic Colours in Italian

Click on any Italian word to hear its pronunciation. As you listen, try repeating the words out loud to practise your accent and memorise new vocabulary naturally.

EnglishItalian with pronunciation volume_down
Red rosso
Pink rosa
Orange arancione
Yellow giallo
Brown marrone
Blue azzurro
Purple viola
Green verde
White bianco
Black nero
Grey grigio


Notes on Italian Colour Grammar

Most Italian colour adjectives come after the noun they describe and agree with it in gender and number. For example:

  • una macchina rossa – a red car (feminine singular)
  • occhi azzurri – blue eyes (masculine plural)

Some colours like blu, rosa, and viola are invariable, meaning they don’t change form.

Practise and Expand

As you continue your Italian journey, you’ll come across many more shades and colour-related expressions. For now, mastering the basics is a great start. Feel free to revisit this page and use the audio any time to reinforce what you’ve learned.

Looking for more? Explore our other Italian vocabulary lessons and learn Italian online for free with Linguapedia.

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