Learning the names of colors in Korean opens up a whole new world to you as you’re able to describe objects and ask for things in more detail. We explain the basics of Korean colors here.
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Color in Korean
Basic Colors
Korean Color Conjugation
Red in Korean
Blue in Korean
Green in Korean
Yellow in Korean
Black in Korean
White in Korean
Pink in Korean
Purple in Korean
Orange in Korean
Gray in Korean
Brown in Korean
Shades of Colors
Rainbow in Korean
How Do You Say “Color” in Korean?
There are a few different words for “color” in Korean:
- 색 (saek) – color
- 색깔 (saekkkal) – color
- 색상 (saeksang) – hue, class of color, usually used in professional/art settings
- 색감 (saekgam) – describes the feeling of color, perception of color
The most common are 색 and 색깔. We recommend you learn these as a beginner.
Example Sentences
좋아하는 색이 뭐예요?
Joahaneun saeki mwoyeyo?
Translation: “What is your favorite color?”
내가 가장 좋아하는 색깔은 보라색이에요.
Naega gajang joahaneun saekkkareun borasaek-ieyo.
Translation: “My favorite color is purple.”
내가 가장 좋아하는 색은 초록색이에요.
Naega gajang joahaneun saekeun choroksaek-ieyo.
Translation: “My favorite color is green.”
Basic Colors in Korean
Here are the most frequently used colors in Korean, along with their hangeul (Korean alphabet), romanization, and English translations. Note that some of these use the conjugated form of Korean colors. We’ll explain color conjugation next.
| Korean (Hangeul) | Romanization | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 빨간색 | ppalgansaek | Red |
| 파란색 | paransaek | Blue |
| 노란색 | noransaek | Yellow |
| 초록색 | choroksaek | Green |
| 까만색 | kkamansaek | Black |
| 하얀색 | hayansaek | White |
| 분홍색 | bunhongsaek | Pink |
| 보라색 | borasaek | Purple |
| 주황색 | juhwangsaek | Orange |
| 회색 | hwesaek | Gray |
| 갈색 | galsaek | Brown |
Korean Colors: Conjugations
Five Korean colors originally come in a descriptive verb (adjective) form similar to other verbs in Korean (i.e. with the format verb stem + 다 (da):
- Black: 까맣다 (kkamahda)
- White: 하얗다 (hayahda)
- Red: 빨갛다 (bbalgahda)
- Blue: 파랗다 (parahda)
- Yellow: 노랗다 (norahda)
These need to be conjugated in order to be used correctly in a sentence. However, most color words in Korean have an irregular conjugation. This means they aren’t conjugated in the same way as other verbs and adjectives.
Let’s take a look at this in more detail.
Conjugating Korean Colors To Use In Sentences
The most common way of using Korean colors in sentences is to use them to describe a noun.
The colors listed above, which use descriptive verbs, end in ㅎ (h). Whilst verbs ending in ㅎ can usually be conjugated regularly (e.g. 놓다 (nohda; to put down, to place down) -> 놓아요 (nohayo; I place, you place, etc.)), these colors are a little different.
Notice that all five of these colors end in ㅎ. When you conjugate them, drop the ㅎ and replace it with ㄴ. These become:
- 까맣다 (kkamahda; black) -> 까만 (kkaman)
- 하얗다 (hayahda; white) -> 하얀 (hayan)
- 빨갛다 (bbalgahda; red) -> 빨간 (bbalgan)
- 파랗다 (parahda; blue) -> 파란 (paran)
- 노랗다 (norahda; yellow) -> 노란 (noran)
Example Sentences
Here are some examples of how they would each be used in this form:
- 이 까만 선을 건너지 마세요.
(I kkaman seoneul geonneji maseyo.)
Don’t cross this black line. - 여기에 하얀 집이 많아요.
(Yeogie hayan jibi manayo.)
There are many white houses here. - 그 빨간 음료가 뭐예요?
(Geu ppalgan eumryoga mwoyeyo?)
What is that red drink? - 파란 하늘이 정말 예뻐요.
(Paran haneuri jeongmal yeppeoyo.)
The blue sky is really beautiful. - 노란 꽃만 좋아해요.
(Noran kkonman joahaeyo.)
I only like yellow flowers.
Adding 색 (saek; color)
You can also add 색 to each to turn them into a noun. These can be used in the same way as above, except it has the nuance of emphasizing the color of the noun you’re describing.
This can be used in situations where you want to focus specifically on the color rather than just casually describing the noun you’re talking about.
Here are the same sentences with 색 added.
- 여기에 하얀색 집이 많아요.
(Yeogie hayan jibi manayo.)
There are many white-colored houses here. - 이 까만색 선을 건너지 마세요
(I kkaman seoneul geonneji maseyo.)
Don’t cross this black-colored line. - 그 빨간색 음료가 뭐예요?
(Geu ppalgan eumryoga mwoyeyo?)
What is that red-colored drink? - 파란색 하늘이 정말 예뻐요.
(Paran haneuri jeongmal yeppeoyo.)
The blue-colored sky is really beautiful. - 노란색 꽃만 좋아해요.
(Noran kkonman joahaeyo.)
I only like yellow-colored flowers.
Conjugating Korean Colors To Use At The End Of Sentences
Adding colors to the end of sentences is a little more uncommon in Korean, but it’s still useful to know. For color adjectives ending in ㅎ, remove the ㅎ and add 애. Then add 요 for the informal polite form.
Here are some examples using the phrases above:
- 집이 하얘요. (Jibi hayeyo.) – The house is white.
- 선이 까매요. (Seoni kkamaeyo.) – The line is black.
- 음료가 빨개요. (Eumryoga ppalgaeyo.) – The drink is red.
- 하늘이 파래요. (Haneuri paraeyo.) – The sky is blue.
- 꽃이 노래요. (Kkoti noraeyo.) – The flower is yellow.
You can also use Korean colors at the end of the sentence with 색 and 이다 (to be):
- 집이 하얀색이에요. (Jibi hayansaek-ieyo.) – The house is white.
- 선이 까만색이에요. (Seoni kkaman-saek-ieyo.) – The line is black.
- 음료가 빨간색이에요. (Eumryoga ppalgan-saek-ieyo.) – The drink is red.
- 꽃이 노란색이에요. (Kkoti noran-saek-ieyo.) – The flower is yellow.
- 하늘이 파란색이에요. (Haneuri paran-saek-ieyo.) – The sky is blue.
Now that’s out of the way, let’s explore colors in more detail.
How Do You Say Black in Korean?
The most common way to say black in Korean is 까맣다 (kkamahda; dictionary form). This is conjugated to:
- 까만 (kkaman) black – used to describe something. The noun follows this conjugation (e.g. black car = 까만 차).
- 까만색 (kkamansaek) black color – used to describe something, with more emphasis on the color. The noun follows this conjugation (e.g. black car = 까만색 차).
- 까매요 (kkamaeyo) black – used at the end of sentences (e.g. the car is black = 차가 까매요).
There are other ways of saying black in Korean, such as 검정 (geonjeong), which refers to the color itself. You should not add 색 to this color word. 검다 (geomda; dictionary form), which is usually conjugated to 검은색. 흑 (heug), which is a more formal term used to refer to the color black, is often seen in academic or technical contexts.
How Do You Say White in Korean?
The most common way of saying white in Korean is 하얗다 (hayahda; dictionary form). This is conjugated to:
- 하얀 (hayang) – used to describe something. The noun follows this conjugation (e.g., white car = 하얀 차).
- 하얀색 (hayansaek) white color – used to describe something, with more emphasis on the color. The noun follows this conjugation (e.g., white car = 하얀색 차).
- 하얘요 (hayeyo) – used at the end of sentences (e.g., the car is white = 차가 하얘요).
There are other ways of saying white in Korean, such as 흰색 (huinsaek), which is fairly commonly used.
Another word is 백색 (baeksaek), which is a more formal term used to refer to the color white. It’s often seen in scientific or technical contexts.
How Do You Say Red in Korean?
The most common way of saying red in Korean is 빨갛다 (bbalgahda; dictionary form). This is conjugated to:
- 빨간 (bbalgan) – used to describe something. Noun follows this conjugation (e.g. red car = 빨간 차)
- 빨간색 (bbalgansaek) – used to desc red color. Used to describe something, with more emphasis on the color. Noun follows this conjugation (e.g. red car = 빨간색 차)
- 빨개요 (bbalgaeyo) – used at the end of sentences (e.g. the car is red = 차가 빨개요)
- 빨강 (bbalgang) – refers to the color red itself (e.g. I like red = 빨강이 좋아요)
There are other ways of saying red in Korean, such as 붉다 (e.g. 붉은 장미) and 적색. The latter refers to a deep red, but it’s also a term that’s related to Communism (e.g. Red revolution). If you’re a beginner, 빨갛다 is the best to learn as it’s the most common word for red.
How Do You Say Blue in Korean?
The most common way of saying blue in Korean is 파랗다 (parahda; dictionary form). This is conjugated to:
- 파란 (paran) – used to describe something. Noun follows this conjugation (e.g. blue car = 파란 차)
- 파란색 (paransaek) blue color – used to describe something, with more emphasis on the color. Noun follows this conjugation (e.g. blue car = 파란색 차)
- 파래요 (paraeyo) – used at the end of sentences (e.g. the car is blue = 차가 파래요)
- 파랑 (parang) – refers to the color itself (e.g. I like blue = 파랑이 좋아요)
There are other ways of saying blue in Korean, the most common being 푸르다 (note: this can mean blue or green). This is used to refer to objects in nature that are vivid and bright, such as the sky, the ocean, or grass. Examples of this are 푸른 바다 or 푸른 숲.
How to Say Yellow in Korean
The most common way of saying yellow in Korean is 노랗다 (norahda; dictionary form). This is conjugated to:
- 노란 (noran) – used to describe something. The noun follows this conjugation (e.g. yellow car = 노란 차).
- 노란색 (noransaek) yellow color – used to describe something, with more emphasis on the color. The noun follows this conjugation (e.g. yellow car = 노란색 차).
- 노래요 (noraeyo) – used at the end of sentences (e.g. the car is yellow = 차가 노래요).
- 노랑 (norang) – refers to the color itself (e.g. I like yellow = 노랑이 좋아요).
How Do You Say Green in Korean?
As the dictionary form for the word green isn’t a descriptive verb, it doesn’t get conjugated in the same way. That makes learning the word for green a lot easier than the words where a descriptive verb is used.
The most common way of saying green in Korean is 초록색 (choroksaek). This is 초록 (green) plus the suffix for color (색).
Here are some examples:
제 바지는 초록색이에요.
(Je bajineun choroksaek-ieyo)
My pants are green.
초록색 사과가 아주 맛있어요.
(Choroksaek sagwaga aju masisseoyo.)
The green apple is very delicious.
저는 초록색을 좋아해요.
(Jeoneun choroksaekeul joahaeyo.)
I like green.
초록색 책상을 샀어요.
(ChoroksIaek chaeksangeul sasseoyo.)
I bought a green desk.
초록색 모자가 잘 어울려요.
(Choroksaek mojaga jal eoullyeoyo.)
The green hat looks good on you.
Note that, as with blue, it’s more common to refer to green things found in nature (e.g. leaves, grass and trees) with 푸르다 (e.g. 푸른 숲 (pureun sup; green forest) or 푸른 잔디 (pureun jandi; green grass).
How Do You Say Pink in Korean?
Like with the word green, the word for pink in Korean isn’t a descriptive verb so it doesn’t get conjugated in the same way as red, blue, yellow, black and white.
The most common way of saying green in Korean is 분홍색 (bunhongsaek). This is 분홍 (pink) plus the suffix for color (색).
Here are some examples:
그 분홍색 셔츠를 사고 싶어요.
(Geu bunhongsaek syeocheureul sago sipeoyo.)
I want to buy that pink shirt.
분홍색 꽃이 정말 예뻐요.
(Bunhongsaek kkochi jeongmal yeppeoyo.)
The pink flower is really pretty.
분홍색 가방을 샀어요.
(Bunhongsaek gabangeul sasseoyo.)
I bought a pink bag.
분홍색을 제일 좋아해요.
(Bunhongsaekeul jeil joahaeyo.)
I like pink the most.
오늘 분홍색 치마를 입었어요.
(Oneul bunhongsaek chimareul ibeosseoyo.)
Today, I wore a pink skirt.
분홍색으로 방을 칠했어요.
(Bunhongsaekeuro bangeul chilhaesseoyo.)
I painted the room in pink.
How to Say Purple in Korean
The most common way of saying purple in Korean is 보라색 (borasaek). As this isn’t a descriptive verb, you don’t need to conjugate it.
Here are some examples:
보라색 꽃이 아름다워요.
(Borasaek kkochi areumdawoyo.)
The purple flower is beautiful.
보라색 옷을 입고 싶어요.
(Borasaek oseul ipgo sipeoyo.)
I want to wear purple clothes.
그는 보라색 모자를 쓰고 있어요.
(Geuneun borasaek mojareul sseugo isseoyo.)
He is wearing a purple hat.
보라색이 잘 어울려요.
(Borasaeki jal eoullyeoyo.)
Purple suits you well.
보라색 가방을 찾고 있어요.
(Borasaek gabangeul chatgo isseoyo.)
I am looking for a purple bag.
How to Say Orange in Korean
The most common way of saying orange in Korean is 주황색(juhwangsaek). You don’t have to conjugate this word as it’s not a descriptive verb.
Here are some example sentences:
저는 주황색을 좋아해요.
(Jeoneun juhwangsaekeul joahaeyo.)
I like orange.
주황색 차가 정말 예뻐요.
(Juhwangsaek chaga jeongmal yeppeoyo.)
The orange car is really pretty.
오늘은 주황색 셔츠를 입었어요.
(Oneureun juhwangsaek syeocheureul ibeosseoyo.)
Today, I wore an orange shirt.
저 꽃은 주황색이에요.
(Jeo kkochineun juhwangsaek-ieyo.)
That flower is orange.
주황색 책상이 방에 잘 어울려요.
(Juhwangsaek chaeksangi bange jal eoullyeoyo.)
The orange desk matches well with the room.
How to Say Orange Fruit in Korean
Referring to the orange fruit is a little different in Korean compared to the color orange. But it might sound familiar to English speakers.
You can call the orange fruit 오렌지 (orenji). Pretty easy to remember, isn’t it!?
If you want to refer to mandarins, which are pretty popular in South Korea, you call these 귤 (gyul).
How to Say Gray in Korean
The most common way of saying gray in Korean is 회색 (hoesaek). As it’s not a descriptive verb, you can use this word as is.
Here are some example sentences:
이 차는 회색이에요.
(I chaneun hoesaek-ieyo.)
This car is gray.
나는 회색 옷을 자주 입어요.
(Naneun hoesaek oseul jaju ibeoyo.)
I often wear gray clothes.
하늘이 회색으로 변했어요.
(Haneuri hoesaekeuro byeonhaesseoyo.)
The sky has turned gray.
그는 회색 머리를 가지고 있어요.
(Geuneun hoesaek meorireul gajigo isseoyo.)
He has gray hair.
회색 가방을 사고 싶어요.
(Hoesaek gabangeul sago sipeoyo.)
I want to buy a gray bag.
How to Say Brown In Korean
In Korean, the word for brown is 갈색 (galsaek). It’s used to describe the color in various contexts, much like in English. As it’s not a descriptive verb, you can use this word as is. Here’s how 갈색 can be used in sentences:
저는 갈색을 좋아해요.
(Jeoneun galsaekeul joahaeyo.)
I like brown.
그녀는 갈색 머리가 있어요.
(Geunyeoneun galsaek meoriga isseoyo.)
She has brown hair.
갈색 신발을 샀어요.
(Galsaek sinbareul sasseoyo.)
I bought brown shoes.
갈색 눈이 매력적이에요.
(Galsaek nuni maeryeokjeogieyo.)
Brown eyes are attractive.
이 갈색 가방이 마음에 들어요.
(I galsaek gabangi maeume deureoyo.)
I like this brown bag.
How to Describe Shades of Colors
In Korean, you can modify colors to describe different shades, just like in English. Words like 연 (yeon, light) and 진한 (jin, strong/dark) help convey the exact shade you’re referring to. They simply go in front of the main color word, as below.
- 연파란색 (yeonparansaek) – Light blue
- 진초록색 (jinchoroksaek) – Dark green
- 연분홍색 (yeonbunhongsaek) – Light pink
- 진빨간색 (jinppalgansaek) – Dark red
How to Ask Someone What Their Favorite Color Is in Korean
Use the question “좋아하는 색이 뭐예요?” (joahaneun saek-i mwoyeyo).
This phrase breaks down as follows:
- 좋아하는 (joahaneun): “favorite” or “what you like”
- 색 (saek): “color”
- 뭐예요 (mwoyeyo): “what is it?”
Together, the phrase translates to “What is your favorite color?”
If you want to be a little more formal, you can ask, “좋아하는 색깔이 무엇입니까?” (joahaneun saekkkal-i mu-eos-imnikka).
This means the same thing but uses the formal version of “what” (무엇 (mu-eos) instead of 뭐 (mwo)) and a more polite question ending (입니까 (imnikka) instead of 예요 (yeyo)).
You can also adjust this question to be more specific. For example, if you want to ask about a favorite color for clothes, you can say: “좋아하는 옷 색깔이 뭐예요?” (joahaneun ot saekkkal-i mwoyeyo).
This translates to “What is your favorite color for clothes?” These variations are handy for tailoring the question to different contexts.
How to Tell Someone What Your Favorite Color Is
Use the phrase “내가 가장 좋아하는 색은 [color]이에요.” (naega gajang joahaneun saek-eun [color]-ieyo), to say “My favorite color is [color].”
Here’s how it breaks down:
- 내가 (naega): “I”
- 가장 좋아하는 (gajang joahaneun): “favorite” or “the one I like the most”
- 색 (saek): “color”
- The structure [color]이에요 ([color]-ieyo) is the way to say “[color] is.”
For example, if your favorite color is blue, you would say “내가 가장 좋아하는 색은 파란색이에요.” (naega gajang joahaneun saek-eun paransaek-ieyo). This translates to “My favorite color is blue.”
If your favorite color is red, you would say “내가 가장 좋아하는 색은 빨간색이에요.” (naega gajang joahaneun saek-eun ppalgansaek-ieyo).
If you want to make it even simpler, you can just say “[color] 좋아해요.” ([color] joahaeyo). This means “I like [color].”
For instance, “초록색 좋아해요” (choroksaek joahaeyo) translates to “I like green.”
You can also add 제일 (jeil) to emphasize that it’s your absolute favorite, saying “초록색 제일 좋아해요.” (choroksaek jeil joahahaeyo).
How Do You Say Rainbow In Korean?
In Korean, the word for “rainbow” is 무지개 (mujigae). It’s a common word used to describe the colorful arcs we see after it rains. Just like in English, 무지개 refers to the natural phenomenon where light is refracted to display different colors.
If you want to talk about the colors of the rainbow, you can use 무지개의 색 (mujigaeui saek), which means “the colors of the rainbow.” Korean children also learn the colors of the rainbow in a specific order, similar to the way people remember “ROYGBIV” in English (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet). The colors of the rainbow in Korean are:
- 빨강색 (ppalgangsaek) – red
- 주황색 (juhwangsaek) – orange
- 노랑색 (norangsaek) – yellow
- 초록색 (choroksaek) – green
- 파랑색 (parangsaek) – blue
- 남색 (namsaek) – indigo
- 보라색 (borasaek) – purple
A sentence using the word 무지개 could be:
“비가 온 후에 무지개가 떴어요.” (Biga on hue mujigaega tteosseoyo.)
This means “A rainbow appeared after the rain.”
What’s Your Favorite Color?
Now that you’ve learned about colors, try to form some sentences about them. For example, you could answer the following as practice:
- What’s your favorite color?
- What color clothes do you usually wear?
- What color is your car or the local bus/transport system?
- Was the dress blue and black or white and gold (gold is 금색 (geumsaek) in Korean)?