Colors
'색깔' (saekkkal) means 'color.' A rainbow (무지개, mujigae) is full of them. Let's learn the basic colors.
Basic Colors
| Color | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 빨간색 | ppalgansaek | red |
| 파란색 | paransaek | blue |
| 노란색 | noransaek | yellow |
| 초록색 | choroksaek | green |
| 하얀색 | hayansaek | white |
| 검은색 | geomeunsaek | black |
'무슨 색깔이에요?' (museun saekkkarieyo?) means 'What color is it?' To answer, say something like '빨간색이에요' (ppalgansaegieyo, 'It is red').
이 꽃은 빨간색이에요.
i kkocheun ppalgansaegieyo.
This flower is red.
하늘은 파란색이에요.
haneureun paransaegieyo.
The sky is blue.
무슨 색깔을 좋아해요?
museun saekkkareul joahaeyo?
What color do you like?
저는 초록색을 좋아해요.
jeoneun choroksaegeul joahaeyo.
I like green.
More Colors
Beyond the basics, there are plenty more colors: '주황색' (juhwangsaek) is 'orange,' '보라색' (borasaek) is 'purple,' '분홍색' (bunhongsaek) is 'pink,' and '갈색' (galsaek) is 'brown.'
| Color | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 주황색 | juhwangsaek | orange |
| 보라색 | borasaek | purple |
| 분홍색 | bunhongsaek | pink |
| 갈색 | galsaek | brown |
| 회색 | hoesaek | gray |
나뭇잎은 초록색이에요.
namunnipeun choroksaegieyo.
The leaves are green.
가을 단풍은 빨간색이에요.
gaeul danpungeun ppalgansaegieyo.
The autumn leaves are red.
Describing Things with Colors
You can use a color to describe a noun by placing it in front, as in '빨간색 꽃' (ppalgansaek kkot, 'a red flower'). Likewise, '파란색 가방' (paransaek gabang) means 'a blue bag.'
💡 Tip: Tip: '-색' (-saek) means 'color' and attaches to a color name to form the full word: 빨강 + 색 = 빨간색.