Colors are some of the first words we learn in any language — and Dutch colors are wonderfully straightforward once you know the basics. This guide covers all primary and secondary colors, shades, and how to use color adjectives correctly in Dutch sentences.
Wist je dat?
The Dutch national color is oranje (orange), after the royal House of Orange-Nassau. During Koningsdag (King's Day) on April 27th, the whole country turns orange!
🎨 The Main Colors
| Emoji | Dutch | English | Example sentence |
|---|---|---|---|
| 🔴 | rood | red | De roos is rood. |
| 🟠 | oranje | orange | Het shirt is oranje. |
| 🟡 | geel | yellow | De banaan is geel. |
| 🟢 | groen | green | Het gras is groen. |
| 🔵 | blauw | blue | De lucht is blauw. |
| 🟣 | paars / violet | purple / violet | De lavendel is paars. |
| 🟤 | bruin | brown | De koffie is bruin. |
| ⚫ | zwart | black | De nacht is zwart. |
| ⚪ | wit | white | De sneeuw is wit. |
| 🩶 | grijs | grey | De lucht is grijs. |
| 🩷 | roze | pink | De bloem is roze. |
🖌️ Shades and Variations
| Dutch | English |
|---|---|
| lichtblauw | light blue |
| donkerblauw | dark blue |
| lichtgroen | light green |
| donkergroen | dark green |
| helderood | bright red |
| lichtgrijs | light grey |
| donkergrijs | dark grey |
| beige / crème | beige / cream |
| turkoois | turquoise |
| goudgeel | golden yellow |
| zilvergrijs | silver grey |
📐 Color Adjectives: Adding -e
In Dutch, color adjectives usually get an -e ending when placed before a noun (attributive position):
- een rode auto — a red car
- een blauwe lucht — a blue sky
- een groen huis — a green house (het-word without article or with 'een' stays uninflected!)
- het groene huis — the green house (with 'het' → add -e)
Exception: roze, oranje, beige and paars do not change!
Ik heb een rode tas en een blauwe jas.I have a red bag and a blue coat.
Wat is uw lievelingskleur? — Mijn lievelingskleur is groen.What is your favourite color? — My favourite color is green.
✏️ Practice
- The sky is blue → De lucht is blauw.
- A red apple → een rode appel
- Dark green → donkergroen
🔗 Continue Learning
- 👉 Clothing & Fashion — describe what people wear
- 👉 House & Home — describe your home
🎯 Ready to Test Your Dutch?
Take our free online Dutch level test and find out your level — A1, A2, B1 or higher!
Take the Free Test at dutchenglish.com/test →
📲 Follow Us for Daily Dutch!
Follow us on Facebook (dutchleren), Instagram (@quizdutch) and TikTok (@quizdutch) for daily Dutch words, mini-quizzes and cultural tips!