Colors

1. लाल

   Lāl

   Red

   Usage

   An auspicious color used in bridal wear and weddings. "Lal Qila" (Red Fort) in Delhi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site

   Grammar Note

   Hindi color adjectives can inflect for the gender and case of the noun they modify. "Lāl" is invariable. Example: lāl sāṛī (red saree), lāl phūl (red flower)

2. नारंगी

   Nārangī

   Orange

   Usage

   Used specifically as the color name, distinct from the fruit "santra". Close to the saffron color on the Indian flag

   Grammar Note

   "Nārangī" derives from "nāranJ" (orange fruit). The orange on India's national flag is also called "kesariyā" (saffron color)

3. पीला

   Pīlā

   Yellow

   Usage

   Wearing yellow is traditional during "Basant Panchami" (spring festival), associated with the goddess Saraswati

   Grammar Note

   "Pīlā" is the masculine singular form. Before feminine nouns it becomes "pīlī". Example: pīlā kapaṛā (yellow cloth) vs pīlī sāṛī (yellow saree)

4. हरा

   Harā

   Green

   Usage

   The green on India's national flag symbolizes fertility and hope. Used daily in expressions like "harī sabzī" (green vegetables)

   Grammar Note

   "Harā" is masculine singular. Feminine form is "harī"; masculine plural is "hare". Example: harā peṛ (green tree), harī ghās (green grass)

5. गहरा नीला

   Gaharā nīlā

   Dark blue / Navy

   Usage

   "Gaharā" (deep/dark) + "nīlā" (blue) together express dark/navy blue. Often simply "nīlā" is used for blue in general

   Grammar Note

   "Nīlā" is masculine singular; feminine form is "nīlī". "Gaharā" (dark/deep) and "halkā" (light) modify color intensity in Hindi

6. आसमानी

   Āsamānī

   Sky blue

   Usage

   Derived from "āsamān" (sky). Also expressed as "halkā nīlā" (light blue) in everyday speech

   Grammar Note

   "Āsamānī" is an adjective formed by adding the suffix "-ī" to the noun "āsamān" (sky), meaning "sky-like (in color)"

7. बैंगनी

   Bainghanī

   Purple

   Usage

   Derived from "baingan" (eggplant/brinjal). The purple color of the eggplant gave this word its meaning

   Grammar Note

   "Bainghanī" is formed from "baingan" (eggplant) + suffix "-ī". Many Hindi color names are derived from vegetables and fruits (e.g., nārangī from orange)

8. गुलाबी

   Gulābī

   Pink

   Usage

   Derived from "gulāb" (rose). Jaipur is famously called the "Pink City" or "gulābī nagar" for its rose-colored buildings

   Grammar Note

   "Gulābī" is "gulāb" (rose) + suffix "-ī", meaning "rose-like (in color)". The related word "gulāb jal" (rose water) is also used in Indian cooking and sweets

9. भूरा

   Bhūrā

   Brown

   Usage

   Used for natural tones like soil and wood. Also used for physical descriptions such as "bhūre bāl" (brown hair)

   Grammar Note

   "Bhūrā" is masculine singular. Feminine: "bhūrī"; masculine plural: "bhūre". Example: bhūrā bhālū (brown bear), bhūrī āṃkheṃ (brown eyes)

10. सफ़ेद

    Safed

    White

    Usage

    In India, white can be associated with mourning but also symbolizes purity and simplicity. Gandhi's white attire is iconic

    Grammar Note

    "Safed" is an invariable adjective (does not change form for gender or number). Example: safed kapaṛā (white cloth), safed sāṛī (white saree) — same form for both

11. काला

    Kālā

    Black

    Usage

    "Kālī Mātā" (Black Goddess Kali) is a powerful deity. A black dot (kājal) is applied to children to ward off the evil eye

    Grammar Note

    "Kālā" is masculine singular. Feminine: "kālī"; masculine plural: "kāle". Example: kālā kuttā (black dog), kālī billī (black cat)

12. ग्रे

    Gre

    Gray

    Usage

    Borrowed from English. Traditional Hindi uses "dhūsar" for gray, but "grey/gray" is the dominant word in modern everyday speech

    Grammar Note

    As an English loanword, "grey" is often treated as an invariable adjective in Hindi. The classical/literary term is "dhūsar"

13. नीला

    Nīlā

    Blue

    Usage

    Blue with no shade specified; navy is गहरा नीला and sky blue आसमानी

    Grammar Note

    नीला inflects: नीली before a feminine noun (नीली साड़ी, "blue saree") and नीले in the masculine plural. Shades: हलका नीला ("light blue") and गाढ़ा नीला ("dark blue")

Browse all TravelPhrases languages