Language/Slovenian/Vocabulary/Colors
Hi Slovenian learners! 😊
In this lesson, we'll be exploring the colorful world of Slovenian vocabulary. Colors are everywhere around us, and knowing how to describe them can enrich your vocabulary and help you to express yourself more vividly in Slovenian.
Consider broadening your understanding by checking out these related lessons:Drinks, How to say "Good Bye"?, Modes of Transportation & Telling Time.
Basic Colors[edit | edit source]
Let's start with the most basic colors. These are the colors that you may have learned in kindergarten:
| Slovenian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| rdeča | "R-dets-ah" | red |
| oranžna | "Oh-ran-j-nah" | orange |
| rumena | "Roo-meh-nah" | yellow |
| zelena | "Zeh-leh-nah" | green |
| modra | "Moh-drah" | blue |
| vijolična | "Vee-yoh-leech-nah" | purple |
| roza | "Roh-zah" | pink |
| črna | "Ch-er-knah" | black |
| bela | "Beh-lah" | white |
| siva | "See-vah" | gray |
Here are some useful phrases and examples in which these colors might be used:
- To say someone has blue eyes: "Ima modre oči." (Ee-mah moh-dreh oh-chee)
- To say that you bought a yellow car: "Kupil sem rumen avto." (Koo-peel sehm roo-mehn ahv-toh)
- To say that you are wearing a red shirt: "Nosim rdečo majico." (Noh-seem r-dets-oh my-ts-ee-tsoh)
- To talk about the color of leaves: "Drevesa so zelena." (Dreh-veh-sah soh zeh-leh-nah)
Intermediate Colors[edit | edit source]
Now that you've got the basics down, let's move on to some less common colors that are just as important:
| Slovenian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| rjava | "R-yah-vah" | brown |
| svetlo modra | "Svet-loh Moh-drah" | light blue |
| temno modra | "Tehm-noh Moh-drah" | dark blue |
| kaki | "Kah-kee" | khaki |
| turkizna | "Tuur-kee-znah" | turquoise |
| srebrna | "Sreh-ber-nah" | silver |
| zlata | "Zlah-tah" | gold |
Here are some examples of how to use these colors in a sentence:
- To talk about the color of your hair: "Moji lasje so temno rjavi." (Moh-yee lahs-yeh soh teh-mnoh r-yah-vee)
- To say that you like wearing turquoise jewelry: "Rada nosim turkizni nakit." (Rah-dah noh-seem tuur-kee-znee nah-keet)
- To describe the color of your car: "Moj avto je srebrne barve." (Moy ahv-toh yeh sreh-ber-neh bahr-veh)
- To compliment someone on their gold watch: "Lepa zlata ura!" (Leh-pah zlah-tah oo-rah)
Advanced Colors[edit | edit source]
If you're feeling ambitious, there are even more nuanced colors to discover in Slovenian. Here are some advanced options:
| Slovenian | Pronunciation | English |
|---|---|---|
| bakrena | "Bah-kreh-nah" | copper |
| češnjeva | "Ch-esh-nyeh-vah" | cherry-colored |
| fuksija | "Foo-ks-ee-yah" | fuchsia |
| indigo | "In-dee-goh" | indigo |
| koralna | "Koh-rahl-nah" | coral |
| marelična | "Mah-reh-leech-nah" | apricot |
| olivna | "Oh-leev-nah" | olive |
| škrlatna | "Shkhr-laht-nah" | scarlet |
Here are some examples of how to use these colors in a sentence:
- To talk about the color of a sunset: "Sončni zahod je bil čudovito bakren." (Son-ch-nee zah-ohd yeh beel choo-doe-vee-toh bah-krehn)
- To describe the color of a lipstick: "Ta fuksija šminka mi zelo pristoji." (Tah foo-ks-ee-yah sh-meen-kah mee zeh-loh pree-stoh-yee)
- To say that you decorated your living room with coral accents: "Moj dnevni prostor ima koralne detajle." (Moy dnehv-nee proh-stor ee-mah koh-rahl-neh deh-tah-yleh)
- To compliment someone on their scarlet dress: "Lepa škrlatna obleka!" (Leh-pah shkhr-laht-nah oh-bleh-kah)
A Rainbow of Expressions[edit | edit source]
Remember, colors are not just used to describe objects, they can also be used to express emotions and ideas. Here are some expressions that use colors:
- "Čutim se modro." (Choo-teem seh moh-dro) - I feel blue. (meaning: I feel sad or depressed)
- "Riddha ima zelene prste." (Ree-dah ee-mah zeh-leh-neh pr-steh) - Riddha has green fingers. (meaning: Riddha is good at gardening)
- "Ima roza očala." (Ee-mah roh-zah oh-cha-lah) - He/she has rose-colored glasses. (meaning: He/she sees things in an overly optimistic way)
- "Moje življenje je pobarvano v različnih odtenkih." (Moh-yeh zhee-vlyeh-nyeh yeh po-bar-vah-noh v rah-zleech-neeh oh-dten-keeh) - My life is painted in different shades. (meaning: My life is full of ups and downs)
Hopefully, this lesson has added some color to your Slovenian vocabulary! To further enhance your language skills, check out native Slovenian speakers on Polyglot Club and ask them any questions you may have. And for further vocabulary building, be sure to explore the various vocabulary lessons available to you.
➡ If you have any questions, please ask them in the comments section below.
➡ Feel free to edit this wiki page if you think it can be improved. 😎
Other Lessons[edit | edit source]
- Feelings and Emotions
- Animal
- Countries Države
- Numbers
- Useful phrases
- Count to 10
- How to say Good Bye?
- Love
- Health
- Days Dnevi
Sources[edit | edit source]