Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA |
|---|---|
| marrom | /maˈʁõ/ (Brazil) /maˈʁõ/ (Rio de Janeiro) |
| castanho | /kasˈtɐ̃.ɲu/ (Brazil) /kaʃˈtɐ̃.ɲu/ (Rio de Janeiro) |
Both terms describe the color brown, but they are used in different contexts. Marrom is the general term used for inanimate objects and colors in a broad sense. The term castanho is the standard term used specifically when referring to hair and eye color.
Which one should you use?
While both words mean brown, castanho is preferred for biological features like eyes or hair, whereas marrom is used for most other objects. To specify shades, you can append a descriptor like claro (light) or escuro (dark) to the color, such as castanho-escuro for dark brown.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, marrom is the most common word for the color brown, whereas in Portugal, castanho is more frequently used for the color itself.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective marrom becomes marrons when describing multiple objects. The adjective castanho must agree in gender with the noun it modifies, changing to castanha for feminine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/maˈʁõ/
Did you know?
- The word marrom is actually a loanword from the French word marron, which also refers to a chestnut.
- The word castanho is not just a color, but is also the Portuguese word for the edible chestnut fruit.
- In Brazil, if you call a person's eyes marrom, you might be understood, but it sounds like you are describing the color of a piece of furniture rather than a human feature.
Examples in context
- O gato é marrom.The cat is brown.This sentence is useful for describing the color of a cat using marrom.Tatoeba #1587239 by alexmarcelo, translation #1185156 by CK
- Essa cor é marrom?Is this color brown?This sentence is useful for asking if a specific color is marrom.Tatoeba #11159388 by carlosalberto, translation #11159381 by carlosalberto
- O coelho é marrom.The rabbit is brown.This sentence is useful for describing the color of a rabbit using marrom.Tatoeba #11524217 by carlosalberto, translation #11524206 by carlosalberto
- A sala de reuniões é decorada com cores neutras, como marrom e bege.The conference room is decorated with neutral colors such as brown and beige.
- As paredes do escritório são pintadas em um tom suave de marrom.The office walls are painted in a soft shade of brown.
- Eu adoro o casaco castanho que você está vestindo.I love the brown coat you're wearing.
- Pintei meu quarto em um tom de castanho quente.I painted my room in a warm shade of brown.
- 89 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Mariana and Gabriel are looking at a new sofa in a store.
- MarianaVocê gosta desse sofá marrom?Do you like this brown sofa?
- GabrielSim, eu acho muito bonito.Yes, I think it is very beautiful.
- MarianaO tom de marrom é perfeito.The shade of brown is perfect.
- GabrielEle combina com a nossa sala.It matches our living room.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “brown” translations and entries marrom, castanho, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries castanho, marrom, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
