How to Say “Brown” in Russian

Ways to say it

The word 'brown' in Russian is not expressed by a single term. Instead, specific words are chosen based on what is being described. While кори́чневый is the most common adjective for the color brown used for inanimate objects, other terms exist for eyes, hair, animals and specific shades.

Which one should you use?

Russian uses different adjectives depending on the subject: – Use кори́чневый for the general color of inanimate objects. – Use ка́рий specifically when describing brown eyes. – Use кашта́новый for hair color that is a reddish-brown or chestnut shade. – Use бу́рый for dark, earthy or dull brown tones, which is often used for certain natural textures or animals like bears. – Use гнедо́й specifically to describe the brown coat color of horses.

Related words

Transliterations of the English name "Brown" (name): Бра́ун, Бро́ун.

Colour (noun): кори́чневый, бу́рый.

How does it change in a sentence?

The adjective кори́чневый must agree with the gender and number of the noun it modifies. To describe a feminine noun, such as a bag (сумка), use кори́чневая. For a neuter noun, such as a dress (платье), use кори́чневое. For plural nouns, use кори́чневые. Additionally, the words кори́чневый and бу́рый can function as nouns to mean 'the color brown'.

How do you pronounce it?

koríčnevyj