Indigo
/ˈɪndiɡo/neuter
The English word 'indigo' can be translated into German as Indigo (the noun) or indigofarben (the adjective).
Meaning: colour (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Indigo | /ˈɪndiɡo/ | neuter |
| indigofarben | /ˈɪndiɡoˌfaʁbn̩/ |
Indigo is used as a noun to refer to the color itself. It can also function as an adjective. The word indigofarben is an adjective used specifically to describe something as being indigo-colored.
Which one should you use?
Indigo is the noun for the color, whereas indigofarben is the adjective used to describe an object's color. Additionally, you may encounter the compound word indigoblau, which is a common way to specify the color specifically as 'indigo blue'.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The noun Indigo is neuter, meaning it takes the definite article das (e.g., das Indigo).
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈɪndiɡo/
Did you know?
- In the 19th century, Indigo was a highly prized luxury commodity in Germany, often referred to as 'blue gold'.
- The adjective indigofarben uses the root farben, which is the plural of 'colors' rather than the singular 'color'.
- The word Indigo is shared with English and several other languages because it describes a specific dye extracted from the plant Indigofera tinctoria.
Examples in context
- Es gibt sieben Regenbogenfarben: Rot, Orange, Gelb, Grün, Blau, Indigo und Violett.There are seven colors in the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet.This sentence is useful for listing the colors of the rainbow and contains the noun Indigo.Tatoeba #12184293 by Pfirsichbaeumchen, translation #12180731 by Ultronimation
- Es ist Indigoblau.It is indigo.
- Bitte wählen Sie die entsprechende Indigo-Nuance.Please select the corresponding indigo hue.
- Ich mag dieses dunkle Indigo.I like this dark indigo.
Example conversation
Julia and Maximilian are looking at fabric samples in a shop.
- JuliaSchau dir dieses Indigo an!Look at this indigo!
- MaximilianJa, das Indigo passt gut zu dir.Yes, the indigo suits you well.
- JuliaMeinst du das wirklich?Do you really think so?
- MaximilianAbsolut, es ist eine tolle Farbe.Absolutely, it is a great color.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “indigo” translations and entries Indigo, indigofarben, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
