lila
/ˈliːla/
The English word 'purple' can be translated into German as lila, purpur, violett or purpurn.
Meaning: colour (noun)
Ways to say it
| German | IPA |
|---|---|
| lila | /ˈliːla/ (standard) /ˈlɪla/ |
| purpur | |
| violett | /ˌviːoˈlɛt/ |
| purpurn | /ˈpuːɐ̯puːɐ̯n/ |
The words in this pack refer to the colour purple.
Which one should you use?
lila is the most common everyday term for purple. In contrast, violett is more precise and purpur is more poetic or formal. purpur often refers to a deep, reddish-purple or crimson, frequently used in literary or historical contexts.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
lila is the most commonly used word for purple in informal German. purpur is a more formal and literary term.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as an adjective, lila is indeclinable, meaning it does not take adjective endings even when preceding a noun. However, violett is a standard adjective that follows regular German adjective declension rules, such as violette or violetten.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈliːla/
Did you know?
- The word purpur is deeply associated with the Catholic Church and the high rank of cardinals, who wear this specific shade of reddish-purple.
- The most common word for purple, lila, is actually a shortened version of the French word for the lilac flower, lilas.
- In German, purpur is not just a color but often carries a connotation of power and royalty, echoing the historical 'Tyrian purple' of the Roman emperors.
Examples in context
- Diese Blume ist lila.This flower is purple.This sentence is useful for describing the colour of a flower using lila.Tatoeba #10060289 by wolfgangth, translation #7327847 by MarijnKp
- Mein Pullover ist lila.My sweater is purple.This sentence is useful for describing the colour of a sweater using lila.Tatoeba #2232985 by Vortarulo, translation #456475 by lukaszpp
- Seine Socken sind lila.His socks are purple.This sentence is useful for describing the colour of socks using lila.Tatoeba #10003933 by wolfgangth, translation #435114 by lukaszpp
- Das Kleid ist violett.The dress is purple.
- Ich mag violette Blumen.I like purple flowers.
- Die königliche Robe war purpurfarben.The royal robe was purple.
- Der Sonnenuntergang tauchte den Himmel in purpurenes Licht.The sunset bathed the sky in purple light.
- Das ist ein lila Pullover.That is a purple sweater.
- Wir haben lila Girlanden für die Party gekauft.We bought purple garlands for the party.
- 24 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lukas and Sarah are looking at paint samples for a room.
- LukasFindest du dieses lila schön?Do you think this purple is nice?
- SarahJa, aber es ist zu dunkel.Yes, but it is too dark.
- LukasSollen wir ein helleres lila nehmen?Should we take a lighter purple?
- SarahDas wäre perfekt, Lukas.That would be perfect, Lukas.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “purple” translations and entries lila, violett, purpurn, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries lila, purpurn, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
