coch
/koːχ/
The Welsh word for red is coch. Wiktionary also lists rhudd.
Meaning: colour (noun)
Ways to say it
| Welsh | IPA |
|---|---|
| coch | /koːχ/ |
| rhudd | /r̥ɨːð/ (North Wales) /r̥iːð/ (South Wales) |
The word refers to the colour red. It is also used as an adjective to describe things that are red or, specifically in the context of hair, to describe someone with orange-brown hair.
Which one should you use?
coch is the standard word for the colour red used in most modern contexts. In contrast, rhudd is a more poetic or literary variant often found in older texts or formal descriptions.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In North Wales, both rhudd and the form goch are commonly used in both formal and informal contexts.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When used as an adjective, coch follows the noun it modifies in gender and number in many Welsh dialects, though it is often used as an invariant colour adjective.
How do you pronounce it?
/koːχ/
Did you know?
- The word rhudd shares a common ancestor with the English word 'red' through the Proto-Indo-European root *h₁rewdʰ-.
Examples in context
- Dw i'n yfed gwin coch.I'm drinking red wine.This sentence shows how to use coch to describe wine.Tatoeba #10271811 by SabukHitam, translation #10271812 by SabukHitam
- O ble felly daeth ein cochyn bach ni?So where have the red-headed children gone to?This sentence uses coch to describe the hair colour of children.Tatoeba #7822179 by sharris123, translation #7823852 by sharris123
- Dywedodd Heddlu Dyfed-Powys y bu farw'r dyn yn y fan a'r lle wedi iddo gael ei daro gan gar Renault Clio coch.Dyfed-Powys police said that the man died at the scene after being hit by a red Renault Clio.This sentence uses coch to describe the colour of a car.Tatoeba #7832675 by sharris123, translation #7832862 by sharris123
- Mae'r faner yn goch ac yn werthfawr iawn.The flag is red and very precious.
- Dyma'r fathodyn coch y cafodd fy nhad.This red button belonged to my father.
Example conversation
Elowen and Gareth are looking at a piece of fruit in a shop.
- ElowenYdy'r afal hwn yn coch?Is this apple red?
- GarethYdw, mae'n coch iawn.Yes, it is very red.
- ElowenDwi hoffi lliw coch.I like the colour red.
- GarethMae Elowen yn hoffi lliwiau cryf!Elowen likes strong colours!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “red” translations and entries coch, rhudd, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries coch, rhudd, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
