rojo
/ˈroxo/masculine
The English word red translates to Spanish as rojo.
rojo is used to refer to the color red. It can also be used as an adjective to describe someone as left-wing, socialist or communist.
Meaning: colour (noun)
Which one should you use?
While rojo is the standard word for the color, colorado is often used to describe something that has become red or flushed, such as a person's face or a sunset.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In some regions, particularly in Latin America, colorado is used more frequently than rojo.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective form must agree in gender with the noun it describes, so use rojo for masculine nouns and roja for feminine nouns. The adjective form must agree in number with the noun it describes, so use rojos for masculine plural nouns and rojas for feminine plural nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
/ˈroxo/
Did you know?
- In certain contexts, estar en rojo is used to describe a bank account that is overdrawn or a business that is losing money.
- In some Caribbean dialects, speakers may use colorado specifically for things that are naturally red, such as hair, while using rojo for painted objects.
- In Portuguese, the word roxo actually means 'purple' rather than 'red', which can confuse English speakers studying both languages.
Examples in context
- El Sol es rojo.The sun is red.This sentence is useful for describing the color of the Sun using rojo.Tatoeba #1006269 by Shishir, translation #477369 by BlueLagoon
- El perro es rojo.The dog is red.This sentence is useful for describing the color of a dog using rojo.Tatoeba #1170929 by marcelostockle, translation #3354603 by LanguageExpert
- El rojo es mejor.Red is better.This sentence is useful for stating a preference for the color red using rojo.Tatoeba #1416564 by marcelostockle, translation #1416534 by CK
- Mira qué vestido bermejo lleva María hoy.Look at the reddish dress Maria is wearing today.
- 271 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and María are at a clothing store.
- Javier¿Te gusta este vestido rojo?Do you like this red dress?
- MaríaNo, prefiero el azul.No, I prefer the blue one.
- JavierPero el rojo es muy elegante.But the red one is very elegant.
- MaríaTienes razón, Javier.You are right, Javier.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “red” translations and entries rojo, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
