color blanco
/koloɾ blanko/from spelling rules
In Spanish, "colour white" is expressed as color blanco.
The phrase refers to the name of the color that is the shade of fresh snow or milk.
Which one should you use?
In Spanish, the adjective follows the noun, as seen in color blanco, whereas in English the adjective precedes the noun as in "white color".
How does it change in a sentence?
The adjective blanco must agree in gender with the noun it modifies. The feminine form of the adjective is blanca, the masculine plural form is blancos and the feminine plural form is blancas.
Did you know?
- The word blanco does not actually come from Latin, unlike most Spanish color names. Instead, it has Germanic roots meaning 'bright' or 'blinding'.
- In Spanish, the word blanco is used to describe the 'target' or 'bullseye' in archery and shooting. This usage originates from the historical practice of painting the center of the target white.
- The word blanco can be used to describe a person's face in a way that implies they look sickly or pale, rather than just referring to their complexion.
Examples in context
- El vestido es blanco y elegante.The dress is white and elegant.
- El traje de novia tradicional es de color blanco.The traditional wedding dress is white.
- Mi gato es blanquito, parece una bola de algodón.My cat is white, it looks like a cotton ball.
- Los campos al pie de la montaña se ven albos en invierno.The fields at the foot of the mountain look white in winter.
- La blanca paloma voló sobre el albo banco del parque.The white dove flew over the white bench in the park.
- El color blanco es muy elegante.The color white is very elegant.
- Me gusta comprar ropa de color blanco.I like to buy white colored clothes.
- ¿Prefieres el color blanco o el negro?Do you prefer the color white or black?
Example conversation
Sofía and Javier are choosing a new paint for the living room.
- SofíaJavier, ¿qué te parece el color blanco para la pared?Javier, what do you think about the color white for the wall?
- JavierA mí me parece que es muy brillante.I think it is very bright.
- SofíaEs verdad, pero hace que la habitación parezca más grande.It's true, but it makes the room look bigger.
- JavierTienes razón, vamos a usar ese color.You're right, let's use that color.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries blanco, color, CC BY-SA 4.0.
