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amarillo

/ah-mah-REE-yoh/

yellow

A single, ripe yellow banana resting on a plain surface.

As an adjective, amarillo describes the color of an object, like this banana.

amarillo(Adjective)

mA1

yellow

?

Describing a thing's color

Also:

pale

?

Referring to someone's complexion (sometimes used figuratively)

📝 In Action

Compré una flor amarilla para mi madre.

A1

I bought a yellow flower for my mother.

Todos los taxis en Nueva York son amarillos.

A2

All the taxis in New York are yellow.

Después de la enfermedad, se quedó un poco amarillo.

B1

After the illness, he looked a little pale (yellowish).

Word Connections

Synonyms

Antonyms

Common Collocations

  • luz amarilla – yellow light/amber light
  • prensa amarilla – yellow journalism

💡 Grammar Points

Making it Match

As an adjective, 'amarillo' must change its ending to match the thing it describes in number (singular/plural) and gender (masculine/feminine): 'amarillo' (masc. sing.), 'amarilla' (fem. sing.), 'amarillos' (masc. plural), 'amarillas' (fem. plural).

❌ Common Pitfalls

Forgetting Gender Agreement

Mistake: "La casa es amarillo."

Correction: La casa es amarilla. (Since 'casa' is feminine, the adjective must end in -a.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Placement

Like most Spanish adjectives, 'amarillo' usually goes after the noun: 'un coche amarillo' (a yellow car), not 'un amarillo coche'.

A large, solid, uniform rectangular block painted entirely in bright yellow, representing the color itself.

As a noun, amarillo refers to the color yellow itself.

amarillo(Noun)

mA1

yellow

?

The color itself

Also:

amber

?

Traffic light color

📝 In Action

El amarillo es el color de la felicidad.

A1

Yellow is the color of happiness.

Pintaron la pared de un amarillo brillante.

A2

They painted the wall a bright yellow.

Vimos el amarillo en el semáforo y frenamos.

B1

We saw the amber/yellow light on the traffic light and braked.

Word Connections

Common Collocations

  • un tono de amarillo – a shade of yellow
  • el amarillo canario – canary yellow

💡 Grammar Points

Colors as Nouns

When you refer to a color as a concept (the color itself), it is always treated as a masculine, singular noun, requiring the article 'el': 'el rojo', 'el azul', 'el amarillo'.

❌ Common Pitfalls

Using Feminine Article

Mistake: "La amarillo es mi color favorito."

Correction: El amarillo es mi color favorito. (Colors used as nouns are always masculine.)

⭐ Usage Tips

Using 'De'

To say something is 'painted in yellow,' you often use 'de': 'Pintado de amarillo' (Painted in yellow).

✏️ Quick Practice

💡 Quick Quiz: amarillo

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses 'amarillo' as an adjective?

📚 More Resources

Word Family

amarillez(yellowness/paleness) - noun
amarillento(yellowish) - adjective

Frequently Asked Questions

Does 'amarillo' ever mean 'blond' or 'blonde'?

While technically correct, 'amarillo' is rarely used for hair color. The word 'rubio' is much more common and natural for describing blond hair.

How do I make 'amarillo' plural?

You add an '-s' to the end. If the noun is masculine plural, you use 'amarillos' (e.g., 'los libros amarillos'). If the noun is feminine plural, you use 'amarillas' (e.g., 'las luces amarillas').