lila
“lila” means “lilac” in Spanish. It has 3 different meanings depending on context:
lilac
Also: light purple
📝 In Action
Mi hermana tiene una falda lila muy bonita.
A1My sister has a very pretty lilac skirt.
Pintamos las paredes del cuarto de color lila.
A2We painted the bedroom walls lilac.
El cielo se puso lila durante el atardecer.
B1The sky turned lilac during the sunset.
lilac
📝 In Action
Las lilas huelen de maravilla en primavera.
A2Lilacs smell wonderful in the spring.
Compré un ramo de lilas para mi madre.
A2I bought a bouquet of lilacs for my mother.
Hay un arbusto de lila en el jardín.
B1There is a lilac bush in the garden.
silly person
Also: wimp
📝 In Action
No seas lila y no les des tu dinero.
B2Don't be a fool and don't give them your money.
Me engañaron porque fui un poco lila.
B2They tricked me because I was a bit naive.
Quedó como un lila delante de todos.
C1He looked like a fool in front of everyone.
Vocabulary Collections
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✏️ Quick Practice
Quick Quiz: lila
Question 1 of 3
Which of these is the correct way to describe many light-purple houses?
📚 More Resources
👥 Word Family▼
📚 Etymology▼
From French 'lilas', which came from Arabic 'līlak', and originally from the Persian word 'līlak', meaning 'bluish'.
First recorded: 18th century
Cognates (Related words)
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is 'lila' different from 'violeta'?
Yes, 'lila' is generally a lighter, softer shade than 'violeta' (violet), which is more intense and blue-toned.
Can I use 'lila' for a man's shirt?
Yes! You would say 'una camisa lila'. The word doesn't change to 'lilo' for masculine items.
Does 'lila' have an accent mark?
No, 'lila' is a 'palabra llana' (the stress is on the second-to-last syllable) ending in a vowel, so it does not need a written accent.