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marrón

ma-RRÓN/maˈron/

“marrón” means “brown” in Spanish. It has 2 different meanings depending on context:

brown

Also: tan, chestnut
Latin America
A simple, fluffy brown teddy bear sitting against a light background.

📝 In Action

Mi perro tiene el pelo marrón y blanco.

A1

My dog has brown and white fur.

Compramos unos zapatos marrones muy cómodos.

A2

We bought some very comfortable brown shoes.

Me gusta más el abrigo marrón que el negro.

A1

I like the brown coat more than the black one.

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • castaño (brown (often for hair/eyes))
  • café (brown (common in Latin America))

Common Collocations

  • marrón claro – light brown
  • marrón oscuro – dark brown

problem, mess

Also: headache
NounmB2informal
Spain
A small, simple cartoon character wearing overalls strains intensely while trying to push a giant, heavy, gray boulder that is blocking their path.

📝 In Action

Me ha tocado el marrón de limpiar la cocina después de la fiesta.

B2

I got stuck with the messy job of cleaning the kitchen after the party.

¡Qué marrón que no tengamos entradas!

C1

What a hassle that we don't have tickets!

Word Connections

Synonyms

  • problema (problem)
  • lío (mess, complication)

Common Collocations

  • comerse un marrón – to take the blame/deal with the problem
  • dejarle el marrón a alguien – to leave someone else with the problem

Translate to Spanish

Words that translate to "marrón" in Spanish:

brown→chestnut→headache→tan→

✏️ Quick Practice

Quick Quiz: marrón

Question 1 of 2

Which sentence correctly uses *marrón* as an adjective?

📚 More Resources

👥 Word Family▼
marrón(brown (the color itself)) — Noun
amarronar(to make brown) — Verb
🎵 Rhymes▼
balónlimón
📚 Etymology▼

The word comes from the French word *marron*, which means 'chestnut.' Since chestnuts are brown, the name of the fruit became the name of the color.

First recorded: 18th century (in Spanish)

Cognates (Related words)

French: marronPortuguese: marrom

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Frequently Asked Questions

Does *marrón* ever change its ending?

Yes, but only for number, not gender. You use *marrón* for singular things (like *un coche marrón*) and *marrones* for plural things (like *dos coches marrones*). It never becomes *marrona*.

Is *marrón* the only word for 'brown'?

No. *Marrón* is very common in Spain. In many parts of Latin America, you will hear *café* (coffee) or *pardo* (often used for dull or grayish browns) instead.