marrón
/ma-RRÓN/
brown
The most common meaning of marrón is the color brown.
📝 In Action
Mi perro tiene el pelo marrón y blanco.
A1My dog has brown and white fur.
Compramos unos zapatos marrones muy cómodos.
A2We bought some very comfortable brown shoes.
Me gusta más el abrigo marrón que el negro.
A1I like the brown coat more than the black one.
💡 Grammar Points
Color Adjective Rule
Unlike most Spanish color words (like rojo or blanco), marrón is one of the colors that does not change its ending to match the gender of the thing it describes. It always stays 'marrón' for singular, and 'marrones' for plural, regardless of whether the noun is masculine or feminine.
❌ Common Pitfalls
Gender Agreement Error
Mistake: "La mesa es marrona."
Correction: La mesa es marrón. (Do not try to make it feminine by adding an 'a'—it doesn't change!)
⭐ Usage Tips
Regional Differences
While marrón is standard, many Spanish speakers in Latin America prefer the word café (literally 'coffee') to mean 'brown.' Both are correct, but use café for better integration in those regions.
In Spain, marrón can also refer to a difficult situation or trouble, meaning "a problem."
marrón(Noun)
problem
?difficult situation or trouble
,mess
?unpleasant task
headache
?a difficult responsibility
📝 In Action
Me ha tocado el marrón de limpiar la cocina después de la fiesta.
B2I got stuck with the messy job of cleaning the kitchen after the party.
¡Qué marrón que no tengamos entradas!
C1What a hassle that we don't have tickets!
💡 Grammar Points
Using the Definite Article
When used in this informal sense, marrón is almost always preceded by el or un because it functions as a regular noun meaning 'the problem' or 'a mess'.
⭐ Usage Tips
Context is Key
If you hear marrón used in a sentence that doesn't involve describing a color, it almost certainly means 'a difficult situation' or 'a headache.' This usage is highly informal and best reserved for casual speech among friends.
✏️ Quick Practice
💡 Quick Quiz: marrón
Question 1 of 2
Which sentence correctly uses *marrón* as an adjective?
📚 More Resources
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.