How to Say "blue" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “blue” is “azul” — use 'azul' when referring to the color blue as a singular adjective or as a noun for the color itself..
azul
ah-SOOL (Latin America) / ah-THOOL (Spain)/aˈθul/
Examples
Mi camisa es azul.
My shirt is blue.
El mar Caribe es de un color azul turquesa impresionante.
The Caribbean Sea is an impressive turquoise blue color.
Necesito comprar una camisa azul para la fiesta de mañana.
I need to buy a blue shirt for tomorrow's party.
Las flores azules de mi jardín son las favoritas de mi madre.
The blue flowers in my garden are my mother's favorite.
Gender is Invariable!
Unlike most Spanish adjectives, 'azul' looks exactly the same whether describing a masculine word (el coche azul) or a feminine word (la casa azul).
Making it Plural
To describe more than one item, you add -es to make it 'azules' (e.g., Las luces azules están encendidas).
Colors as Nouns
When referring to colors as things or concepts, they are always treated as masculine nouns, so you always use 'el': 'El azul es un color frío.'
Treating it like a regular adjective
Mistake: “El mar azula. / La bandera azulá.”
Correction: The adjective 'azul' never changes its ending to -o or -a to match the noun's gender. It is always 'azul': 'El coche azul' and 'La mesa azul.'
azules
/ah-ZOO-less//aˈθules/
Examples
Los ojos de mi perro son azules.
My dog's eyes are blue.
Las flores son azules y rojas.
The flowers are blue and red.
Necesito unos pantalones azules para el trabajo.
I need some blue pants for work.
El cielo y el mar, ambos son azules en verano.
The sky and the sea, both are blue in summer.
Making it Plural
Since the singular word 'azul' ends in the letter 'l' (a consonant), you must add '-es' to make it plural, resulting in 'azules'.
Adjective Agreement
Because 'azules' is plural, it must always describe a plural noun, whether that noun is masculine ('los zapatos azules') or feminine ('las camisas azules').
Incorrect Pluralization
Mistake: “Las casas azul.”
Correction: Las casas azules. (You must match the number of the noun.)
triste
/TREES-teh//ˈtɾiste/
Examples
Me siento triste hoy.
I feel sad today.
Hoy me siento un poco triste.
I feel a little sad today.
¿Por qué estás triste?
Why are you sad?
Ella se puso triste cuando se fue su amigo.
She got sad when her friend left.
Using 'Estar' for Feelings
To talk about how someone feels right now, you'll almost always use the verb 'estar' with 'triste'. For example, 'Él está triste' means 'He is sad (at this moment)'.
Describing a Feeling vs. a Personality
Mistake: “Using 'ser' for a temporary feeling, like saying 'Soy triste hoy'.”
Correction: Always use 'estar' for temporary feelings: 'Estoy triste hoy'. Using 'ser' ('soy triste') means you are a sad person in general, which is a much stronger statement about your personality.
Confusing Color vs. Emotion
Related Translations
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