How to Say "pale" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “pale” is “amarillo” — use 'amarillo' when referring to a pale complexion that has a yellowish tint, often due to illness or a lack of sun..
amarillo
ah-mah-REE-yoh/a.maˈɾi.ʎo/
Examples
Se veía pálido y un poco amarillo después de la gripe.
He looked pale and a little sallow after the flu.
Compré una flor amarilla para mi madre.
I bought a yellow flower for my mother.
Todos los taxis en Nueva York son amarillos.
All the taxis in New York are yellow.
Después de la enfermedad, se quedó un poco amarillo.
After the illness, he looked a little pale (yellowish).
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).
Forgetting Gender Agreement
Mistake: “La casa es amarillo.”
Correction: La casa es amarilla. (Since 'casa' is feminine, the adjective must end in -a.)
blanco
/BLAHN-ko//ˈblaŋko/
Examples
Se puso blanco como el papel al escuchar la noticia.
He turned as white as a sheet upon hearing the news.
Mi camisa favorita es blanca.
My favorite shirt is white.
Las nubes son blancas y esponjosas.
The clouds are white and fluffy.
Se puso blanco del susto.
He turned pale with fright.
Making Adjectives Agree
'Blanco' is a describing word, so it changes to match the thing it describes. If the thing is feminine, use 'blanca'. If it's plural, add an 's': 'blancos' or 'blancas'. For example: el coche blanco (the white car), la casa blanca (the white house), los coches blancos (the white cars).
Forgetting to Match
Mistake: “La pared es blanco.”
Correction: Say 'La pared es blanca.' because 'pared' (wall) is a feminine word, so the describing word needs to match it.
claro
/KLAH-roh//ˈkla.ɾo/
Examples
Prefiero los colores claros para la ropa de verano.
I prefer light colors for summer clothes.
El agua del río está muy clara.
The river water is very clear.
Necesitamos una habitación más clara para leer.
We need a brighter room to read.
Me gusta el color azul claro.
I like the color light blue.
Matching the Noun
'Claro' is like a chameleon. It changes to match the thing it's describing. For a masculine thing, use 'claro' (cielo claro). For a feminine thing, use 'clara' (agua clara).
pastel
/pas-TEL//pasˈtɛl/
Examples
La habitación estaba pintada en un tono pastel muy suave.
The room was painted in a very soft pastel shade.
Ella siempre usa ropa en tonos pastel.
She always wears clothes in pastel tones.
La pared está pintada de un color azul pastel muy claro.
The wall is painted a very light pastel blue color.
Adjective Agreement (Color)
When used to describe colors, 'pastel' often acts as a color modifier and typically remains singular and masculine, even if describing a plural feminine noun (e.g., 'las camisetas pastel').
Pluralizing the Adjective
Mistake: “Saying 'colores pasteles'.”
Correction: Treat 'pastel' here as describing the *type* of color. The plural is generally avoided in this specific context: say 'colores pastel' (plural subject, singular modifier).
Pale Complexion vs. Light Color
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