Southern Vietnamese
Vietnamese Colors for Everyday Objects
Learn basic colors and use noun + color to describe things around you.
The short version
Learn 12 basic Vietnamese colors and use them after nouns to describe things around you.
Real-life use
Colors help you describe clothes, cups, books, bags, doors, signs, and things you want to buy. Start with short chunks, not long sentences.
Core examples
| Vietnamese | English | Practice note |
|---|---|---|
| Đỏ | Red | Basic color word. |
| Xanh lá | Green | Short beginner form of xanh lá cây. |
| Xanh dương | Blue | Clear beginner label for blue. |
| Áo đỏ | Red shirt | Color comes after the noun. |
| Ly trắng | White cup | Use noun + color. |
| Sách xanh dương | Blue book | A longer color phrase can still come after the noun. |
Day 12 color focus
Intro: 12 basic colors
Learn colors as words you can attach to real objects around you: shirts, cups, books, chairs, doors, and anything you can point at.
Color tip
Xanh lá cây means green, while xanh trời, xanh biển, or xanh dương point to blue.
Warm colors
Đỏ
Cam
Vàng
Start with red, orange, and yellow because the words are short.
Xanh family
Xanh lá
Xanh dương
Xanh needs context: xanh lá for green, xanh dương for blue.
Object colors
Áo đỏ
Ly trắng
Vietnamese puts the color after the noun.
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Day 12 vocabulary focus
Vocabulary: đỏ, cam, vàng, xanh lá, xanh dương, tím, đen, trắng, nâu, hồng, xám, bạc
Play each color and save the ones that feel hard. The swatch helps recognition, but the Vietnamese word is the thing to practice.
Red
Đỏ
Red
High-frequency color for clothes, signs, and objects.
Orange
Cam
Orange
Also the word for orange fruit.
Yellow / gold
Vàng
Yellow / gold
Can mean yellow or gold depending on context.
Green
Xanh lá
Green
Short beginner form of xanh lá cây.
Blue
Xanh dương
Blue
Clear beginner label for blue.
Purple
Tím
Purple
Useful for clothing and objects.
Black
Đen
Black
Common in coffee, clothes, and objects.
White
Trắng
White
Use the border to see the white swatch.
Brown
Nâu
Brown
Useful for doors, bags, wood, and coffee colors.
Pink
Hồng
Pink
Basic color word.
Gray
Xám
Gray
Useful for clothing and furniture.
Silver
Bạc
Silver
Can mean silver color or money depending on context.
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Day 12 speaking skill
Speaking skill: describe nearby objects
Use short chunks first. Point to an object, say the noun, then add the color.
Clothing
Áo đỏ
Red shirt
Say áo first, then đỏ.
Cup
Ly trắng
White cup
Say ly first, then trắng.
Book
Sách xanh dương
Blue book
A longer color phrase still comes after the noun.
Chair
Ghế đen
Black chair
Say ghế first, then đen.
Door
Cửa nâu
Brown door
Say cửa first, then nâu.
Pointing sentence
Cái này màu xanh lá
This is green
Use Cái này màu ... when you do not know the object noun.
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Day 12 grammar focus
Grammar note: colors come after nouns
English often says color + noun. Vietnamese normally says noun + color.
English order
red shirt
English often puts color before the noun.
Vietnamese order
áo đỏ
Vietnamese puts the color after the noun.
With longer color
sách xanh dương
The whole color phrase follows the noun.
Pointing fallback
Cái này màu xanh lá
Use this when you can point but do not know the noun.
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Day 12 speaking exercise
Exercise: describe 10 things at home
Walk around your room or home. Say 10 short color descriptions aloud before marking the task complete.
Thing 1
Describe one shirt or jacket.
Use noun + color, or Cái này màu ... if you do not know the noun.
Thing 2
Describe one cup or bottle.
Use noun + color, or Cái này màu ... if you do not know the noun.
Thing 3
Describe one book or notebook.
Use noun + color, or Cái này màu ... if you do not know the noun.
Thing 4
Describe one chair.
Use noun + color, or Cái này màu ... if you do not know the noun.
Thing 5
Describe one door.
Use noun + color, or Cái này màu ... if you do not know the noun.
Thing 6
Describe one wall.
Use noun + color, or Cái này màu ... if you do not know the noun.
Thing 7
Describe one bag.
Use noun + color, or Cái này màu ... if you do not know the noun.
Thing 8
Describe one phone or laptop.
Use noun + color, or Cái này màu ... if you do not know the noun.
Thing 9
Describe one pen.
Use noun + color, or Cái này màu ... if you do not know the noun.
Thing 10
Describe one object you can point at.
Use noun + color, or Cái này màu ... if you do not know the noun.
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Southern Vietnamese note
In Southern speech, xanh lá cây is common for green, and xanh dương or xanh biển can be used for blue. The context usually makes the color clear.
How to practice today
- Play each color once.
- Point at a nearby object.
- Say the noun first, then the color.
- Repeat with 10 things in your room.
Common mistake
Do not copy English order. Say áo đỏ, not đỏ áo.
Meaning check
Quick practice
Where does the color go in a simple Vietnamese noun phrase?
FAQ
Do Vietnamese color words come before or after nouns?
In simple beginner phrases, the color usually comes after the noun: áo đỏ means red shirt.
What is the difference between xanh lá and xanh dương?
Xanh lá or xanh lá cây means green. Xanh dương, xanh trời, and xanh biển are common ways to point to blue.
Finish this lesson
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Week 2 · Day 12 in the 90-day path
Listen to at least 3 phrases
Use normal audio first, then slow audio.
Save at least 1 phrase
Only save phrases you would actually reuse.
Finish the quiz or practice task
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Practice panel
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