French · Time, Numbers & Colors
"Red" in French: rouge
rouge
Red in French is rouge (ROOZH). Because it already ends in -e, it stays the same for masculine and feminine: un pull rouge, une voiture rouge. In the plural, just add an s: des tomates rouges.
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How to pronounce rouge
Say it
ROOZH
/ʁuʒ/
Rouge is one syllable: ROOZH. The ou sounds like the oo in "food", and the final ge sounds like the s in "measure". Start with the French r, made softly at the back of the throat.
"Red" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| rouge | red The same form for masculine and feminine singular. | The same form for masculine and feminine singular. |
| rouges | red (plural) With plural nouns: des pommes rouges. The s is silent. | With plural nouns: des pommes rouges. The s is silent. |
| le rouge | red (the color), red wine As a noun: j'adore le rouge. In a café, un rouge is a glass of red wine. | As a noun: j'adore le rouge. In a café, un rouge is a glass of red wine. |
| le rouge à lèvres | lipstick Literally "red for lips", used for lipstick of any color. | Literally "red for lips", used for lipstick of any color. |
| roux / rousse | red (hair) Only for hair and fur: elle est rousse (she's a redhead). | Only for hair and fur: elle est rousse (she's a redhead). |
How to use rouge in real life
- 1Shopping for clothes
Vous avez cette robe en rouge ?
Do you have this dress in red?
Use en with a color to ask about another option: en bleu, en noir.
- 2Ordering at a bistro
Un verre de rouge, s'il vous plaît.
A glass of red, please.
Rouge alone means red wine here, just like "a glass of red" in English.
- 3Crossing the street
Attends, le feu est rouge !
Wait, the light is red!
Le feu is the traffic light. When it turns green, people say le feu passe au vert.
Mistakes English speakers make with rouge
Incorrect: J'ai acheté une rouge voiture.
Correct: J'ai acheté une voiture rouge.
Colors always go after the noun in French, unlike in English.
Incorrect: Elle a les cheveux rouges.
Correct: Elle a les cheveux roux.
Red hair is roux, not rouge. Les cheveux rouges sounds like hair dyed bright red.
Good to know
Rouge shows up in some useful everyday expressions. Être dans le rouge means your bank account is overdrawn, and voir rouge means to get very angry, just like in English. Children know Le Petit Chaperon rouge, the French name for Little Red Riding Hood.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Choosing a scarf color at a market in Aix-en-Provence
ChatPal
Bonjour ! Ces écharpes sont en laine. Vous aimez le rouge ?
Hello! These scarves are wool. Do you like red?
You
Oui, beaucoup. Elle coûte combien, l'écharpe rouge ?
Yes, a lot. How much is the red scarf?
ChatPal
Vingt-cinq euros. Je l'ai aussi en bleu et en vert.
Twenty-five euros. I also have it in blue and green.
You
Je préfère la rouge. Je la prends, merci !
I prefer the red one. I'll take it, thanks!
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Red" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Red" in French
Does rouge change for masculine and feminine?
No. Rouge ends in -e, so it is the same for both: un sac rouge, une robe rouge. Only the plural changes, with a silent s: des sacs rouges.
Does the color go before or after the noun?
After. French colors follow the noun: une pomme rouge, un stylo rouge. This is one of the easiest word-order rules to remember.
How do you say red hair in French?
Say les cheveux roux. A redhead is un roux (man) or une rousse (woman). Rouge is not used for natural hair color.
How do you order red wine in French?
Ask for du vin rouge, or un verre de rouge for a single glass. You will also see rosé and blanc on the menu: un verre de blanc is a glass of white.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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