There are three cases of colour adjectives that never agree nor change.
Learn when colour adjectives stay the same in French
When the colour is described by a phrase containing two or more words (black and white, dark green, light blue...)
Tu as une jupe blanche?
- Oui, et une robe noir et blanc.Do you have a white skirt?
- Yes, and a black and white dress.
- Oui, et une robe noir et blanc.Do you have a white skirt?
- Yes, and a black and white dress.
When the colour actually derives from a noun referring to a real thing like a fruit, material, animal (orange, chestnut)
ATTENTION:
Here are the only exceptions to this rule, meaning that they do need agreement:
- écarlate (scarlet)
- fauve (fawn/tan)
- incarnat (rosy pink)
- mauve (mauve)
- pourpre (crimson)
- rose (pink) of course !
- écarlate (scarlet)
- fauve (fawn/tan)
- incarnat (rosy pink)
- mauve (mauve)
- pourpre (crimson)
- rose (pink) of course !
When you have the "combo" colour + noun used as a qualifier
See also regular colour adjectives: Colour descriptions change according to gender and number (French Colour Adjectives)
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Learn more about these related French grammar topics
Examples and resources
C'était une voiture verte.
- Oui, une voiture vert foncé.It was a green car.
- Yes, a dark green car.
- Oui, une voiture vert foncé.It was a green car.
- Yes, a dark green car.
Pour le 14 juillet, les gens portent des cocardes bleu blanc rouge.For Bastille Day, people wear blue-white-red rosettes.
Blanche-Neige avait les lèvres écarlates et la peau blanche comme la neige.Snow White had scarlet lips and skin as white as snow.
