Level 1 · Unit 1 · Lesson 08

Colours — C'est…

Today's goal: name 8 colours in French, use C'est ___ to describe things, and learn which colours change form and which stay the same.

Paper first → Screen repeat 8 Audio · 8 Match · 2 Sort · 6 Build · 8 Quiz · 4 Write Key pattern: C'est ___.
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Word bank — 8 colours

rouge
red
bleu(e)
blue
vert(e)
green
jaune
yellow
noir(e)
black
blanc(he)
white
rose
pink
orange
orange

Important — colours and gender

Some colours change when describing a feminine noun.
You will use this in Lesson 09 with classroom items. For now, learn both forms.
  • bleu → bleue  (un stylo bleu / une règle bleue)
  • vert → verte  (un livre vert / une gomme verte)
  • noir → noire  (un crayon noir / une trousse noire)
  • blanc → blanche  (un cartable blanc / une feuille blanche)

These four colours change. The other four — rouge, jaune, rose, orange — stay the same for both genders.

Key pattern: C'est ___. = It is ___.
C'est rouge.  C'est bleu et blanc.

Warm-Up

Do this on paper before anything else.

Write on paper

  1. Write all 8 colours with their English meaning — 2 times each.
  2. Write the four colours that change form with their feminine version — 3 times each: bleu / bleue, vert / verte, noir / noire, blanc / blanche.
  3. Write C'est rouge. — 3 times.
  4. Write C'est bleu et blanc. — 3 times.
  5. Look around the room — write C'est ___ for 3 things you can see.

Tip: look for objects around you that match each colour as you write it.

Say it aloud

Read each line clearly. Then say the masculine and feminine form of the four changing colours.

rouge — bleu — vert — jaune
noir — blanc — rose — orange
bleu → bleue  ·  vert → verte
noir → noire  ·  blanc → blanche
C'est _____.

The Colour Palette

Eight colours — four stay the same, four change. The lock icon means "no change needed".

rouge red — no change 🔒 bleu → bleue blue — adds e vert → verte green — adds e jaune yellow — no change 🔒 noir → noire black — adds e blanc → blanche white — irregular! rose pink — no change 🔒 orange orange — no change 🔒

Practice

Print and do these on paper first. Then repeat on screen.

Match

Tap a French colour, then tap its English meaning.

French
English
Score: 0/8

Sort the colours

Drag each colour into the correct column. Changes = it adds an e (or more) in the feminine. Stays the same = masculine and feminine are identical.

Changes form (bleu → bleue)
Stays the same (rouge → rouge)
Score: 0/8

Build the sentence

Drag the words into the correct order.

Score: 0/6

Quick Check

Choose the correct answer.

1. What is the French word for yellow?

2. The French flag is bleu, blanc and rouge. What colours are those in English?

3. Which colour has an irregular feminine form (not just adding an e)?

4. Which group of colours never changes form?

5. You have a feminine noun. Which form is correct?

6. What does C'est bleu et blanc mean?

7. Which sentence correctly uses two colours?

8. Un stylo noir — what colour is the pen, and is this masculine or feminine?

Score: 0/8

Write it yourself

Translate into French. Try from memory — check the word bank only if you are stuck.

1. Translate: It is blue.

2. Translate: It is green and yellow.

3. Write the feminine form of bleu.

4. Write the feminine form of blanc. (Careful — this one is irregular!)

Score: 0/4

Speaking Practice

Practise on your own while your teacher speaks with another student.

Colour hunt

Look around the room. For each colour, find something that matches and say the sentence out loud.

C'est rouge. (find something red)
C'est bleu. (find something blue)
C'est vert. (find something green)
C'est jaune. (find something yellow)
C'est _____ et _____.

Challenge: find something with two colours and use C'est ___ et ___.

Audio practice

Press Play, listen, then try to write the colour you hear in your Writing Space. Check the word bank if you need help.

Game Time

Match each French colour to its English meaning. When you find a pair, look around the room and point to something that colour — that is the rule!

Pairs: 0/8