When you think of the color blue in French, the word bleu is likely the first to come to mind. And for good reason – it's the most common and direct translation! However, the French language, known for its nuance and poetry, has a whole spectrum of words to describe this versatile color.

Just as in English we have navy, sky blue, or turquoise, French offers a rich palette of terms that can make your descriptions more vivid and precise. Knowing these variations can help you appreciate the subtleties of the language and sound more like a native speaker.

Let's dive in and explore 9 different ways to say "blue" in French, from the color of the sea to the shade of a clear summer sky!

The standard 'blue' – bleu/bleue

The standard word for the color 'blue' in French is bleu.

Bleu is an adjective, and a fundamental rule in French is that adjectives must agree in gender and number with the noun they modify. This means the spelling of bleu changes depending on the noun.

Here are the four forms you need to know:

bleu: Used for masculine singular nouns (e.g., un livre bleu - a blue book).
bleue: Used for feminine singular nouns (e.g., une voiture bleue - a blue car).
bleus: Used for masculine plural nouns (e.g., des stylos bleus - blue pens).
bleues: Used for feminine plural nouns (e.g., des maisons bleues - blue houses).

Unlike in English, color adjectives in French are almost always placed after the noun. You don't say la bleue voiture; you must say la voiture bleue.

Be aware that context matters! The word bleu can also be a noun. For example, un bleu can refer to a bruise or a rookie. The famous cooking award is le Cordon Bleu.

The pronunciation changes slightly. Bleu and bleus sound the same (like 'bluh'). However, for bleue and bleues, the final vowel sound is more pronounced, sounding more like 'bluh-eh'.

💡 * Le ciel est bleu aujourd'hui. (The sky is blue today.)

Elle a acheté une robe bleue pour la fête. (She bought a blue dress for the party.)

Ses yeux bleus sont magnifiques. (His blue eyes are magnificent.)

J'ai vu de jolies fleurs bleues dans le jardin. (I saw pretty blue flowers in the garden.)

Après être tombé, il a un gros bleu sur le bras. (After falling, he has a big bruise on his arm.)

The 'light blue' – bleu clair

When describing shades of colors in French, you often combine a base color with an adjective like clair (light) or foncé (dark). The direct and most common way to say 'light blue' is bleu clair.

The most crucial grammar rule for compound color adjectives like bleu clair is that they are invariable. This means the color adjective does not change to agree in gender (masculine/feminine) or number (singular/plural) with the noun it describes.

This is different from a simple color like bleu, which must agree with its noun. For example, you say un livre bleu (a blue book) but une voiture bleue (a blue car). However, with bleu clair, the form never changes, regardless of the noun.

Whether you are describing one masculine object or multiple feminine objects, the term remains bleu clair. This simplifies things, as you only need to remember one form for the color.

This rule applies to all colors modified by an adjective. For instance, 'dark green' is vert foncé, and 'light pink' is rose clair, and both are also invariable.

💡 * J'ai acheté une chemise bleu clair. (I bought a light blue shirt.)

Ses yeux bleu clair sont magnifiques. (His light blue eyes are magnificent.)

Le ciel est d'un bleu clair aujourd'hui. (The sky is a light blue today.)

Les murs de sa chambre sont bleu clair. (The walls of her room are light blue.)

The 'dark blue' – bleu foncé

To describe something as 'dark blue' in French, you use the compound adjective bleu foncé. This is formed by combining the base color bleu (blue) with the adjective foncé (dark).

The most important grammar rule to remember for compound colors like bleu foncé is that they are invariable. This means the adjective does not change to agree in gender (masculine/feminine) or number (singular/plural) with the noun it modifies.

Because it's invariable, bleu foncé always stays the same, regardless of the noun. For example, you would say un pull bleu foncé (a dark blue sweater) for a masculine noun, and une robe bleu foncé (a dark blue dress) for a feminine noun. The spelling never changes.

The same rule applies to plural nouns. You would write des pulls bleu foncé (dark blue sweaters) or des robes bleu foncé (dark blue dresses). Notice that neither bleu nor foncé takes an 's'.

This rule of invariability applies to all colors modified by another adjective. For instance, vert clair (light green) and rouge vif (bright red) also remain unchanged regardless of the noun's gender or number.

💡 * J'ai acheté une voiture bleu foncé pour mon anniversaire.

Ses yeux sont d'un magnifique bleu foncé.

Elle porte toujours des chaussettes bleu foncé avec ses baskets.

Les murs de sa chambre sont peints en bleu foncé.

The 'navy blue' – bleu marine

Bleu marine is the direct French translation for 'navy blue,' a classic and deep shade of blue.

Crucially, bleu marine is an invariable adjective in French. This is because it is a compound color (a color derived from a noun, 'marine'). As a result, it does not change to agree in gender or number with the noun it modifies.

This means you use the exact same form—bleu marine—whether describing a masculine singular noun like un pantalon (pants) or feminine plural nouns like des chaises (chairs).

💡 * J'ai acheté une robe bleu marine. (I bought a navy blue dress.)

Il porte un costume bleu marine très élégant. (He is wearing a very elegant navy blue suit.)

Ses nouvelles chaussures sont bleu marine. (Her new shoes are navy blue.)

Les murs de sa chambre sont peints en bleu marine. (The walls of his room are painted navy blue.)

The 'sky blue' – bleu ciel

The 'sky blue' – bleu ciel

Bleu ciel is a compound adjective that literally translates to 'sky blue.' It is formed by combining the adjective for blue, bleu, with the noun for sky, ciel, to describe a specific light-blue hue.

A key grammatical rule in French is that when a color is described using a noun or a combination of words, it becomes invariable. This means it does not change to agree in gender (masculine/feminine) or number (singular/plural) with the noun it modifies.

Because ciel (sky) is a noun, the term bleu ciel does not change. You use the same form for any noun: un pull bleu ciel (a sky-blue sweater), une voiture bleu ciel (a sky-blue car), or des chaises bleu ciel (sky-blue chairs).

To use it correctly, simply place bleu ciel after the noun you are describing without any changes. This rule applies to many other compound colors in French, such as vert pomme (apple green) or rose bonbon (candy pink).

💡 * Elle a des yeux bleu ciel.

J'ai repeint les murs de ma chambre en bleu ciel.

Il portait une cravate bleu ciel avec son costume gris.

Nous avons acheté des serviettes bleu ciel pour la salle de bain.

The 'royal blue' – bleu roi

The 'royal blue' – bleu roi

In French, the color 'royal blue' is translated literally as bleu roi, which means 'king's blue'. This name has historical roots, as this deep and vivid shade of blue was prominently associated with the French monarchy, often appearing on coats of arms and royal garments.

Unlike slang, bleu roi is a standard and widely understood term for a specific color. It is commonly used in the worlds of fashion, interior design, and art to describe this particular saturated blue. You might hear it when someone is describing clothing, paint, or fabric.

A key grammar point for learners: compound color adjectives in French, especially those formed with a noun like roi, are invariable. This means bleu roi does not change to agree in gender or number with the noun it describes. For example, it's une robe bleu roi (a royal blue dress) and des yeux bleu roi (royal blue eyes).

💡 * Elle portait une magnifique robe bleu roi à la soirée.

J'ai peint un mur de ma chambre en bleu roi.

Ses yeux d'un bleu roi intense étaient captivants.

Les coussins bleu roi ajoutent une touche d'élégance au canapé.

The 'azure' or 'Mediterranean sky' blue – azur

The French word for a specific, vibrant shade of sky blue is azur. Directly translating to 'azure' in English, this term describes a deep, clear, and brilliant blue often associated with picturesque landscapes.

Azur is most famously used to describe the color of the sky and sea in the south of France, particularly along the Mediterranean. This is precisely why the French Riviera is known worldwide as the Côte d'Azur (the Azure Coast), evoking images of a perfect, cloudless summer day.

Grammatically, azur can be used as a masculine noun, l'azur (the azure color/sky), or as an invariable adjective, meaning it doesn't change to agree in gender or number. For example, you say un ciel azur (a male noun) and une mer azur (a female noun).

💡 * Le ciel de la Méditerranée est d'un bleu azur magnifique. (The Mediterranean sky is a magnificent azure blue.)

J'aime contempler l'azur du ciel en été. (I love to gaze at the azure of the sky in summer.)

Ses yeux étaient d'un azur profond et captivant. (His/her eyes were a deep and captivating azure.)

Nous passons nos vacances sur la Côte d'Azur chaque année. (We spend our holidays on the Azure Coast every year.)

The 'turquoise blue' – turquoise

The French word for 'turquoise' is, unsurprisingly, turquoise. It refers to the specific blue-green color, named after the gemstone of the same name.

Like many colors derived from nouns (gems, flowers, fruits), turquoise is an invariable adjective. This is a crucial rule to remember. It means the word does not change to agree in gender or number with the noun it modifies.

Whether you are describing a single masculine object or multiple feminine objects, the word turquoise remains the same. This contrasts with common color adjectives like bleu/bleue or vert/verte which must agree with the noun.

💡 * J'adore tes boucles d'oreilles turquoise. (I love your turquoise earrings.)

La mer des Caraïbes est d'une couleur turquoise incroyable. (The Caribbean Sea is an incredible turquoise color.)

Il a peint les murs en turquoise. (He painted the walls turquoise.)

Elle portait une écharpe turquoise. (She was wearing a turquoise scarf.)

1. The 'duck blue' (a deep greenish-blue) – bleu canard

One of the most evocative and popular color names in French is bleu canard. This term translates literally to 'duck blue' and describes a specific, elegant shade of deep teal or greenish-blue.

The name comes from the distinctive, iridescent blue-green feathers found on the head and neck of a male mallard duck (canard colvert). This specific visual reference is why the name is so descriptive and widely understood in France.

Bleu canard is a very fashionable color, frequently used in interior design, fashion, and art. You'll often hear it mentioned when describing paint colors, furniture fabrics, or clothing. It's considered a sophisticated and chic shade.

Don't confuse bleu canard with bleu pétrole (petrol blue). While similar, bleu canard typically has more prominent green undertones, whereas bleu pétrole can sometimes lean more towards a darker, grayish-blue.

💡 * J'ai peint le mur de mon salon en bleu canard.

Elle portait une magnifique robe bleu canard.

Le nouveau canapé est d'un profond bleu canard.

Cette couleur est très tendance, c'est du bleu canard.

Are there other ways to say 'blue' in French?

Are there other ways to say “blue” in French?

Our list features the most common ways to say “blue” in French. But the language is full of specific shades, from poetic terms for the sea and sky, to technical names used in fashion and art.

You can also do an online search for “nuances de bleu en français” to discover a whole palette of specific terms like bleu céruléen (cerulean blue) or bleu canard (teal).

You might find many interesting names for shades of blue on this kind of list. Before using a new term, try to see how it’s used in context to understand its precise meaning and feel.

Pay attention as you read, watch, and listen to things in French. Notice how authors, filmmakers, and even everyday people describe the world around them—you may discover many new ways to talk about color.

And if you’re looking for more expressions and idioms involving colors, the WordReference entry for bleu is a fantastic place to start exploring.

I hope this article has been helpful. To finish, here’s a perfect quote from the French artist Yves Klein, who was famous for his signature shade of blue: Le bleu n'a pas de dimensions, il est hors des dimensions. (Blue has no dimensions, it is beyond dimensions.)

'9 ways to say "blue" in French'