When you think of the color yellow in French, the word jaune immediately comes to mind. But what about the brilliant gold of a sunset, the pale yellow of a delicate flower, or the vibrant hue of a ripe lemon?

The French language, with its characteristic richness, has a variety of words to describe the many shades of this cheerful color. Learning these different terms will not only expand your vocabulary but also help you paint a more vivid picture with your words.

Let's dive into 9 different ways to say "yellow" in French!

1. The standard 'yellow' – jaune

The most common and direct word for 'yellow' in French is jaune. It's the go-to term you'll use in almost every situation, from describing a flower to a piece of clothing.

As an adjective, jaune must agree with the noun it modifies. The good news is that since it already ends with an '-e', its masculine and feminine singular forms are identical. You simply add an '-s' for the plural.

Here are the forms you'll use:

jaune - for a masculine singular noun (e.g., un livre jaune - a yellow book)
jaune - for a feminine singular noun (e.g., une fleur jaune - a yellow flower)
jaunes - for a masculine or feminine plural noun (e.g., des livres jaunes, des fleurs jaunes)

Like most color adjectives in French, jaune is placed after the noun it describes. For instance, you would say une voiture jaune (a yellow car), not une jaune voiture.

Beyond its literal meaning, jaune also appears in idiomatic expressions. A classic example is rire jaune, which translates to 'to give a forced or bitter laugh'. It describes laughing when you are actually annoyed, embarrassed, or disappointed.

💡 * Le soleil est jaune.

Elle porte une belle jupe jaune.

En automne, les feuilles des arbres deviennent jaunes.

Il a ri jaune en entendant la critique.

J'ai peint les murs de ma chambre en jaune pâle.

The 'golden' yellow – doré

When you want to describe something as 'golden' in French, the word you'll use is doré. It's directly derived from the French word for gold, l'or, and is the past participle of the verb dorer, which means 'to gild' or 'to brown'.

As an adjective, doré is used to describe the rich, warm, metallic yellow color of gold. You can use it for anything from jewelry to the color of light, such as la lumière dorée du soir (the golden evening light).

One of the most frequent uses of doré is in cooking. In this context, it means 'golden brown'. French recipes will often instruct you to cook something jusqu'à ce qu'il soit bien doré (until it is nicely golden brown), indicating that it has been cooked to perfection.

Remember that as an adjective, doré must agree in gender and number with the noun it describes. It changes to dorée for feminine singular nouns, dorés for masculine plural, and dorées for feminine plural nouns.

💡 * J'aime la lumière dorée du coucher de soleil.

Faites revenir les oignons jusqu'à ce qu'ils soient bien dorés.

Elle portait une magnifique bague dorée.

En automne, les feuilles des arbres sont dorées.

The 'lemon' yellow – jaune citron

When you want to be more descriptive than just saying jaune (yellow), French allows you to specify the shade by adding a noun. A very common and vibrant example is jaune citron.

As you might have guessed, jaune citron literally translates to 'lemon yellow'. It describes the bright, sharp yellow color characteristic of a lemon.

Here's a crucial grammar rule: when a color is composed of an adjective (jaune) and a noun (citron), it becomes invariable. This means it doesn't change to agree in gender or number with the noun it's describing. It always stays jaune citron.

You'll often encounter compound color adjectives like jaune citron in fields like fashion, art, and design, where precise color description is important. For example, you might describe a dress, a car, or a wall color this way.

💡 * J'ai acheté une robe jaune citron pour l'été. (I bought a lemon-yellow dress for the summer.)

Ses chaussures jaune citron sont très originales. (His/Her lemon-yellow shoes are very original.)

Le mur de la cuisine est peint en jaune citron. (The kitchen wall is painted lemon yellow.)

Elle portait des lunettes de soleil jaune citron. (She was wearing lemon-yellow sunglasses.)

The 'mustard' yellow – jaune moutarde

The 'mustard' yellow – jaune moutarde

Jaune moutarde literally translates to “yellow mustard.” In French, compound color names derived from nouns (like fruits, flowers, or in this case, a condiment) are formed by combining the base color with the noun that specifies the shade.

A crucial grammatical rule for compound colors like jaune moutarde is that they are invariable. This means the color does not change its form to agree with the gender (masculine/feminine) or number (singular/plural) of the noun it describes. It always stays jaune moutarde.

This specific shade is very popular in fashion and interior design. You will often hear it used to describe clothing, furniture, or paint colors, adding a warm, retro touch to any item.

💡 * J'ai acheté une robe jaune moutarde pour la fête. (I bought a mustard yellow dress for the party.)

Les murs de sa cuisine sont jaune moutarde. (The walls of his kitchen are mustard yellow.)

Il porte des chaussettes jaune moutarde avec son costume. (He is wearing mustard yellow socks with his suit.)

Nous avons vu des fauteuils jaune moutarde au magasin. (We saw some mustard yellow armchairs at the store.)

The 'saffron' yellow – jaune safran

The 'saffron' yellow – jaune safran

Jaune safran literally translates to 'saffron yellow.' It's a specific color adjective used to describe a deep, rich, and warm shade of yellow, just like the exotic spice.

This term is frequently used in contexts like fashion, art, and interior design to describe a very precise, often luxurious, hue. It adds a layer of specificity that the simple word jaune (yellow) lacks.

Crucially, when a color is modified by a noun (like safran), the entire adjective phrase becomes invariable. This means jaune safran does not change to agree in gender or number with the noun it describes.

So, whether you're talking about one dress or multiple shoes, the form remains the same: une robe jaune safran (a saffron yellow dress) and des chaussures jaune safran (saffron yellow shoes). This rule is essential for sounding natural.

💡 * Elle a peint un mur de son salon en jaune safran. (She painted one wall of her living room saffron yellow.)

J'adore tes nouvelles chaussures jaune safran ! (I love your new saffron yellow shoes!)

Il portait une écharpe jaune safran pour égayer sa tenue. (He wore a saffron yellow scarf to brighten up his outfit.)

The 'straw' yellow – jaune paille

In French, to describe a specific light, pale yellow, the term jaune paille is used. It literally translates to 'straw yellow' and is a descriptive way to pinpoint a color reminiscent of dried wheat or hay stalks.

You will most commonly encounter jaune paille when describing two things: the color of light white wines and a certain shade of blonde hair. A wine described as jaune paille is typically light and crisp. Hair of this color is a very light, natural-looking blonde.

As a compound color adjective derived from a noun (paille), jaune paille is invariable. This means it does not change to agree in gender or number with the noun it modifies. For example: un mur jaune paille (a straw-yellow wall) and des robes jaune paille (straw-yellow dresses).

While most common in oenology and hair coloring, jaune paille is a wonderfully descriptive term that can be used for anything with that specific hue, such as textiles, paint, or a dry summer landscape. Using it shows a more nuanced and sophisticated command of French color vocabulary.

💡 * Ce Sauvignon a une robe brillante de couleur jaune paille.

Elle a de longs cheveux blonds, presque jaune paille.

Le champ de blé en été était d'un magnifique jaune paille.

Pour le salon, nous avons choisi une peinture jaune paille très douce.

1. The 'canary' yellow – jaune canari

To describe a specific, bright shade of yellow, French speakers use the term jaune canari. This directly translates to “canary yellow,” referencing the vibrant color of the canary bird.

In French grammar, when a noun (like canari) is used to modify a color adjective (like jaune), the entire color phrase becomes invariable. This means it does not change to agree in gender or number with the noun it describes.

Therefore, whether you are describing a singular feminine noun or a plural masculine noun, the form jaune canari remains the same. For example, une robe jaune canari (a canary yellow dress) and des gants jaune canari (canary yellow gloves).

💡 * Elle a peint la porte en jaune canari pour égayer la maison. (She painted the door canary yellow to brighten up the house.)

J'ai acheté un pull jaune canari pour l'hiver. (I bought a canary yellow sweater for the winter.)

Ses chaussettes jaune canari se voyaient de loin. (His canary yellow socks could be seen from afar.)

La voiture de sport était d'un jaune canari éclatant. (The sports car was a dazzling canary yellow.)

The 'buttercup' yellow – jaune bouton-d'or

For a vivid, sunny shade of yellow, French speakers turn to nature with jaune bouton-d'or.

Bouton-d'or literally translates to 'gold button,' which is the French name for the buttercup flower. This color, therefore, describes the bright, cheerful, and slightly glossy yellow characteristic of its petals.

A crucial grammar point: when a noun is used to specify a color (like bouton-d'or), the adjective is invariable. It does not change to agree in gender or number. For example, you would say des robes jaune bouton-d'or (not jaunes boutons-d'or).

This term is commonly used in fashion, interior design, and descriptions of nature to evoke a sense of warmth, spring, and happiness.

💡 * Elle portait une robe jaune bouton-d'or pour la cérémonie.

Les murs de sa chambre sont peints en jaune bouton-d'or.

J'ai acheté des chaussures jaune bouton-d'or pour égayer ma tenue.

Le champ était couvert de fleurs jaune bouton-d'or.

1. The 'Amber' Yellow: Ambré

The French adjective ambré directly translates to 'amber' or 'amber-colored.' It describes a specific warm, rich, golden-yellow or brownish-orange hue, just like the fossilized tree resin it's named after. It is used to give a more descriptive and poetic nuance than a simple jaune (yellow) or orange.

As an adjective, ambré must agree in gender and number with the noun it modifies. This is a fundamental rule in French grammar.

Masculine singular: ambré (e.g., un whisky ambré)
Feminine singular: ambrée (e.g., une bière ambrée)
Masculine plural: ambrés (e.g., des yeux ambrés)
Feminine plural: ambrées (e.g., des lueurs ambrées)

You will commonly find ambré used to describe the color of beverages like whiskey, rum, certain beers (bière ambrée), and cognac. It's also perfect for describing honey (miel ambré), eye color (yeux ambrés), or the warm glow of a sunset or lamp (lumière ambrée).

💡 * J'ai acheté une bouteille de rhum ambré pour le cocktail.

La lumière ambrée du soir filtrait à travers les rideaux.

Ses yeux ambrés sont vraiment captivants.

Cette bière ambrée a des notes de caramel.

Les feuilles mortes formaient un tapis ambré sur le sol.

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

Our list features the most common ways to say 'yellow' in French, from the basic jaune to specific shades like doré (golden). But the French language has a rich palette of terms, including poetic descriptions, technical names for pigments, and unique regional words.

You can expand your vocabulary by doing an online search for 'nuances de la couleur jaune' (shades of the color yellow) or by looking up specific items, such as 'jaune paille' (straw-yellow) or 'jaune safran' (saffron yellow).

Pay close attention to context. The word jaune itself can appear in idiomatic expressions where it takes on a different meaning, like in the phrase 'un rire jaune', which means a forced or strained laugh. Always try to see a new word used in a sentence before using it yourself.

As you read, watch, and listen to things in French, notice how colors are described. From the sunflower fields of Provence to descriptions of food and fashion in Paris, you'll discover the subtle and artistic ways the French talk about color.

If you're looking for more synonyms, shades, and related expressions, exploring the entry for 'jaune' in a comprehensive French dictionary like Le Robert or Larousse can be an excellent way to deepen your knowledge.

I hope this guide has brightened your understanding of French color vocabulary. To finish, here is a fitting quote from the painter Vincent van Gogh, who captured the brilliant yellows of the French countryside: 'Comme le jaune est beau! Il représente le soleil.' (How wonderful yellow is. It stands for the sun.)

'9 ways to say "yellow" in French'