Colours
Colori
- Describe the colours of common objects.
- Basic, compound and hair colours.
- Use of “piacere”
This lesson focuses on expressing likes and dislikes with the verb "piacere" using common color vocabulary such as azzurro, rosso, nero, giallo, and marrone to describe clothes, objects, and hair colors in Italian.
Vocabulary (15) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Classify the words into two groups: colors found in nature and colors typical of man-made objects.
Colori della natura
Colori degli oggetti artificiali
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Verde
Green
2
Marrone
Brown
3
Azzurro
Light blue
4
Rosso
Red
5
Piacere
To like
Esercizio 5: Conversation exercise
Istruzione:
- Describe the colours of the clothes. (Describe the colours of the clothes.)
- Describe the hair colour of each person. (Describe the hair colour of each person.)
- Describe your own appearance. (Describe your own appearance.)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
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Le scarpe sono bianche. The shoes are white. |
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Ha i capelli castani. She has brown hair. |
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La donna indossa un completo giallo. The woman is wearing a yellow suite. |
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Lei ha i capelli biondi. She has blond hair. |
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Indosso una camicetta viola. I'm wearing a purple blouse. |
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Alice indossa stivali neri. Alice is wearing black boots. |
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Indossa un paio di jeans. She is wearing a pair of jeans. |
| ... |
Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 7: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Mi _____ il colore azzurro perché è rilassante.
(I _____ the blue color because it is relaxing.)2. Non mi _____ i vestiti gialli, preferisco quelli blu.
(I don't _____ yellow clothes, I prefer the blue ones.)3. Tu _____ il colore marrone o ti piace?
(You _____ the brown color or do you like it?)4. A loro _____ i capelli biondi della ragazza.
(They _____ the blonde hair of the girl.)Exercise 8: Choosing colors for the house
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Piacere - Like
Presente
- mi piace
- ti piace
- gli/le piace
- ci piace
- vi piace
- gli piace
- mi piacciono
- ti piacciono
- gli/le piacciono
- ci piacciono
- vi piacciono
- gli piacciono
Odiare - Hate
Presente
- io odio
- tu odi
- lui/lei odia
- noi odiamo
- voi odiate
- loro odiano
Preferire - Prefer
Presente
- io preferisco
- tu preferisci
- lui/lei preferisce
- noi preferiamo
- voi preferite
- loro preferiscono
Essere - To be
Presente
- io sono
- tu sei
- lui/lei è
- noi siamo
- voi siete
- loro sono
Exercise 9: Uso di “piacere”
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: Use of “piacere”
Show translation Show answerspiace, piacciono
Grammar Share Copied!
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Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Odiare to hate Share Copied!
Presente
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| (io) odio | I hate |
| (tu) odi | You hate |
| (lui/lei) odia | he/she hates |
| (noi) odiamo | We hate |
| (voi) odiate | You hate |
| (loro) odiano | they hate |
Piacere to like Share Copied!
Presente
| Italian | English |
|---|---|
| (io) piaccio | I like |
| (tu) piaci | You like |
| (lui/lei) piace | he/she likes |
| (noi) piacciamo | we like |
| (voi) piacete | You like |
| (loro) piacciono | They like |
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Introduction to Colours and the Verb "Piacere" in Italian
This lesson covers the basic vocabulary of colours and the use of the verb piacere to express likes and preferences. You will learn how to describe colours and say whether you like or dislike certain colours using simple, natural sentences.
Key Vocabulary: Colours
Colours are an essential part of daily communication. Some common colours in Italian you will encounter are:
- azzurro (sky blue)
- rosso (red)
- giallo (yellow)
- rosa (pink)
- nero (black)
- marrone (brown)
Natural vs. Artificial Colours
Colours can be grouped into those often found in nature and those more typical of man-made objects. For example:
- Colours of nature: verde (green), blu (blue), giallo (yellow), rosa (pink), viola (purple)
- Colours of artificial objects: nero (black), bianco (white), marrone (brown)
Using the Verb Piacere to Express Preferences
The verb piacere means "to like" and is commonly used to say what you like or do not like. It works differently than English; here are some important points:
- The verb agrees with the thing you like, not with the person.
- You use piace for singular items and piacciono for plural.
Examples:
- Mi piace il colore azzurro del cielo oggi. (I like the sky-blue colour today.)
- Ti piacciono i vestiti rossi nella vetrina? (Do you like the red clothes in the shop window?)
- Non mi piace il colore giallo sulla parete. (I don't like the yellow colour on the wall.)
Useful Phrases and Structures
You will practice these patterns to talk about colours and preferences:
- Mi piace... + singular colour or object: "Mi piace la camicia blu chiaro." (I like the light blue shirt.)
- Mi piacciono... + plural colours or objects: "I vestiti rossi mi piacciono molto." (I really like the red clothes.)
- Non mi piace... or Non mi piacciono... to express dislikes.
Practical Dialogues for Everyday Situations
The lesson includes dialogues such as shopping for clothes, describing hair colours, and talking about objects at home to help you use these phrases naturally:
- "Ti piace la camicia rossa?" "Sì, mi piace molto il colore rosso."
- "Mi piacciono i capelli neri di Maria." "A me invece piacciono quelli rossi."
- "Mi piace il divano grigio in soggiorno."
Grammar Focus: Verb Conjugations
The lesson provides practice matching sentences with the correct form of verbs like piacere, odiare (to hate), and preferire (to prefer) in the present tense to reinforce these patterns.
Side Notes on Language Differences
Unlike English, in Italian the verb "piacere" focuses on what pleases the person, so the sentence literally means "the colour pleases me," requiring the verb to agree with the object, not the subject. For example, "I like the red shirt" translates as "Mi piace la camicia rossa," where "piace" agrees with "camicia." This structure can seem reversed to English speakers but is standard in Italian.
Useful comparative phrases:
- "Mi piace" = "I like" (singular item)
- "Mi piacciono" = "I like" (plural items)
- "Non mi piace" = "I don't like" (singular)
- "Non mi piacciono" = "I don't like" (plural)
These patterns help you naturally express preferences regarding colours and many other topics.
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