Colours in Odia: word list with pictures
12 words · tap 🔊 to hear each one in Odia.
| Picture | English | Odia | Say it | Listen |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red | ନାଲି | naali | ||
| Yellow | ହଳଦିଆ | haladiaa | ||
| Blue | ନୀଳ | neela | ||
| Green | ସବୁଜ | sabuja | ||
| Orange | କମଳା | kamalaa | ||
| Purple | ବାଇଗଣୀ | baaiganee | ||
| Pink | ଗୋଲାପି | golaapi | ||
| Brown | ବାଦାମୀ | baadaamee | ||
| Black | କଳା | kalaa | ||
| White | ଧଳା | dhalaa | ||
| Grey | ଧୂସର | dhoosara | ||
| Sky Blue | ଆକାଶୀ ନୀଳ | aakaasee neela |
Colors in Odia are some of the easiest words for a toddler, because colour is everywhere: the ନାଲି (red) of a sindoor box, the ହଳଦିଆ (yellow) of turmeric, the ସବୁଜ (green) of a banana leaf plate. This page teaches 12 colours with a clear picture for each, the Odia word and the English. Your child taps to learn, plays Find it ("where is blue?") and matches pairs in Memory. The word list above shows all twelve with a "say it" guide.
Will my device say the colours in Odia?
Honest answer: it depends on your device. We do not have recorded Odia audio, since our recorded voice service offers no Odia voice. Your phone or computer will speak the Odia colour word itself if it has an Odia (Oriya) voice installed. Many Android phones do, via Google or Samsung speech settings; some phones and most iPhones and laptops do not. If yours doesn't, English ("red", "yellow") is still spoken, and the Odia word and romanised guide appear on screen so you can say ନାଲି ("naali") for your child.
Odia colours, and where to spot them
Instead of repeating the list, here is a "colour hunt" table: each colour from the game with something from Odia life to point at.
| Colour | Odia | Look for |
|---|---|---|
| Red | ନାଲି | Sindoor, a ripe tomato, a red chilli |
| Yellow | ହଳଦିଆ | Turmeric, a banana, marigolds at a puja |
| Blue | ନୀଳ | The sea at Puri beach |
| Green | ସବୁଜ | Paddy fields, a banana leaf |
| Orange | କମଳା | An orange (the fruit has the same name) |
| Purple | ବାଇଗଣୀ | A brinjal; the word comes from ବାଇଗଣ |
| Pink | ଗୋଲାପି | A rose (ଗୋଲାପ) |
| Brown | ବାଦାମୀ | Almonds and peanuts (ବାଦାମ) |
| Black | କଳା | Hair, a crow, Lord Jagannath's face |
| White | ଧଳା | Rice, milk, a cloud |
| Grey | ଧୂସର | Rain clouds, an elephant |
| Sky blue | ଆକାଶୀ ନୀଳ | The sky (ଆକାଶ) on a clear day |
Notice how several Odia colour names come from things: purple from brinjal, pink from rose, brown from almonds, orange from the fruit. Older children love this "colour detective" game.
Colours in Odia art and festivals
- Rath Yatra: the three chariots in Puri each have their own colours. Lord Jagannath's chariot is draped in red and yellow, Balabhadra's in red and green, and Subhadra's in red and black. Show a photo and name the colours.
- Pattachitra: this Odia cloth painting traditionally uses a small palette of natural colours: white from conch shell, black from lamp soot, red, yellow and more. A Pattachitra is a perfect colour-naming poster.
- Jhoti and chita: the white rice-paste designs drawn on floors, especially on Thursdays in Margasira month, are a lovely way to learn ଧଳା.
- Durga Puja and Raja: bright clothes and swings decorated with flowers give endless colours to name.
Teaching colours in Odia, age by age
- Age 2-3: one colour a week. Say "ନାଲି ବଲ, red ball" all week long. Matching (put the red with the red) comes before naming.
- Age 3-4: four to six basic colours. Play Find it with two choices, then sort toys or clothes by colour.
- Age 4-5: all twelve, and describing words: ହଳଦିଆ କଦଳୀ (yellow banana), ସବୁଜ ଲଙ୍କା (green chilli). Connect with fruits in Odia and vegetables in Odia.
- Age 5-6: mixing. Mix ନାଲି and ହଳଦିଆ paint and name the କମଳା you get.
If your child mixes up colour names for months, that is very common; colour words are abstract. Keep playing matching games. If you notice they cannot tell some colours apart at all, mention it at the next check-up and talk to your paediatrician if you are worried.
ରଙ୍ଗ ଖେଳ
ପିଲାଙ୍କ ଚାରିପାଖେ ରଙ୍ଗ ହିଁ ରଙ୍ଗ। ଲୁଗା ପିନ୍ଧାଇବା ବେଳେ କୁହନ୍ତୁ, "ଆଜି ତୁମେ ନୀଳ ଫ୍ରକ୍ ପିନ୍ଧିଛ।" ଖାଇବା ବେଳେ କୁହନ୍ତୁ, "ଏଇଟା ହଳଦିଆ ଡାଲି।"
ରଥଯାତ୍ରାର ଫଟୋ ଦେଖାଇ ପିଲାକୁ ପଚାରନ୍ତୁ, ରଥରେ କେଉଁ କେଉଁ ରଙ୍ଗ ଅଛି? ପଟ୍ଟଚିତ୍ର ଦେଖି ମଧ୍ୟ ରଙ୍ଗ ଚିହ୍ନିବା ଖେଳ ଖେଳି ହେବ।
ପିଲା ଭୁଲ ରଙ୍ଗ କହିଲେ ହସି ହସି ଠିକ୍ ନାଁଟି କୁହନ୍ତୁ। ଧୀରେ ଧୀରେ ସେ ନିଜେ ଶିଖିଯିବ।
Colours for Odia families abroad
Colour words are the easiest Odia to keep alive in Bengaluru, Dubai or Toronto, because you need no special objects: crayons, Lego and clothes work anywhere. Say the Odia colour first and the English second during play. If your child already knows the colours name in English and Hindi, this page makes Odia the third. For the other Odia games, visit learn Odia for kids.
Play for five to ten minutes, together; under-2s learn colours better from real toys than from any screen. Games here never say "wrong", and each round adds a marble to the Goli Jar. To print the colour chart, use your browser's print option on this page; there is no PDF.
How to use this page at home
Say it, then find it
Play for a few minutes, then look for the same thing away from the screen: odia words on the shelf, in the kitchen, on the way to school. A child learns a word properly when they meet it twice, once on the screen and once in their hand.
Ten minutes is enough
Short and happy beats long and tired. Stop while your child still wants more, and come back tomorrow: the same page on five short days teaches far more than one long sitting. Nothing here is scored, so there is no reason to push.
Use both languages
Tap the language button at the top to hear the words in your home language first and the second language after. Hearing the same picture named in two languages is one of the few things research agrees builds attention as well as vocabulary.
