青・青い
あお・あおい
blue
Ao or aoi: which one do I use?
Both words mean blue. 青 (ao) names the colour. 青い (aoi) describes something that is blue, such as a shirt or an umbrella.
- The colour name (noun)
- 青 (あお) · ao
Use this when you are talking about blue as a colour, such as saying that you like blue.
- The describing word (い-adjective)
- 青い (あおい) · aoi
Use this to describe a blue thing. Put it directly before the thing: 青いシャツ means “a blue shirt.”
To say that something is blue, you can also use 青いです at the end of a polite sentence. The final い belongs to the adjective; keep it in 青いシャツ and 青いです.
How it appears in a sentence
- 青が好きです。あおがすきです。I like blue.
- 青い傘は母のです。あおいかさはははのです。The blue umbrella is my mother’s.
- この青いシャツはどうですか。このあおいしゃつはどうですか。How about this blue shirt?
Quick practice: 青
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Related learning
Browse N5 vocabulary · Related words: 赤