Understanding orange in English
Please forgive me if you think this is a stupid question. I'm a Spanish student in high school, and I was wondering if you are a Spanish speaker learning to speak English, do you understand that orange applies to color (anaranjado), and the fruit (naranja)?
2 Answers
If there's an article, definite or indefinite, or if it's plural, or if there's a possessive pronoun, or if it's used as a noun in any other way, it's the fruit.
1. There's an orange on the table. 2. Don't eat that orange! 3. I like oranges. 4. Buy your own oranges.
If it's singular AND there's no article/possessive pronoun and/or if there's a noun after it, it's the color.
1. That's orange. (or That shirt is orange, not red.) 2. I bought some orange pens. 3. I like orange. 4. The lollipop turned orange.
Okay, I can't take It. I have to answer this! It really works the same way as it does the other way around. Many of the verbs in Spanish have slightly different meanings, related, but different nonetheless. For instance, recoger (to pick up, to harvest). In Spanish I would use this word if I'm picking up clothes or if I'm harvesting the wheat. If I hear it in Spanish, I have to use context to decide the exact meaning. So, somebody learning English will have to do the same thing. They must decide in what context orange is being used to know which orange is meant.
