Learn Hardcore Spanish (Spain): Ya no me pruebo ropa negra; he vuelto a usar colores verdes y rojos. - I no longer try on black clothes; I have gone back to wearing green and red colors.

Ya no means no longer / not anymore. It usually goes before the verb phrase: Ya no me pruebo... You can also place ya after the verb for emphasis or style: No me pruebo ya ropa negra, which is still correct, though Ya no... is the most neutral.

Contrast:

ya = already / now: Ya uso colores.
todavía no = not yet: Todavía no uso colores.

Why is it me pruebo and not just pruebo?

Because probarse is the verb used for trying on clothes. It’s reflexive: you’re trying the clothes on yourself.

Me pruebo ropa = I try clothes on.
Pruebo ropa = I test/try the clothes (as objects), not try them on.

probar (non‑reflexive) = to taste/try/test: Probar el vino.
In Spain, probar a + infinitive = try to (attempt): Prueba a llamar más tarde.

Where do I put the pronoun with infinitives, gerunds, and commands?

With a conjugated verb, the pronoun goes before: Me pruebo.
With an infinitive or gerund, you can attach it or put it before the helper:

Quiero probarme esta chaqueta. / Me quiero probar esta chaqueta.
Estoy probándome la camisa. / Me estoy probando la camisa. Commands:
Affirmative: Pruébate esto.
Negative: No te pruebes eso.

Why is ropa singular? Why not ropas?

Ropa is a mass noun in Spanish; it normally stays singular when referring to clothing in general. You only pluralize when using a countable word:

General: ropa negra (black clothing)
Countable: prendas negras or prendas de ropa negras (black garments)

The plural ropas exists but is rare and sounds marked/literary or regional; avoid it in standard usage.

Why is it ropa negra but colores verdes y rojos? How does agreement work here?

Adjectives agree in gender and number with the noun they modify.

ropa is singular feminine → ropa negra
colores is plural masculine → colores verdes y rojos

Note: color is masculine: el color rojo, los colores rojos (never rojas).

Should it be colores verde y rojo instead of colores verdes y rojos?

With a plural noun, the adjectives should also be plural: colores verdes y rojos is the regular form.
If you want to treat the color names as nouns, rephrase: el verde y el rojo (no need for colores):

He vuelto a usar el verde y el rojo.
Or drop the articles in informal speech: He vuelto a usar verde y rojo.

Is usar the best verb for clothing in Spain? What about llevar or ponerse?

Usar is correct, but in Spain llevar is often more idiomatic for “wear”:

He vuelto a llevar colores verdes y rojos. (I’m wearing them again.)

Other options:

ponerse = to put on: Me he vuelto a poner ropa verde.
vestir/vestirse (slightly more formal): Vuelvo a vestirme de verde.
ir de + color (set phrases): Voy de negro.

What does volver a + infinitive add here?

Volver a + infinitive means to do something again / to go back to doing it.

Vuelvo a usar = I’m using again (right now/as a habit starting again)
He vuelto a usar = I have started using again (recent change with present relevance)
Volví a usar = I used again (completed past event)

Why present perfect (he vuelto a usar) instead of preterite (volví a usar)?

In Spain, the present perfect is commonly used for recent past events with current relevance: He vuelto a usar...
In much of Latin America, the preterite is preferred for past events: Volví a usar...
Both can be understood in Spain, but he vuelto a usar suggests a recent change that still affects the present.

Is the semicolon necessary? Could I use a comma, a period, or a connector like pero/sino?

The semicolon neatly separates two related independent clauses. Alternatives:

Period: Ya no me pruebo ropa negra. He vuelto a usar...
Connector: Ya no me pruebo ropa negra, pero he vuelto a usar... (but)
You can use sino que after a negation to oppose/replace the first idea:
Ya no me pruebo ropa negra, sino que he vuelto a usar colores...
Avoid a simple comma between two independent clauses with no connector.

Why no article before ropa negra or colores?

No article is used when speaking generally/indefinitely:

(No) me pruebo ropa negra = black clothing in general.
usar colores = colors in general.

Use articles for specific, known items:

No me pruebo la ropa negra = not trying on the specific black clothes.
He vuelto a usar los colores verde y rojo (in a technical/contextual sense, e.g., design talk).

Can I move ya later in the sentence, like No me pruebo ya ropa negra?

Yes. No me pruebo ya ropa negra is acceptable and common. The default, most neutral order is Ya no me pruebo..., but moving ya after the verb is fine and can sound slightly more conversational or emphatic.

Does ya no me pruebo ropa negra already imply “not any black clothes,” or do I need ninguna?

It already implies “not any.” Spanish doesn’t require an extra word. If you want to be explicit or stronger, you can say:

Ya no me pruebo ninguna prenda negra.

How would I say “I tried them on again” (the clothes), using pronouns with volver a and probarse?

For plural feminine clothes (las), with a reflexive subject:

Me las he vuelto a probar. (I’ve tried them on again.)
Me las volví a probar. (I tried them on again, completed past.) Pronoun order with compound tenses: reflexive/objects go before the auxiliary: Me las he...
With an infinitive, you can attach: He vuelto a probármelas. / Me las he vuelto a probar. Both are correct.

What’s the difference between me pruebo and me pongo here?

Me pruebo = I try on (to see if it fits/looks good), usually in a shop or while choosing.
Me pongo = I put on (I actually wear it now).
So: Ya no me pruebo ropa negra ≠ Ya no me pongo ropa negra. The first is about trying on; the second is about wearing.