Vocabulary - hobbies and free time
All of us spend our free time differently. Below we’ve included some vocabulary to help you discuss how you spend your time when you’re not in school or work.
Hobbies
Mon passe-temps préféré, c’est la photographie. - My favourite hobby is photography.
Mon sport préféré, c’est la gymnastique. - My favourite sport is gymnastics.
Pendant mon temps libre, j’aime faire du patinage. - During my free time, I like to go ice skating.
Le weekend, je fais du judo/du vélo/du jogging. - At the weekend, I do judo/go cycling/go jogging.
Le soir, je joue à des jeux de société. - In the evening, I play board games.
Here is more vocabulary to help you talk about your free time.
| l’art dramatique/le théâtre | drama |
| le barbecue | barbecue |
| la batterie | drums |
| le bricolage | DIY |
| la clarinette | clarinet |
| le club de jeunes | youth club |
| la couture | sewing |
| la danse | dancing |
| la danse classique | ballet |
| la danse irlandaise | Irish dancing |
| les échecs (mpl), le jeu d’échecs | chess |
| le livre | book |
| les mots croisés | crossword |
| le passe-temps | hobby |
| le piano | piano |
| la pièce de théâtre | play |
| le roman | novel |
| la soirée pyjama | sleepover |
| les timbres | stamps |
| la trompette | trumpet |
| le violon | violin |
| la voix | voice |
| l’art dramatique/le théâtre |
| drama |
| le barbecue |
| barbecue |
| la batterie |
| drums |
| le bricolage |
| DIY |
| la clarinette |
| clarinet |
| le club de jeunes |
| youth club |
| la couture |
| sewing |
| la danse |
| dancing |
| la danse classique |
| ballet |
| la danse irlandaise |
| Irish dancing |
| les échecs (mpl), le jeu d’échecs |
| chess |
| le livre |
| book |
| les mots croisés |
| crossword |
| le passe-temps |
| hobby |
| le piano |
| piano |
| la pièce de théâtre |
| play |
| le roman |
| novel |
| la soirée pyjama |
| sleepover |
| les timbres |
| stamps |
| la trompette |
| trumpet |
| le violon |
| violin |
| la voix |
| voice |
Here are some useful verbs that will enable you discuss your hobbies and what you do in your free time.
| avoir envie de | to feel like, want to |
| bricoler | to make things |
| chanter | to sing |
| danser | to dance |
| dessiner | to draw |
| écouter | to listen |
| faire la grasse matinée | to lie in |
| faire partie de | to be a member of |
| inviter | to invite |
| lire | to read |
| peindre | to paint |
| pouvoir | to be able to |
| regarder | to watch |
| répéter | to rehearse |
| s’agir de | to be about |
| s’amuser | to have fun |
| se détendre | to relax |
| s’entraîner | to practise |
| s’inscrire | to join |
| trainer | to hang out (with friends) |
| tricoter | to knit |
| avoir envie de |
| to feel like, want to |
| bricoler |
| to make things |
| chanter |
| to sing |
| danser |
| to dance |
| dessiner |
| to draw |
| écouter |
| to listen |
| faire la grasse matinée |
| to lie in |
| faire partie de |
| to be a member of |
| inviter |
| to invite |
| lire |
| to read |
| peindre |
| to paint |
| pouvoir |
| to be able to |
| regarder |
| to watch |
| répéter |
| to rehearse |
| s’agir de |
| to be about |
| s’amuser |
| to have fun |
| se détendre |
| to relax |
| s’entraîner |
| to practise |
| s’inscrire |
| to join |
| trainer |
| to hang out (with friends) |
| tricoter |
| to knit |
It’s good to be able to express why you do something in your free time or have a particular hobby. Here are some expressions to help with that.
Reasons and opinions
J’aime ça. - I like it.
Ça me plait. - I like it/it pleases me.
Ça me fait rire. - It makes me laugh.
Ça me rend heureux/heureuse. - It makes me happy.
Ça m’aide à garder la forme. - It helps me keep fit.
Ça ne me dit rien. - It doesn't ring a bell.
Ce n’est pas mon truc. - It is not my thing.
Ce qui me plait... - What I like the most...
