How to Talk About Your Hobbies

Learn how to talk about your hobbies

Dialogue

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Vocabulary

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Lesson Transcript

Welcome to Can-Do Spanish by SpanishPod101.com.

In this lesson, you’ll learn how to talk about your hobbies in Spanish.

For example, "I like fishing." is

Me gusta pescar.

Two neighbors, Adolfo Gonzalez Borrego and Lucas Hurtado , are having a conversation in an apartment building lobby.

Before you hear their conversation, let’s preview some of its key components.

pescar

"fishing"

pescar

pasatiempo

"hobby"

pasatiempo

Listen to the conversation.

¿Cuál es tu pasatiempo?

Me gusta pescar.

Once more with the English translation.

¿Cuál es tu pasatiempo?

"What's your hobby?"

Me gusta pescar.

"I like fishing."

Let's break down the conversation.

Do you remember how Adolfo Gonzalez Borrego asks,

"What's your hobby?"

¿Cuál es tu pasatiempo?

Let’s start with pasatiempo, “hobby”. Pasatiempo. Pasatiempo.

Can you see the resemblance to the English word “pastime?”

Pasatiempo is masculine and singular.

Before pasatiempo is tu,“your.” Tu. Tu.

Notice this word doesn't have an accent mark. This helps distinguish it from a very similar word: the pronoun tú, “you.”

Together, tu pasatiempo, “your hobby.” Tu pasatiempo.

Moving to the start of the sentence, cuál, literally meaning “which,” but it translates as “what” in this context. Cuál. Cuál.

Next is es, “is”. Es. Es.

Es is from the verb ser, meaning “to be”. Ser.

All together, it is ¿Cuál es tu pasatiempo? This literally means "Which is your hobby?" But it translates as "What's your hobby?"

¿Cuál es tu pasatiempo?

Note: ¿Cuál es…? Literally, “Which is,” but can translate as “What is…?” depending on context is used for questions that have more than one possible answer. For example, there are many answers to the question: What is your hobby? Therefore, ¿Cuál es…? is used.

Remember that questions in Spanish need an opening question mark.

Let’s take a closer look at the response.

Do you remember how Lucas Hurtado says,

"I like fishing."

Me gusta pescar.

First is me gusta, “I like.” Me gusta.

It starts with the pronoun me, which translates as “for me” in this context. Me (enunciated. Me.

Next is gusta, “ is pleasant.” Gusta. Gusta.

Gusta is from the verb gustar, meaning “to be pleasant”. Gustar.

Together it's me gusta, "for me is pleasant," but translates as "I like.” Me gusta.

Next is pescar, literally "to fish," but it translates as "fishing." Pescar. Pescar.

All together it's Me gusta pescar. literally "for me is pleasant fishing," but it translates as "I like fishing."

Me gusta pescar.

The pattern is

Me gusta ACTIVITY.

"I like ACTIVITY."

Me gusta ACTIVITY.

To use this pattern, simply replace the {ACTIVITY} placeholder with an activity you like doing.

Note: the placeholder is a verb and must be placed in the infinitive, or, in other words, the dictionary form.

Imagine you like reading, leer. Leer. Leer.

Say

"I like reading."

Ready?

Me gusta leer.

"I like reading."

Me gusta leer.

Note: new learners often want to use the word, "yo," meaning "I," with the "me gusta" pattern. However, due to the way this pattern is structured, it's unnecessary and incorrect to do so.

This lesson focuses on the pattern:

Me gusta ACTIVITY.

However, Me gusta can also be used with nouns when talking about something you like.

Me gusta HOBBY.

Note: in this case, the corresponding definite article is included with the noun.

For masculine nouns, el.

For feminine nouns, la.

For example,

Me gusta el fútbol. “I like soccer.”

Me gusta la música. “I like music.”

You should be aware of this pattern, but you won’t need it for this lesson.

Again, the key pattern is

Me gusta ACTIVITY.

"I like ACTIVITY."

Me gusta ACTIVITY.

Let's look at some examples.

Listen and repeat or speak along with the native speakers.

Me gusta pescar.

"I like fishing."

Me gusta pescar.

Me gusta leer.

"I like reading."

Me gusta leer.

Me gusta viajar.

"I like traveling."

Me gusta viajar.

Me gusta nadar.

"I like swimming."

Me gusta nadar.

Me gusta jugar fútbol.

"I like playing soccer."

Me gusta jugar fútbol.

Did you notice how the last speaker uses a different pattern?

Me gusta jugar fútbol.

"I like playing soccer."

First is me gusta, “I like.” Me gusta.

Next is jugar, literally “to play,” but it translates as "playing." Jugar. Jugar.

Jugar is used for sports and games, but not for playing musical instruments.

After this is fútbol, "soccer,". Fútbol.

Note: Fútbol is also very commonly pronounced futbol, with the last syllable stressed.

All together, Me gusta jugar fútbol. "I like playing soccer." Me gusta jugar fútbol.

This pattern is:

Me gusta jugar ACTIVITYnoun.

I like playing ACTIVITYnoun.

You should be aware of this, but you won’t need it for this lesson.

Let's review the new words.

Viajar. "Traveling."

Viajar. Viajar.

Nadar. "Swimming."

Nadar. Nadar.

Let's review.

Respond to the prompts by speaking aloud. Then repeat after the native speaker, focusing on pronunciation.

Ready?

Do you remember the word for "fishing?"

Pescar.

Do you remember how Lucas Hurtado says,

"I like fishing."

Me gusta pescar.

Do you remember how to say "hobby"?

Pasatiempo.

And how to say "your hobby"?

Tu pasatiempo.

Do you remember how to say "what," literally, “which?”

Cuál.

Do you remember how Gonzalez Adolfo Borrego asks,

"What's your hobby?"

¿Cuál es tu pasatiempo?

Do you remember the word for "reading?"

Leer.

And the word for "swimming?"

Nadar.

Do you remember the word for "traveling?"

Viajar.

Let's practice.

Imagine you're Ana Pérez Bárcenas , and you like reading, or leer.

Respond to the question.

Ready?

¿Cuál es tu pasatiempo?

Me gusta leer.

Listen again and repeat.

Me gusta leer.

Let's try another.

Imagine you're Rosa Reyes Maldonado , and you like traveling, or viajar.

Ready?

¿Cuál es tu pasatiempo?

Me gusta viajar.

Listen again and repeat.

Me gusta viajar.

Let’s try one more.

Imagine you're Jorge Soto Aguilar , and you like swimming, or nadar.

Ready?

¿Cuál es tu pasatiempo?

Me gusta nadar.

Listen again and repeat.

Me gusta nadar.

Well done! This is the end of the lesson and the Can Talk About Hobbies unit of this course.

Remember, these Can Do lessons are about learning practical language skills.

What's next?

Show us what you can do.

When you're ready, take your assessment.

You can take it again and again, so try anytime you like.

Our teachers will assess it, and give you your results.

Keep practicing — and move on to the next lesson!

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