Introduction
¿Qué haces en tu tiempo libre? (What do you do in your free time?) is one of the most common conversation starters. This lesson gives you the vocabulary to answer it and to talk about the things you enjoy.
Sports (Los Deportes)
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| el fútbol | soccer |
| el baloncesto / el básquetbol | basketball |
| el tenis | tennis |
| el béisbol | baseball |
| la natación | swimming |
| el ciclismo | cycling |
| el atletismo | track and field |
| el voleibol | volleyball |
| el golf | golf |
| el boxeo | boxing |
| el esquí | skiing |
| el surf | surfing |
| las artes marciales | martial arts |
| el yoga | yoga |
Talking about sports
- Juego al fútbol. — I play soccer. (team/ball sports use jugar a)
- Practico natación. — I practice swimming. (individual sports use practicar)
- Hago yoga. — I do yoga. (general activity uses hacer)
Jugar vs Practicar vs Hacer: Jugar a for competitive/ball sports. Practicar for disciplines. Hacer as the all-purpose "do."
Hobbies (Los Pasatiempos)
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| leer | to read |
| escribir | to write |
| dibujar | to draw |
| pintar | to paint |
| cocinar | to cook |
| bailar | to dance |
| cantar | to sing |
| tocar (un instrumento) | to play (an instrument) |
| fotografiar / sacar fotos | to take photos |
| hacer senderismo | to hike |
| acampar | to camp |
| pescar | to fish |
| jardinería | gardening |
| tejer | to knit |
| coleccionar | to collect |
Musical instruments
- Toco la guitarra. — I play the guitar.
- Toco el piano. — I play the piano.
- Toco la batería. — I play the drums.
Note: Use tocar for instruments (not jugar). Jugar is for games and sports.
Entertainment (El Entretenimiento)
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| ver televisión / ver la tele | to watch TV |
| ver películas | to watch movies |
| escuchar música | to listen to music |
| jugar videojuegos | to play video games |
| ir al cine | to go to the movies |
| ir de compras | to go shopping |
| salir con amigos | to go out with friends |
| navegar por internet | to browse the internet |
| ver series | to watch shows/series |
Talking About Your Hobbies
Frequency
- todos los días — every day
- los fines de semana — on weekends
- a veces — sometimes
- una vez a la semana — once a week
- casi nunca — almost never
Example sentences
- En mi tiempo libre me gusta leer. — In my free time I like to read.
- Los fines de semana juego al fútbol. — On weekends I play soccer.
- Me encanta cocinar. Lo hago todos los días. — I love cooking. I do it every day.
- A veces salgo con amigos. — Sometimes I go out with friends.
- De niño, coleccionaba estampillas. — As a kid, I used to collect stamps.
Practice
How do you say 'I play soccer'?
How do you say 'I play the guitar'?
'¿Qué haces en tu tiempo libre?' is asking…
Which phrase means 'once a week'?