KaiwaGoTalking About Hobbies in Japanese
7 Japanese phrases for talking about hobbies, for example 暇な時、何をしますか。 (What do you usually do in your free time?).
Hobbies are one of the first topics of small talk in Japan. These phrases let you ask about someone’s hobbies and talk about what you like to do in your free time.
Hands-free listening
Play every phrase in order with its English meaning between the repeats. Keep the page open and listen while you do something else.
| Japanese | Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| 暇な時、何をしますか。 | What do you usually do in your free time? | |
| あなたの趣味はなんですか。 | What are your hobbies? | |
| 私の趣味はテレビを見ることです。 | My hobby is watching TV. | |
| どんな映画が好きですか。 | What kind of movies do you like? | |
| どんな俳優が好きですか。 | Which actors do you like? | |
| 休みの日、うちで洗濯したり、掃除したりしています。 | On my days off, I usually do the laundry and clean at home. | |
| 休みの日、何をしていますか。 | What do you usually do on your days off? |
Usage notes
- 趣味は何ですか is the standard question: what are your hobbies?
- Add ～が好きです to say what you like: 音楽が好きです.
- Answering with ～することです turns a verb into a hobby: 本を読むことです.
- Keep the conversation going by asking back: ～さんは？ (and you?), or ask for details such as どんな音楽が好きですか (what kind of music do you like?).
FAQ
How do you ask about hobbies in Japanese?
趣味は何ですか (shumi wa nan desu ka) – what are your hobbies? To ask what someone does on days off: 休みの日は何をしますか.
How do you say “I like …” in Japanese?
Use ～が好きです: 映画が好きです (I like films). For something you love, 大好きです.