Talking about hobbies is one of the best conversation helpers. So, if you are talking to a new French-speaking friend and want the conversation to continue, you can talk about the different hobbies in French.
Asking others what they do in their free time is a go-to question that you also get asked too often. So, suppose you wish to understand and reply to such a question correctly.
In that case, you need to improve your French vocabulary by learning different hobby-related words in French.
It is prevalent for people to ask about their people’s interests &pastimes, especially when interacting with someone new.
Talking about hobbies with others can tell you a lot about them. Plus, people like to talk about themselves, meaning if you are in a French-speaking country, you can capture the interest of locals & make a good impression.
Today we bring you this guide that will teach you how to say & pronounce more than 50 diversions in French and become a better conversationalist.
How Do You Pronounce Hobbies In French?
The French word for hobbies is “les loisirs“ or “les passe-temps”. Of the two, “les passe-temps” is most commonly used to refer to leisure activities, while “les loisirs” is a much bigger term.
“Les loisirs” include pastime, sports, and other leisure activities. It means if a person has more than one hobby and they are of different kinds, he can express them by using this phrase.
For Example:
- Mes passe-temps préférés sont le cyclisme et la peinture. – My favorite hobbies are cycling and painting.
- Faire du sport est le passe-temps préféré des Français. – Playing sports is the favorite pastime of French people.
- Pendant mon temps libre, j’aime faire du jardinage. – In my spare time, I like to garden.
- Quels sont vos loisirs? – What are your hobbies?
What Are Different Types Of Hobbies We Should Learn?
There are primarily three kinds of hobbies a person can have, namely, indoors, outdoors, and sports.
Some people prefer activities they can enjoy in the comfort of their home, while others like when their amusements take them out of the house. And finally, some people consider their favorite sport as their hobby, whether indoor or outdoor.
In the coming sections, you will learn about various popular indoor, outdoor, and sports hobbies in French, along with some examples.
Three Main Types of Hobbies:
- Indoors
- Outdoors
- Sports
Explore 50+ Popular Hobbies In French To Improve Your Vocabulary
As discussed, a person is most likely to have any of the three main types of hobbies: Indoors, Outdoors, & Sports.
Each of these categories holds many activities that a person might like. I have listed the activities per their categories to ensure you do not get overwhelmed with the information.
This way, you will know which activity is indoors, outdoors, or sports, and you can quickly learn one category at a time.
So, let us begin and learn about hobbies in French sentences and examples.
Indoor Hobbies/Activities in French: Learn How To Talk About Your Hobbies In French
Learning about different relaxations can help you improve your French learning to a great extent.
Whether you are an absolute beginner or familiar with the language, learning about different activities will allow you to interact well with fellow French speakers.
Suggestion: 9 Different Easy Ways To Say “How Are You” In French – Fun & Formal Ways.
Indoor activities are the ones that you can enjoy in the comfort of your house. In other words, you do not need to be out in public. You can enjoy such activities all alone.
Also, if you are interested in music, arts, indoor sports, & other inside activities, knowing these French indoor hobbies is necessary.
- Video games- Les jeux vidéo
- Reading- La lecture
- Jigsaw Puzzles- Le puzzle
- Photography- La photographie
- Movies- Les films
- Sewing- La couture
- DIY Projects- Le bricolage
- Scrapbooking- Le scrapbooking
- Music- La musique
- Painting- La peinture
- Drawing- Le dessin
- Knitting- Le tricot
- Cooking- La cuisine
- Yoga- Le yoga
- Board Games- Les jeux de société
- Writing- L’écriture
- Crossword Puzzles- Les mots croisés
- Pottery- La poterie
- Indoor Gardening- Le jardinage d’intérieur
- Sculpting- Le modelage
- Dancing- La danse
For Example:
- I like cooking in my free time.- J’aime cuisiner pendant mon temps libre.
- Listening to music is my favorite pastime.- Écouter de la musique est mon passe-temps favori.
- Jacob likes to play tennis.- Jacob aime jouer au tennis
- Reading is my favorite hobby.- La lecture est mon passe-temps favori.
Outdoor Hobbies/Activities in French: Improve Your Conversation
Most outspoken and outgoing people have hobbies that allow them to be outside. These are mostly the activities that they are most likely to enjoy with a companion or two. Outdoor activities are the best ways to explore nature and your surroundings.
Having outdoor activities means a person is outgoing and has much to share. Such people can be good conversationalists and ensure others know about their adventures.
Related: Learn 6 Easy Ways to Say “Congratulations” in French Language.
Thus, it becomes necessary for you to learn the French names of different activities in French with examples.
Explore some of the most popular outdoor activities in French.
- Hiking- La randonnée
- Camping- Le camping
- Fishing- La pêche
- Cycling- Le vélo
- Swimming- La natation
- Jogging-Le jogging
- Rock climbing- L’escalade
- Kayaking- Le kayak
- Canoeing- Le canoë
- Gardening- Le jardinage
- Golf- Le golf
- Tennis- Le tennis
- Photography- La photographie
- Team sports- Les sports d’équipe
- Skiing- Le ski
- Snowboarding- Le snowboard
- Windsurfing- La planche à voile
- Surfing- Le surf
- Skateboarding- Le skateboarding
- Paragliding- Le parapente
- Archery- Le tir à l’arc
- Snorkeling- La plongée en apnée
- Sandboarding- Le sandboard
- Horseback riding- L’équitation
- Geocaching- Le géocaching
- Birdwatching- L’bservation des oiseaux
- Stargazing- Observation des étoiles
For Example:
- Dancing is my stress buster- Danser est mon anti-stress
- I love gardening- J’adore faire du jardinage.
- Painting is my favorite hobby- La peinture est mon passe-temps favori
- I like swimming more than anything- J’aime la natation plus que tout.
How To Talk About Your Hobby In French?
Knowing the names of several activities & sports is not enough. You should be able to describe them to let others know which hobby you practice.
Similar Post: Master the Art of Communication: Easy Ways to Say “What” In French.
Also, sometimes you want to be particular and talk about the hobbies or activities you don’t like. To do all this, you must use different sentence structures with different verbs depending on the scenario.
You can explore it in a much better way below:
– Describe A Hobby You Like/Love/Enjoy
If you want to talk about a hobby you like, love, or enjoy doing, you can use the following expressions:
- J’aime [le/la/les] + [hobby name] (I like [the] + [hobby name])
For Example: I like dancing- J’aime la danse.
- J’adore [le/la/les] + [hobby name] (I love [the] + [hobby name])
For Example: I love painting.- J’adore la peinture.
- J’apprécie [le/la/les] + [hobby name] (I appreciate [the] + [hobby name])
For Example: I appreciate gardening. – J’apprécie le jardinage.
– Describe A Hobby You Don’t Like/Love/Enjoy: Hobbies In French Examples
Suppose you want to tell others that you do not like a particular activity or hobby. In that case, you can go for the following expressions:
- Je n’aime pas [le/la/les] + [hobby name] (I don’t like [the] + [hobby name])
For Example: I don’t like swimming- Je n’aime pas la natation.
- Je n’adore pas [le/la/les] + [hobby name] (I don’t love [the] + [hobby name])
For Example: I don’t love cooking. – Je n’adore pas la cuisine.
- Je n’apprécie pas [le/la/les] + [hobby name] (I don’t appreciate [the] + [hobby name])
For Example: I don’t appreciate tennis – Je n’apprécie pas le tennis
And if you want to be specific about your feelings, you can say you hate a hobby instead of just using the negatives.
For Example:
- I hate Horseback riding- Je déteste l’équitation.
- I hate geocaching- J’ai horreur du géocaching.
How To Use Faire, Jouer, & Pratiquer?
“Faire,” “Jouer,” & “Pratiquer” are the verbs that you can use to describe the hobbies that you like “to do,” “to play,” or “practice.”
Below you will find how these verbs differ and how easily you can use them to describe your loving pastime leisures.
– Describe A Hobby Using “Faire”
In French, the verb” ‘faire,” which means “to do/make,” is often used when you want to talk about hobbies or leisure you are doing, mainly when referring to physical activities.
For Example:
- I paint- Je fais de la painture.
- She does hiking- Elle fait de la randonnée.
- We do yoga- Nous faisons du yoga.
– Describe A Hobby Using “Jouer Au”
Some hobbies use specific verbs instead of faire. You can enjoy them only when you play them, like a game, sport, or musical instrument.
Don’t Miss To Checkout: 18 Easy Ways To Say “I Love You” In French With Examples & Audio Pronunciation.
You use the preposition “at” in French when discussing playing a sport. But when discussing playing a musical instrument, you use the preposition “de.”
“Jouer Au” means “to play” and is the correct verb to describe such hobbies.
For Example:
- He playsTennis.- Il joue au tennis.
- Martha plays the guitar.- Martha joue de la guitare.
- I love paragliding.- J’adore le parapente.
– Describe A Hobby Using “Pratiquer”
There are also some hobbies that you might practice, whether it is physical activity, leisure, or sport.
To describe such formal or structured avocation in French, you use the verb “pratiquer,” which means “to practice.”
For Example:
- My husband practices martial arts.- Mon mari pratique les arts martiaux.
- Emma practices dancing. – Emma pratique la danse.
How To Describe How Often You Perform An Activity?
Now that you have covered a hefty list of hobbies of all types in French, it is time to move forward.
Aside from telling people what you like to do in your free time; you can be more specific with the details related to the activity.
For example, you like to read & do it every day, or you like to play tennis & play it every Sunday, & more.
You can also give specific details about the activities you do not like. For example, you dislike soccer, so you prefer to avoid playing it, & more.
Many words in French vocabulary can help you describe the frequency with which you do or do not do any activity.
- Every day- Tous les jours
For Example: I practice yoga every day- Je fais du yoga tous les jours.
- Often- Souvent
For Example: I paint often – Je peins souvent.
- Sometimes- Quelquefois
For Example: Sometimes, she likes cooking.- Parfois, elle aime cuisiner.
- Rarely- Rarement
For Example: I rarely dance – Je danse rarement.
- Never- Jamais
For Example: I never do hiking. – Je ne fais jamais de randonnée.
- From time to time/occasionally- De temps en temps
For Example: I skydive from time to time- Je saute en parachute de temps en temps.
- ____ times a week- ____ fois par semaine
For Example: I practice basketball five times a week- Je pratique le basket cinq fois par semaine.
- Once/twice/three times a week- Une fois/deux fois/trois fois par semaine
For Example: I go to sculpting class once a week.- Je vais au cours de sculpture une fois par semaine.
What Are The Most Common Hobbies Of French Natives?
Every country has some particulars that separate it from the rest of the world.
Suggestion: Learn 150+ Basic French Travel Phrases To Master For Your Next Trip To France.
In the USA, cooking & baking is the most popular hobby among the natives. Similarly, the people of France also have a wide range of avocations that every French learner should know.
Below we have some of the most common hobbies of French people:
- Cuisine – cooking
- Jardinage – gardening
- Musique – music, including playing instruments and attending concerts
- Sports – various types, including football, basketball, handball, tennis, and pétanque
- Randonnée – hiking
- Cinéma – movies
- Arts plastiques – plastic arts, including painting, drawing, and sculpture
- Lecture – reading
- Jeux de société – board games
- Voyages – traveling
Please understand these are not the only hobbies of French people. There are several other divertissements that French natives enjoy.
The above list only comprises the most common & most popular recreations currently prevailing in France.
Top FAQs About What Are Your Interests In French
What are different music & performing activities called in French?
If you are a creative musician or are interested in music, several hobbies are associated with this category.
And as a budding French learner, you should know them all.
• listening to music- écouter de la musique, la musique
• playing music- jouer de la musique, la musique
• puppetry- faire des marionnettes, les marionnettes (f.p.)
• singing- faire du chant, chanter
• stand-up comedy- faire du stand-up, le stand-up
What are the various associated with animals?
Like any other field, if you are an animal lover, there are a few hobbies you can pursue.
As you know, French people love pets, especially cats & dogs. There are a few dog-related activities people in France like to enjoy.
• dog breeding- l’élevage des chiens
• dog training- le dressage des chiens
• taxidermy- faire de la taxidermie, la taxidermie
Are any hobbies related to arts, crafts & handiwork popular in France?
France is all about art, class, culture, and elegance. The country holds artists in very high esteem, which is why France is called the birthplace of fashion & art.
Here are some of the most popular hobbies related to arts & crafts that are highly prevalent among French people:
• crocheting- faire du crochet, le crochet
• embroidery- faire de la broderie, la broderie
• graffiti- faire du graffiti, le graffiti
• handicrafts- faire des artisanats, les artisanats (m)
• jewelry making- faire des bijoux, les bijoux (m)
• knitting- faire du tricot, le tricot
• lace making- faire de la dentellerie, la dentellerie
• macrame- faire du macramé, le macramé
• metalworking- faire du travail du métal, le travail du métal
• origami- faire de l’origami, l’origami (m)
• paper-mache – faire du papier mâché
• pottery- faire de la poterie, la poterie
• quilting- faire du matelassage, le matelassage
• scrapbooking- faire du scrapbooking, le scrapbooking
• sculpting- faire de la sculpture, la sculpture
• soap making- faire du savon, le savon
• woodworking- faire de la menuiserie, la menuiserie
Is collecting things a hobby?
YES. If you like to collect things no matter how insignificant they seem to others, it is an excellent & soothing hobby that one can do to get peaceful alone time.
Collecting objects is one such activity that is popular across the globe. People collect stamps, buttons, currencies, insects, & more.
Some of the most popular collecting pastimes are listed below:
• book collecting- collectionner les livres
• button collecting- collectionner les boutons
• stamp collecting- faire de la philatélie (f)
• coin collecting- collectionner les pièces de monnaie
• insect collecting- collectionner les insectes
• doll collecting- collectionner les poupées
• antique collecting- collectionner les antiquités
• gun collecting- collectionner les armes
• comic book collecting- collectionner les bandes dessinées
• banknote collecting- collectionner les billets de banque
• gemstone collecting- collectionner les pierres précieuses
• model car collecting- collectionner les voitures miniatures
• keychain collecting- collectionner les porte-clés
• watch collecting- collectionnery les montres
What does mes loisirs mean in english?
The English translation of the French word “mes loisirs” is “my hobbies.”
So, when you want to tell others about your favorite thing to do in your free time, you can start with “mes loisirs,” followed by the name of the activity.
For Example:
• My hobbies are reading and cooking- Mes loisirs sont la lecture et la cuisine.
Are there any hobbies related to games & puzzles I can start?
Suppose you like to spend your free time alone and want to be entertained simultaneously. In that case, you can pick up sidelines associated with playing games.
There are quite a few things that you can do by opting for this particular hobby. And the best part is you can enjoy them alone and with some company.
• card tricks- faire des tours de cartes, un tour de cartes
• crossword puzzles- faire les mots croisés, les mots croisés (m)
• magic tricks- faire des tours de magie, les tours de magie
• playing billiards, pool- jouer au billard, le billard
• playing boardgames- jouer aux jeux de société, les jeux de société (m)
• playing chess- jouer aux échecs, les échecs
• playing video games- jouer aux jeux vidéo, les jeux vidéo (m)
• playing with marbles- jouer aux billes, les billes (f)
• puzzles- faire un puzzle, un puzzle
• rail transport modeling-jouer aux trains électrique, un train électrique
Conclusion
Explore different hobbies in French to strengthen your French learning base.
Learn about the popular activities of French natives and ways you can use them as a topic of smooth conversation.
This article covers over fifty diversions that you should keep rigidly in your French vocabulary.
