Describing hobbies
Décrire les passe-temps
- Talk about your hobbies
- Describe activities that you enjoy
- "Faire de", "Jouer à", "Jouer du" + definite article
Learn how to describe hobbies in French using key verbs like « faire de », « jouer à », and « jouer du ». Practice vocabulary such as la danse, la photo, and le vélo to talk about your favorite activities.
Listening & reading materials
Practice vocabulary in context with real materials.
Vocabulary (14) Share Copied!
Exercises Share Copied!
These exercises can be done together during conversation lessons or as homework.
Exercise 1: Reorder sentences
Instruction: Make correct sentences and translate.
Exercise 2: Match a word
Instruction: Match the translations
Exercise 3: Cluster the words
Instruction: Match each word to the category that best describes your hobbies.
Activités artistiques
Expressions d'activités
Exercise 4: Translate and use in a sentence
Instruction: Pick a word, translated and use the word in a sentence or dialogue.
1
Photographier
To photograph
2
S'amuser
To have fun
3
Une activité
An activity
4
La lecture
Reading
5
Un loisir
A pastime
Exercice 5: Conversation exercise
Instruction:
- Describe the hobby in each picture. (Describe the hobby in each picture.)
- What is your favorite activity? (What is your favorite activity?)
- Ask the others about their hobbies? (Ask the others about their hobbies?)
Teaching guidelines +/- 10 minutes
Example phrases:
|
La femme chante. The woman sings. |
|
Ils sont actifs et font du sport. They are active and do sports. |
|
J'aime beaucoup écouter de la musique. I like to listen to music very much. |
|
Qu'est-ce que tu aimes faire ? What do you like to do? |
|
J'aime lire. I like to read. |
|
J'aime peindre. I like to paint. |
| ... |
Exercise 6: Dialogue Cards
Instruction: Select a situation and practice the conversation with your teacher or fellow students.
Exercise 7: Multiple Choice
Instruction: Choose the correct solution
1. Je ___ de la danse tous les samedis.
(I ___ dance every Saturday.)2. Tu ___ au tennis avec tes amis après le travail.
(You ___ play tennis with your friends after work.)3. Il ___ du piano depuis plusieurs années.
(He ___ been playing piano for several years.)4. Nous ___ les rues et les quartiers de la ville pendant notre temps libre.
(We ___ the streets and neighborhoods of the city during our free time.)Exercise 8: Describing the hobbies of a newcomer to Paris
Instruction:
Verb Tables
Découvrir - Discover
Présent
- je découvre
- tu découvres
- il/elle découvre
- nous découvrons
- vous découvrez
- ils/elles découvrent
Faire - Take
Présent
- je fais
- tu fais
- il/elle fait
- nous faisons
- vous faites
- ils/elles font
Jouer - Play
Présent
- je joue
- tu joues
- il/elle joue
- nous jouons
- vous jouez
- ils/elles jouent
S'intéresser - Be interested
Présent
- je m'intéresse
- tu t'intéresses
- il/elle s'intéresse
- nous nous intéressons
- vous vous intéressez
- ils/elles s'intéressent
Exercise 9: "Faire de", "Jouer à", "Jouer du" + article défini
Instruction: Fill in the correct word.
Grammar: "Faire de", "Jouer à", "Jouer du" + definite article
Show translation Show answersfaire de la, jouer du, faire du, jouer aux, jouer de la, jouer au
Grammar Share Copied!
It's not the most exciting thing, we admit, but it’s absolutely essential (and we promise it'll pay off)!
A1.41.2 Grammaire
"Faire de", "Jouer à", "Jouer du" + article défini
"Faire de", "Jouer à", "Jouer du" + definite article
Verb conjugation tables for this lesson Share Copied!
Découvrir to discover Share Copied!
Present
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') découvre | I discover |
| (tu) découvres | you discover |
| (il/elle/on) découvre | he/she/one discovers |
| (nous) découvrons | we discover |
| (vous) découvrez | You discover |
| (ils/elles) découvrent | they discover |
S'intéresser to be interested Share Copied!
Present
| French | English |
|---|---|
| (je/j') m'intéresse | I am interested |
| (tu) t'intéresses | You are interested |
| (il/elle/on) s'intéresse | he/she/one is interested |
| nous intéressons | we are interested |
| vous intéressez | You are interested |
| (ils/elles) s'intéressent | they are interested |
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Describing Hobbies in French
This lesson focuses on how to talk about hobbies and leisure activities in French, using essential verbs and expressions at an A1 beginner level. It introduces practical language structures and common phrases that you can use to describe what you enjoy doing in your free time.
Key Language Structures
French uses specific verbs combined with definite articles to talk about hobbies or activities:
- Faire de + definite article + activity (e.g., faire de la danse) for general activities or sports.
- Jouer à + definite article + game or sport (e.g., jouer au football) when referring to playing games or sports.
- Jouer du + definite article + musical instrument (e.g., jouer du piano).
Example Sentences
- Je joue de la guitare pendant mon temps libre.
- Elle fait de la danse tous les mercredis soirs.
- Tu joues au tennis avec tes amis le samedi ?
- Nous faisons du vélo tous les dimanches matin.
Vocabulary Clusters
Words are organized into two categories for easier learning:
- Artistic Activities: la danse, le dessin, la photo, jouer du
- Activity Expressions: faire de, s'amuser, s'intéresser, un loisir
Practice Dialogues
Interactive dialogues help simulate real conversations about hobbies in everyday settings such as the park, a café, or the gym, encouraging you to talk about your preferred leisure activities and instruments you play.
Verb Conjugations
Essential verbs like faire, jouer, découvrir, and s'intéresser are practiced in the present tense to help describe ongoing or regular leisure activities.
Differences Between English and French When Describing Hobbies
In French, when talking about hobbies, it's important to use the correct prepositions and partitive articles with verbs. For example, English speakers say "I play tennis" but French requires "Je joue au tennis." Similarly, "faire de la danse" means "to do dancing." French often uses the definite article after these expressions, unlike English.
Useful phrases:
faire de la danse – to do dancing
jouer au football – to play football (soccer)
jouer du piano – to play the piano
s'intéresser à la photo – to be interested in photography
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