Hobbies in French
Quels sont tes passe-temps favoris ?(What are your favorite hobbies?) What do you like to do in your free time? What are your passions? In this article, you'll learn essential vocabulary words to talk about hobbies in French, including vocabulary related to indoor and outdoor recreational activities!
Vocabulary for hobbies in French includes both nouns, like le tricot(the knitting), and verbs, like tricoter(to knit). Here are a few examples!
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Questions This Article Answers
How do you talk about hobbies in French?
What are some French vocabulary words for hobbies?
How do you talk about indoor recreational activities in French?
How do you talk about outdoor recreational activities in French?
How do you talk about exercise and fitness activities in French?
What are some French verbs used to talk about hobbies?
How do you talk about playing games in French?
How do you talk about playing a musical instrument in French?
How do you talk about playing sports in French?
How Do You Talk About Hobbies in French?
The main words for hobby in French are le passe-temps(the hobby or pastime) and le hobby(the hobby). You might also hear a French speaker use the plural noun les loisirs(the hobbies) to talk about activities they do in their temps libre(free time).
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Vocabulary for hobbies in French includes both nouns, like la danse(dancing), and verbs, like danser(to dance). Let's take a look at both!
French Nouns Used to Talk about Hobbies
There are many French vocabulary words for hobbies, including relaxing indoor activities, recreational outdoor activities, and fitness activities! Keep in mind, of course, that some of the indoor or outdoor activities in these lists might also be fitness activities. Take a look to see if any of the following are hobbies that you enjoy or ones you'd like to try!
Indoor Activities in French
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Using Articles with Nouns in French
Reminder! French nouns almost always require an article, even when one isn't used in English. In particular, when talking about likes and dislikes, French usually requires a definite article before a noun, either le, la, or les(the), and the article is usually not translated in English. Take a look at the following examples!
Need to brush up on how to use definite articles and nouns in French? We've got you covered!
Outdoor Recreational Activities in French
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The French Game of Pétanque
A traditional (and very popular) outdoor recreational activity in France is a game called la pétanque(boules)! It's a target ball game, as is the Italian game of bocce, and it's particularly associated with the south of France. To play, a small ball called le cochonnet(the jack) is tossed onto a court or level dirt surface. Individuals or teams then toss special metal pétanque balls called boules(balls) to try to get as close to the cochonnet as possible in order to earn points. On a nice day in parks and village squares all across France, you're likely to see groups of people playing pétanque. Sometimes, it's just a fun way to pass time with friends, but there are also competitive pétanque leagues.
Exercise and Fitness Activities in French
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For more French vocabulary about sports, including both recreational activities and competitive sports, check out the following article!
French Verbs Used to Talk about Hobbies
Now let's look at some French verbs and verb phrases used to talk about hobbies and recreational activities.
Using the French Verb Jouer to Talk About Hobbies and Activities
The French verb jouer(to play) is commonly used to talk about playing games, playing sports, and playing musical instruments. With games and sports, this verb is typically followed by the preposition à(often contracted with a definite article). With musical instruments, it's typically followed by the preposition de(also often contracted with a definite article).
- jouer + à + definite article + game/sport
- jouer + de + definite article + instrument
In either case, the preposition usually has no direct translation in English. Here are some examples!
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Prepositions That Contract with Definite Articles
There are two prepositions in French that contract with definite articles used before nouns. These prepositions are à(in, to, at) and de(of, from, about), and they contract with the definite articles leand les(the).
You can use our French Conjugation tool to see all the ways to conjugate the verb jouer. You can also click on the links below to learn more about prepositions and how they contract with definite articles in French!
Using the French Verb Faire to Talk About Hobbies and Activities
The verb faire(to do) is also often used to talk about hobbies, sports, and other recreational activities in French. As you can see below, faire is very often followed by a partitive article: du, de l’, or de la. But it can also be followed by other articles, such an indefinite article: un, une(a, an).Take a look at these common verb phrases for hobbies in French!
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Use our French Conjugation tool to see all the ways to conjugate the irregular verb faire. You can also click on the links below to learn more about the differences between definite articles and indefinite articles in French!
Other French Verbs Used to Talk About Hobbies
Here are some additional verbs and verb phrases that are used to talk about hobbies in French! Remember, you can look up any of these verbs to see how to conjugate them by using our French Conjugation tool!
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A Conversation About Hobbies
Let’s look at a conversation between two friends talking about what they're going to do in their free time this weekend!
I've Learned Some Vocabulary for Hobbies … Now What?
Bravo !(Congratulations!) You're expanding your French vocabulary! Keep exploring our articles to learn more vocabulary and essential grammar you need to know to continue on your path to advanced French proficiency!
Do your hobbies vary according to the season? Take a look at these articles to learn vocabulary for seasonal activities in French!
