What Are Hobbies Called in French?
In French, "hobbies" can be referred to as "les passe-temps" or "les loisirs."
- Les passe-temps: Commonly used for leisure activities.
- Les loisirs: A broader term encompassing hobbies, sports, and other leisure pursuits.
For instance:
- Mes passe-temps préférés sont la lecture et la randonnée. (My favorite hobbies are reading and hiking)
- Les loisirs créatifs sont très populaires en France. (Creative hobbies are very popular in France)
- Pendant mon temps libre, j’aime regarder la télévision. (In my spare time, I like to watch TV)
- Quels sont tes loisirs? (What are your hobbies?)
French Hobbies and Meanings
Learning indoor hobbies in French not only enriches your language skills but also offers insights into French culture and traditions. It's particularly valuable if you're interested in fields like art, music, or sports.
English |
Hobby In French |
Reading |
La lecture |
Painting |
La peinture |
Drawing |
Le dessin |
Knitting |
Le tricot |
Sewing |
La couture |
DIY Projects |
Le bricolage |
Scrapbooking |
Le scrapbooking |
Music |
La musique |
Cooking |
La cuisine |
Yoga |
Le yoga |
Board Games |
Les jeux de société |
Jigsaw Puzzles |
Le puzzle |
Photography |
La photographie |
Movies |
Les films |
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:
- Faire de la lecture – Reading
- Ils jouent aux cartes – They play cards
- Jouer aux jeux vidéos – Play video games
Exploring Hobbies
Here are some popular hobbies in French:
Hobby |
French Term |
Example |
Cooking |
la cuisine |
faire la cuisine |
Crocheting |
le crochet |
faire du crochet |
Crossword puzzle |
des mots croisés |
faire des mots croisés |
Dancing |
la danse |
danser |
Fishing |
la pêche |
aller à la pêche |
Gardening |
le jardinage |
faire du jardinage |
Hiking |
la randonnée |
faire de la randonnée |
Hunting |
la chasse |
faire la chasse |
Jigsaw puzzle |
un puzzle |
faire un puzzle |
Jogging |
le jogging |
faire du jogging |
Knitting |
le tricot |
tricoter |
Movie |
un film |
regarder un film |
Music |
la musique |
écouter de la musique |
Painting |
la peinture |
peindre |
Reading |
la lecture |
lire |
Sailing |
la voile |
faire de la voile |
Sewing |
la couture |
coudre |
Television/TV |
la télévision |
regarder la télévision |
Remember these terms and verbs, and you'll be able to talk about your favorite activities in French like a pro!
Sports in French
When it comes to sports, here are the French terms you need to know:
Sport |
French Term |
Example |
Basketball |
le basket |
jouer au basket |
Biking |
le cyclisme, le vélo |
faire du cyclisme |
Boxing |
la boxe |
faire de la boxe |
Football |
le football américain |
jouer au football |
Hockey |
le hockey |
jouer au hockey |
Skiing |
le ski |
faire du ski |
Soccer |
le football, le foot |
jouer au foot(ball) |
Swimming |
la natation |
faire de la natation |
Tennis |
le tennis |
jouer au tennis |
Wrestling |
la lutte |
faire de la lutte |
Volleyball |
le volley-ball |
jouer au volley-ball |
Learning French can be fun, especially when you can incorporate your favorite games, sports, and hobbies into the mix. In this tutorial, we'll explore the French equivalents of various activities and the verbs you need to use with them.
Playing with "Jouer"
In French, the verb "jouer" means "to play." Depending on the activity, you'll use different prepositions with "jouer":
Activity |
French Term |
Example |
Board games |
les jeux de société |
jouer aux jeux de société |
Card games |
les jeux de cartes |
jouer aux jeux de cartes |
Checkers |
le jeu de dames |
jouer au jeu de dames |
Chess |
les échecs |
jouer aux échecs |
Darts |
les fléchettes |
jouer aux fléchettes |
Dice games |
les jeux de dés |
jouer aux jeux des dés |
Pool |
le billard |
jouer au billard |
Video games |
les jeux vidéo |
jouer aux jeux vidéos |
Word games |
les jeux de lettres |
jouer aux jeux de lettres |
Learning French can be fun, especially when you can incorporate your favorite games, sports, and hobbies into the mix. In this tutorial, we'll explore the French equivalents of various activities and the verbs you need to use with them.
Pronouncing Hobbies in French
Understanding French Terms for Hobbies
In French, the word for "hobbies" can be expressed as "les loisirs" or "les passe-temps." While both terms refer to leisure activities, "les passe-temps" is commonly used to specifically denote hobbies.
Exploring the Meaning of "Les Loisirs"
"Les loisirs" encompass a broader range of activities, including pastimes, sports, and various leisure pursuits. This term is suitable for expressing multiple hobbies, especially if they are diverse in nature.
For instance:
- 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?)
Examples of Using French Hobbies in Sentences
French Sentence |
English Translation |
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? |
Expressing Likes and Dislikes for Hobbies in French
Describing a Hobby You Like/Love/Enjoy
When expressing your fondness for a hobby in French, you can use these expressions:
French Expression |
English Translation |
J’aime [le/la/les] + [hobby name] |
I like [the] + [hobby name] |
J’adore [le/la/les] + [hobby name] |
I love [the] + [hobby name] |
J’apprécie [le/la/les] + [hobby name] |
I appreciate [the] + [hobby name] |
For example:
- J’aime la danse. (I like dancing)
- J’adore la peinture. (I love painting)
- J’apprécie le jardinage. (I appreciate gardening)
Describing a Hobby You Don’t Like/Love/Enjoy
When expressing your dislike or lack of enthusiasm for a hobby in French, consider using these expressions:
French Expression |
English Translation |
Je n’aime pas [le/la/les] + [hobby name] |
I don’t like [the] + [hobby name] |
Je n’adore pas [le/la/les] + [hobby name] |
I don’t love [the] + [hobby name] |
Je n’apprécie pas [le/la/les] + [hobby name] |
I don’t appreciate [the] + [hobby name] |
For example:
- Je n’aime pas la natation. (I don’t like swimming)
- Je n’adore pas la cuisine. (I don’t love cooking)
- Je n’apprécie pas le tennis. (I don’t appreciate tennis)
If you want to express stronger feelings of dislike, you can use these expressions:
French Expression |
English Translation |
Je déteste [le/la/les] + [hobby name] |
I hate [the] + [hobby name] |
J’ai horreur de [le/la/les] + [hobby name] |
I hate [the] + [hobby name] |
For example:
- Je déteste l’équitation. (I hate horseback riding)
- J’ai horreur du géocaching. (I hate geocaching)