French - Hobbies and Progress

Lesson 59 of 159

Learner practicing French phrases about hobbies and progress, with hobby icons like a camera and guitar.

Goal: Talk about what you do, how often, and how you're improving

Free French lessons with guided practice, audio, and speaking support.

Ready to chat about hobbies? This short lesson focuses on saying how you practice, how often, and whether you're improving. Have fun — think of one hobby as you go through the activities!

Level A2: In Lesson 59 you'll learn useful French phrases to talk about hobbies, practice frequency (once a week, about an hour), say whether you're improving or still a beginner, and give a simple opinion. This CEFR-aligned lesson focuses on phrases like "Je progresse en...", "Je fais... pendant environ une heure", and "Tu t'intéresses à...?" — plus short replies to keep conversations going.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Learn A2 phrases to say how often and how long you practice a hobby.
  • Say that you are improving or still a beginner with simple phrases.
  • Ask and answer whether someone is interested in a hobby.
Two friends talking about photography and practice time, useful for learning French hobby phrases.

Ready? Let's go!

When you tap play on phrases, we track your progress through this lesson.

1. Reading + Listening Practice

Hear core phrases, repeat aloud.

Je progresse en ___.

I'm getting better at ___.

Meaning: I'm getting better at ___.

When to use: Use this to say your skill is improving in a hobby or subject (e.g., en dessin). For instruments, you may instead say « je progresse au piano ».

Tip: For instruments beginners sometimes forget to change the preposition (au/à la) instead of en.

Je progresse en dessin.
I'm getting better at drawing.
Je progresse au piano.
I'm making progress on the piano.

Je suis encore débutant en ___.

I'm still a beginner at ___.

Meaning: I'm still a beginner at ___.

When to use: Say this when you are new to an activity. Use « débutante » if the speaker is female, and change to « au/à la » for instruments.

Tip: Remember gender forms: a woman would say « Je suis encore débutante... ».

Je suis encore débutant en photographie.
I'm still a beginner at photography.
Je suis encore débutant au piano.
I'm still a beginner at the piano.

Je fais ___ pendant environ une heure.

I do ___ for about an hour.

Meaning: I do ___ for about an hour.

When to use: Use this to say how long you spend on a hobby. The blank often includes the article (du yoga, de la danse).

Je fais du yoga pendant environ une heure.
I do yoga for about an hour.
Je fais de la danse pendant environ une heure.
I do dance for about an hour.

Tu t'intéresses à ___ ?

Are you interested in ___?

Meaning: Are you interested in ___?

When to use: Use this informal question to ask a friend whether they like or are interested in an activity or subject.

Tu t'intéresses à la photographie ?
Are you interested in photography?
Tu t'intéresses à la danse ?
Are you interested in dance?

Je le fais quand j'ai le temps.

I do it when I have time.

Meaning: I do it when I have time.

When to use: Say this to explain that you do a hobby occasionally, without a fixed schedule.

Je le fais quand j'ai le temps, surtout le soir.
I do it when I have time, especially in the evening.
Je le fais quand j'ai le temps, pas tous les jours.
I do it when I have time, not every day.

C'est sympa, mais c'est dur.

It's fun, but it's hard.

Meaning: It's fun, but it's hard.

When to use: Use this short opinion to say you enjoy a hobby even if it's challenging.

Jouer du violon, c'est sympa, mais c'est dur.
Playing the violin is fun, but it's hard.
Apprendre la guitare, c'est sympa, mais c'est dur.
Learning guitar is fun, but it's hard.

Je vais ___ une fois par semaine.

I go ___ once a week.

Meaning: I go ___ once a week.

When to use: Use this to say how often you go somewhere or do an activity (infinitive or place phrase: nager, à la piscine).

Je vais nager une fois par semaine.
I go swimming once a week.
Je vais au club une fois par semaine.
I go to the club once a week.

J'aime bien parce que c'est ___.

I like it because it's ___.

Meaning: I like it because it's ___.

When to use: Use this to explain why you enjoy a hobby. After « c'est » use the masculine singular adjective by default (intéressant, amusant).

J'aime bien parce que c'est relaxant.
I like it because it's relaxing.
J'aime bien parce que c'est intéressant.
I like it because it's interesting.

J'essaie de ___ toutes les semaines.

I try to ___ every week.

Meaning: I try to ___ every week.

When to use: Use this with an infinitive to say you attempt an activity regularly (J'essaie de courir, de dessiner).

J'essaie de courir toutes les semaines.
I try to run every week.
J'essaie de dessiner toutes les semaines.
I try to draw every week.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Two friends talk about photography practice and progress.

Anna and David chat about photography practice and whether they improve or are still beginners.

What hobby do Anna and David talk about?

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

Tu t'intéresses à la photographie ?

Are you interested in photography?

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

Oui. J'essaie de prendre des photos toutes les semaines.

Yes. I try to take photos every week.

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

C'est sympa, mais c'est dur, non ?

It's fun, but it's hard, right?

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

Oui. Je le fais quand j'ai le temps, et je progresse en photo.

Yes. I do it when I have time, and I'm getting better at photography.

Portrait of Anna in a French lesson dialogue

Anna

Tu fais ça combien de temps ?

How long do you do that for?

Portrait of David in a French lesson dialogue

David

Je fais de la photo pendant environ une heure.

I do photography for about an hour.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which French sentence means 'I do yoga for about an hour.'?

Which phrase asks 'Are you interested in...?'

Which sentence means 'I try to draw every week.'?

Which sentence says 'It's fun, but it's hard.'?

Je vais à la piscine une fois par semaine.

I go to the pool once a week. French: Je vais ___.

Je suis encore débutant en photographie.

I'm still a beginner at photography. French: Je suis encore ___.

J'aime bien parce que c'est relaxant.

I like it because it's relaxing. French: J'aime bien parce que c'est ___.

Match the core phrases

Match the extra phrases

4. Speaking Practice

Say phrases yourself (mic/recording).

Recording stays on your device only. Check speech uses your browser's speech tools when available.

Say this phrase out loud:

Je progresse en ___.

I'm getting better at ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Je suis encore débutant en ___.

I'm still a beginner at ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Je fais ___ pendant environ une heure.

I do ___ for about an hour.

Say this phrase out loud:

Tu t'intéresses à ___ ?

Are you interested in ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

Je le fais quand j'ai le temps.

I do it when I have time.

Say this phrase out loud:

C'est sympa, mais c'est dur.

It's fun, but it's hard.

Say this phrase out loud:

Je vais ___ une fois par semaine.

I go ___ once a week.

Say this phrase out loud:

J'aime bien parce que c'est ___.

I like it because it's ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

J'essaie de ___ toutes les semaines.

I try to ___ every week.