Japanese - Hobbies

Lesson 59 of 168

A lively scene of people enjoying hobbies in a park — piano, running, and photography — with Japanese phrases about hobbies overlaid.

Goal: Talking about what you enjoy and how often (A2)

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

Welcome! In this short lesson we'll focus on friendly, useful phrases for talking about hobbies — what you like, how often you do it, and whether you're improving. Have fun and try saying the lines out loud.

Level A2: This lesson practices common hobby phrases like saying you're getting better (上手になってきました), saying you're still a beginner (まだ初心者です), how long or how often you do something (1時間ぐらい／週に1回), asking if someone is interested (に興味がありますか), and giving a simple opinion (楽しいですけど、難しいです). CEFR-aligned and focused on speaking: listen, repeat, and use these frames in short conversations.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Say that your ability for a hobby is improving (___が上手になってきました。).
  • Tell someone you're still a beginner (___はまだ初心者です。).
  • Talk about duration and frequency (___を1時間ぐらいします。／週に1回、___に行きます。).
  • Ask about interest and give a simple opinion (___に興味がありますか。／楽しいですけど、難しいです。).
  • Use polite, everyday Japanese to describe your hobbies (A2 level).
Close-up of a notebook with Japanese hobby phrases and romaji, a camera, and a cup of tea — the lesson focuses on talking about hobbies in Japanese.

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.

___が上手になってきました。

___ ga jōzu ni natte kimashita.

I'm getting better at ___.

Meaning: I'm getting better at ___.

When to use: Put a hobby or activity before が. For a verb activity, use the dictionary form + のが (e.g., 泳ぐのが上手になってきました。). Use this to say your skill is improving.

Tip: For verbs beginners often forget のが (e.g., 泳ぐのが上手).

ピアノが上手になってきました。

Piano ga jōzu ni natte kimashita.

I'm getting better at the piano.
日本語の話し方が上手になってきました。

Nihongo no hanashikata ga jōzu ni natte kimashita.

I'm getting better at speaking Japanese.

___はまだ初心者です。

___ wa mada shoshinsha desu.

I'm still a beginner at ___.

Meaning: I'm still a beginner at ___.

When to use: Put the hobby or activity before は, for example テニスはまだ初心者です。 Use this to explain you're new at something.

テニスはまだ初心者です。

Tenisu wa mada shoshinsha desu.

I'm still a beginner at tennis.
料理はまだ初心者です。

Ryōri wa mada shoshinsha desu.

I'm still a beginner at cooking.

___を1時間ぐらいします。

___ o ichi-jikan gurai shimasu.

I do ___ for about an hour.

Meaning: I do ___ for about an hour.

When to use: Put an activity noun before を and say how long with 1時間ぐらい. Use this to say the usual duration.

ピアノを1時間ぐらいします。

Piano o ichi-jikan gurai shimasu.

I play piano for about an hour.
ヨガを1時間ぐらいします。

Yoga o ichi-jikan gurai shimasu.

I do yoga for about an hour.

___に興味がありますか。

___ ni kyōmi ga arimasu ka.

Are you interested in ___?

Meaning: Are you interested in ___?

When to use: Put a topic or activity before に, for example 写真に興味がありますか。 Use this to ask about someone's interests politely.

写真に興味がありますか。

Shashin ni kyōmi ga arimasu ka.

Are you interested in photography?
料理に興味がありますか。

Ryōri ni kyōmi ga arimasu ka.

Are you interested in cooking?

時間があるときにします。

Jikan ga aru toki ni shimasu.

I do it when I have time.

Meaning: I do it when I have time.

When to use: Use this sentence when the hobby is clear from context. Many Japanese sentences omit the object when it is understood.

映画は時間があるときにします。

Eiga wa jikan ga aru toki ni shimasu.

I watch movies when I have time.
読書は時間があるときにします。

Dokusho wa jikan ga aru toki ni shimasu.

I read when I have time.

楽しいですけど、難しいです。

Tanoshii desu kedo, muzukashii desu.

It's fun, but it's hard.

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

When to use: Use this to give a simple opinion when a hobby is enjoyable but challenging. けど is natural in speech.

ギターは楽しいですけど、難しいです。

Gitā wa tanoshii desu kedo, muzukashii desu.

Guitar is fun, but it's hard.
スキーは楽しいですけど、難しいです。

Sukī wa tanoshii desu kedo, muzukashii desu.

Skiing is fun, but it's hard.

週に1回、___に行きます。

Shū ni ikkai, ___ ni ikimasu.

I go ___ once a week.

Meaning: I go ___ once a week.

When to use: Put a place or event before に, for example ジムに. For actions you go to do, use a verb stem + に (e.g., 泳ぎに行きます). Use this to say frequency.

週に1回、ジムに行きます。

Shū ni ikkai, jimu ni ikimasu.

I go to the gym once a week.
週に1回、美術館に行きます。

Shū ni ikkai, bijutsukan ni ikimasu.

I go to a museum once a week.

___から、好きです。

___ kara, suki desu.

I like it because it's ___.

Meaning: I like it because it's ___.

When to use: Put the reason before から. For い-adjectives use 〜から (e.g., 楽しいから、好きです。). For nouns or な-adjectives, beginners often use だから.

Tip: With nouns beginners sometimes forget to use だから (noun + だから) instead of just から.

自然が好きです。落ち着くから、好きです。

Shizen ga suki desu. Ochitsuku kara, suki desu.

I like nature. I like it because it's calming.
写真が好きです。思い出が残るから、好きです。

Shashin ga suki desu. Omoide ga nokoru kara, suki desu.

I like photography because it keeps memories.

毎週___ようにしています。

Maishū ___ yō ni shite imasu.

I try to ___ every week.

Meaning: I try to ___ every week.

When to use: Put a verb in dictionary form before ようにしています, e.g., 毎週走るようにしています。 Use this to say you try to keep a weekly habit.

毎週走るようにしています。

Maishū hashiru yō ni shite imasu.

I try to run every week.
毎週日本語を勉強するようにしています。

Maishū Nihongo o benkyō suru yō ni shite imasu.

I try to study Japanese every week.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Two friends talking about hobbies near a café

Two friends chatting near a café: one practices piano on a portable keyboard and the other shows photos — they use polite Japanese hobby phrases.

Who says they are getting better at the piano?

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

最近、ピアノが上手になってきました。

Saikin, piano ga jōzu ni natte kimashita.

Recently, I'm getting better at the piano.

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

すごい！毎週どれくらい練習していますか。

Sugoi! Maishū dore kurai renshū shite imasu ka?

Amazing! How much do you practice each week?

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

毎週ピアノを1時間ぐらいします。

Maishū piano o ichi-jikan gurai shimasu.

I play piano about an hour each week.

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

写真に興味がありますか。

Shashin ni kyōmi ga arimasu ka?

Are you interested in photography?

Portrait of Anna in a Japanese lesson dialogue

Anna

写真も好きです。楽しいですけど、難しいです。

Shashin mo suki desu. Tanoshii desu kedo, muzukashii desu.

I like photography too. It's fun, but it's hard.

Portrait of David in a Japanese lesson dialogue

David

いいですね。週に1回、写真に行きます。

Ii desu ne. Shū ni ikkai, shashin ni ikimasu.

Nice. I go take photos once a week.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which sentence means 'I do it when I have time.'?

Which sentence says 'I go to the gym once a week.'?

Which sentence means 'Are you interested in photography?'

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

Recently, I'm getting better at tennis. I want to play more matches.

最近、テニスが___。もっと試合に出たいです。

I'm still a beginner at cooking, I can only make simple dishes.

料理はまだ___、簡単なものしか作れません。

I'm busy, but I do it when I have time.

忙しいけど、時間があるときに___。

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:

___が上手になってきました。

___ ga jōzu ni natte kimashita.

I'm getting better at ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___はまだ初心者です。

___ wa mada shoshinsha desu.

I'm still a beginner at ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___を1時間ぐらいします。

___ o ichi-jikan gurai shimasu.

I do ___ for about an hour.

Say this phrase out loud:

___に興味がありますか。

___ ni kyōmi ga arimasu ka.

Are you interested in ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

時間があるときにします。

Jikan ga aru toki ni shimasu.

I do it when I have time.

Say this phrase out loud:

楽しいですけど、難しいです。

Tanoshii desu kedo, muzukashii desu.

It's fun, but it's hard.

Say this phrase out loud:

週に1回、___に行きます。

Shū ni ikkai, ___ ni ikimasu.

I go ___ once a week.

Say this phrase out loud:

___から、好きです。

___ kara, suki desu.

I like it because it's ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

毎週___ようにしています。

Maishū ___ yō ni shite imasu.

I try to ___ every week.