Spanish Hobbies Vocabulary: 60+ Words & Phrases

If your weekend has ever turned into “I guess I’ll just scroll my phone and call that a personality,” this article is for you. Spanish has a very handy set of words for talking about hobbies, free time, and the glorious art of not doing work for a few hours.

For the broader learning path, visit our parent guide.

By the end, you’ll be able to say what you like doing, what you’re into, what you do on weekends, and how to ask other people about their hobbies without sounding like a robot with a textbook.

For a bigger starter pack, you can also check 100 Essential Spanish Words & Phrases, and if you want more action words, the related guide on actions and gestures in Spanish is a nice companion.

Table of Contents

Quick Idea: How Spanish Talks About Hobbies

Spanish often uses gustar for likes, plus verbs like hacer (to do), jugar (to play), leer (to read), and ver (to watch). A lot of hobby talk is built around “I like + activity,” which is great because it gives you a lot of mileage with a few common patterns. Language efficiency. Fancy.

One tiny pronunciation tip before we begin: Spanish vowels are usually clean and steady. If you can say a, e, i, o, u clearly, you’re already doing a lot right.

Useful Hobby Words and Phrases

Here are the most useful hobby words first, followed by extra phrases you’ll actually use in conversation. Standard Latin American Spanish is used by default, with notes when Spain Spanish differs.

Spanish	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
el pasatiempo	pah-sah-TYEHM-poh	hobby, pastime	Mi pasatiempo favorito es la fotografía.	My favorite hobby is photography.	Formal-ish and useful in writing or conversations.
el hobby / el hobbie	OH-bee	hobby	Tengo un hobby nuevo: aprender guitarra.	I have a new hobby: learning guitar.	Hobby is common too. Hobbie is a common spelling in Spanish, though many style guides prefer hobby.
el tiempo libre	TYEM-poh LEE-breh	free time	En mi tiempo libre, leo y cocino.	In my free time, I read and cook.	Super common phrase.
hacer ejercicio	ah-SEHR eh-hehr-SEE-syoh	to exercise	Hago ejercicio tres veces por semana.	I exercise three times a week.	Very natural. Not just for gym people.
ir al gimnasio	eer al him-NAH-syoh	to go to the gym	Voy al gimnasio los lunes.	I go to the gym on Mondays.	Gimnasio starts with a hard g sound like in English “get.”
leer	leh-EHR	to read	Me gusta leer antes de dormir.	I like to read before sleeping.	Common in hobbies, school, and daily life.
escribir	ehs-kree-BEER	to write	Escribo historias cortas por diversión.	I write short stories for fun.	Useful for journaling, blogging, and creative hobbies.
dibujar	dee-boo-HAHR	to draw	Le gusta dibujar caricaturas.	He/She likes to draw cartoons.	The j sounds like a strong English “h.”
pintar	peen-TAHR	to paint	Mi hermana pinta paisajes.	My sister paints landscapes.	Can mean painting art or painting walls, depending on context.
cocinar	koh-see-NAHR	to cook	Nos encanta cocinar en casa.	We love cooking at home.	Very practical for weekend talk.
hornear	or-neh-AHR	to bake	Mi abuela hornea pan los domingos.	My grandmother bakes bread on Sundays.	Great for food lovers.
escuchar música	ehs-koo-CHAHR MOO-see-kah	to listen to music	Escucho música cuando camino.	I listen to music when I walk.	Escuchar is “to listen”; oir means “to hear.”
ver series	behr SEH-ryes	to watch series	Veo series en la noche.	I watch series at night.	In Latin America, serie is very common for TV series.
ver películas	behr peh-LEE-koo-las	to watch movies	Vamos a ver una película el sábado.	We’re going to watch a movie on Saturday.	Note the feminine plural películas.
jugar videojuegos	hoo-GAHR bee-deh-oh-JWEH-gohs	to play video games	Mi primo juega videojuegos por la tarde.	My cousin plays video games in the afternoon.	Jugar is irregular and very common.
jugar al fútbol	hoo-GAHR al FOOT-bol	to play soccer	Jugamos al fútbol con amigos.	We play soccer with friends.	In Spain, fútbol means soccer; in some places people may say soccer in English, but not in Spanish, obviously.

More Everyday Hobbies Vocabulary

Spanish	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
ir de compras	eer deh KOM-pras	to go shopping	Voy de compras con mi amiga.	I go shopping with my friend.	Very common and natural.
ir de paseo	eer deh pah-SEH-oh	to go for a walk / outing	Salimos de paseo al parque.	We went out for a walk to the park.	Can mean a relaxed outing, not just a walk.
caminar	kah-mee-NAHR	to walk	Camino veinte minutos al día.	I walk twenty minutes a day.	Simple and useful.
correr	koh-RREHR	to run	Corre en el parque los fines de semana.	He/She runs in the park on weekends.	The double rr is a strong rolled sound.
andar en bicicleta	an-DAHR ehn bee-see-KLEH-tah	to ride a bike	Ando en bicicleta por la ciudad.	I ride a bike around the city.	Very common; bicicleta is feminine.
nadar	nah-DAHR	to swim	Nos gusta nadar en verano.	We like swimming in summer.	Common leisure activity.
hacer senderismo	ah-SEHR sehn-deh-REES-moh	to hike	Hacemos senderismo en las montañas.	We go hiking in the mountains.	Very useful for outdoor hobbies.
acampar	ah-kam-PAHR	to camp	Nos gusta acampar cerca del lago.	We like camping near the lake.	Simple verb; no need to overthink it.
pescar	pehs-KAHR	to fish	Mi tío pesca los domingos.	My uncle fishes on Sundays.	Common hobby in many regions.
tocar un instrumento	toh-KAHR oon een-stroo-MEHN-toh	to play an instrument	Toca un instrumento desde niño.	He/She has played an instrument since childhood.	Use tocar for instruments, not jugar.
tocar la guitarra	toh-KAHR lah gee-TAH-rrah	to play guitar	Toco la guitarra por las noches.	I play guitar at night.	The g in guitarra is soft before u.
cantar	kan-TAHR	to sing	Mi amiga canta muy bien.	My friend sings very well.	Easy, common, and fun.
bailar	bye-LAHR	to dance	Nos encanta bailar salsa.	We love dancing salsa.	Very natural in social contexts.
tomar fotos	toh-MAHR FOH-tohs	to take photos	Tomo fotos cuando viajo.	I take photos when I travel.	In Latin America, tomar fotos is very common. In Spain, hacer fotos is also very common.
hacer fotos	ah-SEHR FOH-tohs	to take photos	Hacemos fotos en la playa.	We take photos at the beach.	Very common in Spain. Latin America also understands it perfectly.
viajar	bee-ah-HAHR	to travel	Le gusta viajar en tren.	He/She likes to travel by train.	Travel is basically a hobby for some people, and a therapy for others.

Talking About What You Like

These phrases are the real engine of hobby conversation. Learn these, and suddenly Spanish people stop sounding like mysterious background characters and start sounding like people with actual preferences.

Spanish	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
Me gusta…	meh GOOS-tah	I like…	Me gusta leer novelas.	I like reading novels.	Very common. Literally, “It pleases me.”
Me encanta…	meh ehn-KAHN-tah	I love…	Me encanta cocinar.	I love cooking.	Stronger than me gusta.
No me gusta…	noh meh GOOS-tah	I don’t like…	No me gusta correr temprano.	I don’t like running early.	Put no before the phrase.
Me interesa…	meh een-teh-REH-sah	I’m interested in…	Me interesa la música clásica.	I’m interested in classical music.	Good for formal or thoughtful conversation.
Estoy aprendiendo a…	ehs-TOY ah-prehn-dyEHN-doh ah	I’m learning to…	Estoy aprendiendo a tocar el piano.	I’m learning to play the piano.	Useful for new hobbies.
Suelo…	SWEH-loh	I usually…	Suelo leer los fines de semana.	I usually read on weekends.	Helpful for routine hobby talk.
Normalmente…	nor-mal-MEN-teh	normally, usually	Normalmente juego videojuegos por la noche.	I usually play video games at night.	Neutral and easy.
En mi tiempo libre…	ehn mee TYEM-poh LEE-breh	in my free time…	En mi tiempo libre, camino y leo.	In my free time, I walk and read.	Excellent for introducing hobbies.
Los fines de semana…	lohs FEEN-ehs deh seh-MAH-nah	on weekends…	Los fines de semana descanso mucho.	On weekends, I rest a lot.	Plural, because weekends happen more than once. Very smug of them.
Después del trabajo…	dehs-PWEHS dehl trah-BAH-hoh	after work…	Después del trabajo, hago ejercicio.	After work, I exercise.	Useful in daily conversation.
Con amigos…	kohn ah-MEE-gohs	with friends…	Veo películas con amigos.	I watch movies with friends.	Simple preposition phrase.
Por diversión	pohr dee-behr-SYOHN	for fun	Aprendo francés por diversión.	I learn French for fun.	Natural and useful. No need to be serious all the time.

Handy Sentence Patterns for Hobby Talk

Spanish hobby sentences are often built from a few very reusable patterns. Here’s the good stuff in plain English.

Pattern	Meaning	Spanish Example	English Translation	Learner Note
Me gusta + infinitive	I like to do something	Me gusta bailar.	I like to dance.	Infinitive = base verb form: bailar, leer, cocinar.
Me gusta + noun	I like something	Me gusta la música.	I like music.	Use the article: la música, el fútbol.
Me encanta + infinitive	I love to do something	Me encanta viajar.	I love to travel.	More enthusiastic than me gusta.
Quiero aprender a + infinitive	I want to learn to do something	Quiero aprender a cocinar.	I want to learn to cook.	Great for talking about new hobbies.
Suelo + infinitive	I usually do something	Suelo leer por la noche.	I usually read at night.	Useful for habits.
Estoy aprendiendo a + infinitive	I’m learning to do something	Estoy aprendiendo a nadar.	I’m learning to swim.	Very natural and practical.

Common Hobby Phrases You’ll Actually Hear

¿Qué te gusta hacer en tu tiempo libre? — keh teh GOOS-tah ah-SEHR ehn tooh TYEM-poh LEE-breh? — What do you like to do in your free time? Example: ¿Qué te gusta hacer en tu tiempo libre? — What do you like to do in your free time?
¿Cuál es tu pasatiempo favorito? — kwahl ehs too pah-sah-TYEHM-poh fah-boh-REE-toh? — What is your favorite hobby? Example: ¿Cuál es tu pasatiempo favorito? — What is your favorite hobby?
En mi tiempo libre, yo… — ehn mee TYEM-poh LEE-breh yoh… — In my free time, I… Example: En mi tiempo libre, yo leo mucho. — In my free time, I read a lot.
Los fines de semana me gusta… — lohs FEEN-ehs deh seh-MAH-nah meh GOOS-tah… — On weekends I like to… Example: Los fines de semana me gusta descansar. — On weekends I like to rest.
Estoy practicando… — ehs-TOY prak-tee-KAHN-doh… — I’m practicing… Example: Estoy practicando la guitarra. — I’m practicing guitar.
Me estoy aficionando a… — meh ehs-TOY ah-fee-syoh-NAHN-doh ah… — I’m getting into… Example: Me estoy aficionando a la fotografía. — I’m getting into photography.
Voy a… — boy ah… — I’m going to… Example: Voy a correr esta tarde. — I’m going to run this afternoon.
Hago… — AH-goh — I do / I make Example: Hago yoga los martes. — I do yoga on Tuesdays.
Paso el rato… — PAH-soh ehl RAH-toh… — I spend time / hang out doing something Example: Paso el rato con amigos. — I hang out with friends.
Me relaja… — meh reh-LAH-hah… — It relaxes me / I find it relaxing Example: Me relaja escuchar música. — Listening to music relaxes me.

Quick note: in Spanish, you often use the infinitive after phrases like me gusta and quiero. So instead of forcing a weird English-style structure, just go with the flow: Me gusta leer, not “me gusta to read.” Spanish is not here for that.

Hobbies With Useful Verbs: A Mini Reference

Spanish Verb	Pronunciation	Meaning	Example Sentence	Translation	Learner Note
practicar	prahk-tee-KAHR	to practice	Practico piano todos los días.	I practice piano every day.	Very common with hobbies, sports, and skills.
aprender	ah-prehn-DEHR	to learn	Aprendo español por hobby.	I learn Spanish as a hobby.	Use a when needed: aprender a cocinar.
disfrutar	dees-froo-TAHR	to enjoy	Disfruto caminar por el parque.	I enjoy walking in the park.	Very nice for a slightly more elegant sentence.
descansar	dehs-kan-SAHR	to rest	Los domingos descanso y leo.	On Sundays I rest and read.	Rest counts as a hobby sometimes. We don’t judge.
coleccionar	koh-lek-syoh-NAHR	to collect	Colecciono monedas antiguas.	I collect old coins.	Great for talking about collections.
juntar	hoon-TAHR	to gather, collect, put together	Junta las piezas del rompecabezas.	Put the puzzle pieces together.	Useful in some hobby contexts.
explorar	eks-ploh-RAHR	to explore	Me gusta explorar nuevos cafés.	I like exploring new cafés.	Good for adventurous free time.
salir	sah-LEER	to go out	Salgo con amigos los viernes.	I go out with friends on Fridays.	Very common in social plans.
quedarse en casa	keh-DAHR-seh ehn KAH-sah	to stay home	Me quedo en casa y veo una serie.	I stay home and watch a series.	Super natural for quiet weekends.
hacer manualidades	ah-SEHR mah-noo-ah-lee-DAH-dehs	to do crafts	Hace manualidades con papel y cartón.	She does crafts with paper and cardboard.	Great hobby vocabulary for kids and adults.

Latin American Spanish vs Spain Spanish: A Few Hobby Notes

Most hobby vocabulary is the same across the Spanish-speaking world, which is lovely because languages do occasionally decide to cooperate.

Tomar fotos is very common in Latin America; hacer fotos is especially common in Spain.
Ordenador is more common in Spain, while computadora is more common in Latin America when talking about computer-related hobbies.
Coger means “to take” in Spain, but in Latin America it can sound awkward or rude in some contexts, so avoid it unless you know the local usage well.
Fútbol means soccer everywhere in the Spanish-speaking world, even if your brain keeps trying to be clever.

Pronunciation Tips That Help With Hobby Words

j sounds like a strong English h: jugar, dibujar, viajar.
rr is a rolled or trilled sound: correr, guitarra, aburrido.
ll often sounds like y in many regions: llamar, lluvia, calle. In some places it can sound different, but y-like is a safe default.
h is usually silent: hacer, hora, hobby in many loanword spellings.
Spanish vowels are pure and short: leer is roughly “leh-EHR,” not “lee-er” with extra English wobble.

Extra Note: Gustar Is a Bit Backwards

English says “I like music.” Spanish often says literally “Music is pleasing to me”: Me gusta la música. That’s why the verb form changes depending on whether the thing is singular or plural:

Me gusta el fútbol. — I like soccer.
Me gustan los deportes. — I like sports.

Learner note: gusta goes with singular nouns or one activity; gustan goes with plural nouns.

Mini Practice: Build Your Own Hobby Sentences

Try swapping in your own words. Don’t panic if it feels slow at first. That’s normal. Languages are rude like that.

Me gusta… → Me gusta leer.
Me encanta… → Me encanta bailar.
En mi tiempo libre… → En mi tiempo libre, dibujo y cocino.
Los fines de semana… → Los fines de semana juego videojuegos.
Estoy aprendiendo a… → Estoy aprendiendo a tocar la guitarra.
Suelo… → Suelo caminar por la mañana.
No me gusta… → No me gusta correr temprano.
Me interesa… → Me interesa la fotografía.

Common Mistakes and Easy Fixes

Mistake	Better Version	Why
Me gusta leer libroses.	Me gusta leer libros.	Libroses is not a word. Spanish plural endings are usually much calmer than that.
Me gusta to play guitar.	Me gusta tocar la guitarra.	Keep the sentence in Spanish once you start. Mixing languages is a mood, but not a sentence pattern.
Me gustan la música.	Me gusta la música.	Música is singular, so use gusta, not gustan.
Jugar la guitarra.	Tocar la guitarra.	Use tocar for instruments; jugar is for games and sports.
Hacer fotos in Latin America when you mean “take photos”	Tomar fotos	Hacer fotos is understandable, but tomar fotos is usually more natural in Latin America.
Estoy gusta…	Me gusta…	Gustar uses indirect object pronouns like me, te, le.

If you want to strengthen the grammar around actions and everyday expressions, the related page on actions and gestures in Spanish is a good next stop. And if you want more vocabulary in the same practical style, emotions in Spanish pairs nicely with hobby talk because people love to say how things make them feel. Conveniently dramatic, as always.

Quick Reference Summary

Me gusta = I like
Me encanta = I love
En mi tiempo libre = in my free time
Pasatiempo = hobby
Hacer ejercicio = to exercise
Leer = to read
Cocinar = to cook
Escuchar música = to listen to music
Ver películas / series = to watch movies / series
Jugar videojuegos = to play video games
Tocar un instrumento = to play an instrument
Hacer senderismo = to hike
Tomar fotos / hacer fotos = to take photos

For official word-checking and spelling rabbit holes, a boring-but-useful source is the Real Academia Española. It will not entertain you, but it will absolutely keep you honest.

Yak takeaway: if you can say Me gusta…, En mi tiempo libre…, and Estoy aprendiendo a…, you can already talk about hobbies in Spanish like a real human and not a vocabulary card that escaped from a binder.