Spanish - Hábitos

Lesson 35 of 159

Learner thinking about daily habits in Spanish, practicing common routine phrases.

Goal: Talk about routines, time, and changes in your habits

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

Welcome — ready to chat about daily habits? This lesson is short, friendly, and full of practical phrases you can use right away. Have fun repeating aloud!

Level A2: In this lesson you’ll practice Spanish phrases to talk about habits — how often you do things, how much time you spend, sequences, and starting or stopping routines. You’ll listen, repeat, and do quick quizzes to lock in useful frames for real conversations. (CEFR-aligned)

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Learn simple frames to say how often and how long you do activities.
  • Ask and answer questions about routines and what you do before or after activities.
  • Practice saying phrases aloud to build confidence in everyday conversation.
Two friends discussing their morning routines in Spanish; a warm conversational scene about habits.

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.

Trato de no ___.

I try not to ___.

Meaning: I try not to ___.

When to use: Use this to say you avoid a habit or behavior in general.

Tip: Some learners say 'intento no' — it's understandable but 'trato de no' is more natural here.

Trato de no fumar.
I try not to smoke.
Trato de no usar el teléfono durante la cena.
I try not to use my phone during dinner.

Paso como ___ minutos ___ cada día.

I spend about ___ minutes ___ each day.

Meaning: I spend about ___ minutes ___ each day.

When to use: Use this to describe roughly how much time you spend on a routine activity each day.

Paso como veinte minutos leyendo cada día.
I spend about twenty minutes reading each day.
Paso como diez minutos estirando cada día.
I spend about ten minutes stretching each day.

Hago eso como ___ veces a la semana.

I do that about ___ times a week.

Meaning: I do that about ___ times a week.

When to use: Use this to answer how often you repeat an activity during a typical week.

Hago eso como tres veces a la semana.
I do that about three times a week.
Hago eso como una vez a la semana.
I do that about once a week.

¿Cuándo sueles ___?

When do you normally ___?

Meaning: When do you usually ___?

When to use: Ask about someone's normal time or situation for an activity.

¿Cuándo sueles correr?
When do you usually run?
¿Cuándo sueles ver series?
When do you usually watch series?

¿Qué haces antes de ___?

What do you do before ___?

Meaning: What do you do before ___?

When to use: Ask about what someone does immediately before another activity.

¿Qué haces antes de trabajar?
What do you do before work?
¿Qué haces antes de acostarte?
What do you do before going to bed?

Empecé a ___ hace poco.

I started ___ recently.

Meaning: I started to ___ recently.

When to use: Say that a habit or routine is new or you began it not long ago.

Empecé a correr hace poco.
I started running recently.
Empecé a cocinar hace poco.
I started cooking recently.

Dejé de ___ porque ___.

I stopped ___ because ___.

Meaning: I stopped ___ because ___.

When to use: Use this to say you ended a habit and give a brief reason.

Dejé de fumar porque quería mejorar mi salud.
I stopped smoking because I wanted to improve my health.
Dejé de tomar refrescos porque me sentía más enérgico sin azúcar.
I stopped drinking sodas because I felt more energetic without sugar.

Primero ___, luego ___.

First I ___, then I ___.

Meaning: First ___, then ___.

When to use: Sequence actions in a routine quickly and naturally.

Primero me ducho, luego desayuno.
First I shower, then I have breakfast.
Primero leo, luego trabajo.
First I read, then I work.

Me gusta ___ antes de ___.

I like to ___ before ___.

Meaning: I like to ___ before ___.

When to use: Describe a preferred habit you usually do before another activity.

Me gusta estirar antes de correr.
I like to stretch before running.
Me gusta revisar correos antes de empezar el día.
I like to check emails before starting the day.

No tengo mucho tiempo para ___.

I don't have much time for ___.

Meaning: I don't have much time for ___.

When to use: Explain that you have limited time for an activity or habit.

No tengo mucho tiempo para hacer ejercicio.
I don't have much time for exercise.
No tengo mucho tiempo para cocinar por la mañana.
I don't have much time to cook in the morning.

___ siempre que puedo.

I ___ whenever I can.

Meaning: I ___ whenever I can.

When to use: Say that you do something occasionally when you have the opportunity.

Leo siempre que puedo.
I read whenever I can.
Camino siempre que puedo.
I walk whenever I can.

¿___ es parte de tu rutina?

Is ___ part of your routine?

Meaning: Is ___ part of your routine?

When to use: Ask whether a specific activity is regularly included in someone's routine.

¿Hacer yoga es parte de tu rutina?
Is doing yoga part of your routine?
¿Desayunar temprano es parte de tu rutina?
Is having an early breakfast part of your routine?

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Talking about exercise and morning routines

Anna and David talk about exercise routines and time spent, demonstrating the lesson's habit phrases.

What routine are Anna and David discussing?

Portrait of Anna in a Spanish lesson dialogue

Anna

¿Cuándo sueles hacer ejercicio?

When do you usually exercise?

Portrait of David in a Spanish lesson dialogue

David

Paso como treinta minutos corriendo cada día.

I spend about thirty minutes running each day.

Portrait of Anna in a Spanish lesson dialogue

Anna

¿Qué haces antes de correr?

What do you do before running?

Portrait of David in a Spanish lesson dialogue

David

Primero me estiro, luego salgo a correr.

First I stretch, then I go running.

Portrait of Anna in a Spanish lesson dialogue

Anna

Trato de no comer mucho antes de correr.

I try not to eat much before running.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which Spanish sentence asks 'When do you usually ___?'

Which sentence means 'I started to ___ recently.'?

Which Spanish sentence says 'I do that about three times a week.'?

Which question asks 'Is ___ part of your routine?'

I try not to eat before running, so I try not to eat before running.

I try not to eat before running, so ___.

She spends about fifteen minutes reading each day: 'I spend about fifteen minutes reading each day.'

She spends about fifteen minutes reading each day: '___.'

How often do you go to the gym? 'I do that about three times a week.'

How often do you go to the gym? '___ a la semana.'

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:

Trato de no ___.

I try not to ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Paso como ___ minutos ___ cada día.

I spend about ___ minutes ___ each day.

Say this phrase out loud:

Hago eso como ___ veces a la semana.

I do that about ___ times a week.

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Cuándo sueles ___?

When do you usually ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

¿Qué haces antes de ___?

What do you do before ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

Empecé a ___ hace poco.

I started to ___ recently.

Say this phrase out loud:

Dejé de ___ porque ___.

I stopped ___ because ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Primero ___, luego ___.

First ___, then ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

Me gusta ___ antes de ___.

I like to ___ before ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

No tengo mucho tiempo para ___.

I don't have much time for ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

___ siempre que puedo.

I ___ whenever I can.

Say this phrase out loud:

¿___ es parte de tu rutina?

Is ___ part of your routine?