Traditional Chinese - Hobbies

Lesson 59 of 152

A bright café table with a guitar, sketchbook, camera, and hiking water bottle, introducing a Traditional Chinese Taiwan Mandarin lesson about hobbies.

Goal: Talk about what you do for fun, how often, and how it’s going.

Free traditional Chinese lessons with Taiwan Mandarin audio and speaking practice.

Ready to chat about your free time? Hobbies are great conversation fuel—especially when you can say, “I’m improving!” or “It’s fun, but hard.” Very relatable.

Level A2: In this lesson, you’ll practice saying you’re getting better at a hobby, still a beginner, or trying to do something every week. You’ll also ask if someone is interested in an activity and explain why you like it. Tiny hobby talk, big conversation energy—Yak Yacker approved.

After this lesson you'll be able to:

  • Say you’re getting better at a hobby with 我___越來越進步了 (Wǒ ___ yuè lái yuè jìnbù le).
  • Describe yourself as still new using 我___還是新手 (Wǒ ___ háishì xīnshǒu).
  • Ask about someone’s interest with 你對___有興趣嗎？ (Nǐ duì ___ yǒu xìngqù ma?)
  • Talk about hobby time and frequency with phrases like 我有時間就會做 (Wǒ yǒu shíjiān jiù huì zuò).
Two friends in Taiwan chatting casually about weekend activities, with Traditional Chinese hobby phrases shown nearby for a Taiwan Mandarin speaking lesson.

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.

我___越來越進步了。

Wǒ ___ yuè lái yuè jìnbù le.

I'm getting better at ___.

Meaning: 我___越來越進步了。 = I’m getting better at ___.

When to use: Use this when you want to say your ability in a hobby is improving.

Tip: Don’t forget 了 (le) at the end; it helps show the improvement has developed over time.

我拍照越來越進步了。

Wǒ pāizhào yuè lái yuè jìnbù le.

I’m getting better at photography.
我彈吉他越來越進步了。

Wǒ tán jítā yuè lái yuè jìnbù le.

I’m getting better at playing guitar.

我___還是新手。

Wǒ ___ háishì xīnshǒu.

I'm still a beginner at ___.

Meaning: 我___還是新手。 = I’m still a beginner at ___.

When to use: Use this to sound humble or honest when you’re new to an activity.

Tip: 新手 (xīnshǒu) means “beginner” or “newbie”; it’s natural in Taiwan for hobbies, games, and skills.

我畫畫還是新手。

Wǒ huàhuà háishì xīnshǒu.

I’m still a beginner at drawing.
我打網球還是新手。

Wǒ dǎ wǎngqiú háishì xīnshǒu.

I’m still a beginner at tennis.

我會___大概一個小時。

Wǒ huì ___ dàgài yí ge xiǎoshí.

I do ___ for about an hour.

Meaning: 我會___大概一個小時。 = I do ___ for about an hour.

When to use: Use this to say how long you usually spend on a hobby.

我會畫畫大概一個小時。

Wǒ huì huàhuà dàgài yí ge xiǎoshí.

I draw for about an hour.
我會練吉他大概一個小時。

Wǒ huì liàn jítā dàgài yí ge xiǎoshí.

I practice guitar for about an hour.

你對___有興趣嗎？

Nǐ duì ___ yǒu xìngqù ma?

Are you interested in ___?

Meaning: 你對___有興趣嗎？ = Are you interested in ___?

When to use: Use this to ask if someone likes or is curious about a hobby or topic.

Tip: Use 對 (duì) before the hobby: 你對瑜伽有興趣嗎？ (Nǐ duì yújiā yǒu xìngqù ma?)

你對瑜伽有興趣嗎？

Nǐ duì yújiā yǒu xìngqù ma?

Are you interested in yoga?
你對攝影有興趣嗎？

Nǐ duì shèyǐng yǒu xìngqù ma?

Are you interested in photography?

我有時間就會做。

Wǒ yǒu shíjiān jiù huì zuò.

I do it when I have time.

Meaning: 我有時間就會做。 = I do it when I have time.

When to use: Use this when a hobby is occasional, not on a strict schedule.

我喜歡做甜點。我有時間就會做。

Wǒ xǐhuān zuò tiándiǎn. Wǒ yǒu shíjiān jiù huì zuò.

I like making desserts. I do it when I have time.
我也想多運動，可是我有時間就會做。

Wǒ yě xiǎng duō yùndòng, kěshì wǒ yǒu shíjiān jiù huì zuò.

I also want to exercise more, but I do it when I have time.

很好玩，可是很難。

Hěn hǎowán, kěshì hěn nán.

It's fun, but it's hard.

Meaning: 很好玩，可是很難。 = It’s fun, but it’s hard.

When to use: Use this simple opinion for a hobby that is enjoyable but challenging.

攀岩很好玩，可是很難。

Pānyán hěn hǎowán, kěshì hěn nán.

Rock climbing is fun, but it’s hard.
學吉他很好玩，可是很難。

Xué jítā hěn hǎowán, kěshì hěn nán.

Learning guitar is fun, but it’s hard.

我一個禮拜去___一次。

Wǒ yí ge lǐbài qù ___ yí cì.

I go ___ once a week.

Meaning: 我一個禮拜去___一次。 = I go ___ once a week.

When to use: Use this for hobbies you go out to do, like swimming, hiking, or working out.

我一個禮拜去游泳一次。

Wǒ yí ge lǐbài qù yóuyǒng yí cì.

I go swimming once a week.
我一個禮拜去健身一次。

Wǒ yí ge lǐbài qù jiànshēn yí cì.

I go work out once a week.

我喜歡它，因為它很___。

Wǒ xǐhuān tā, yīnwèi tā hěn ___.

I like it because it's ___.

Meaning: 我喜歡它，因為它很___。 = I like it because it’s ___.

When to use: Use this to give a simple reason you enjoy an activity.

我喜歡它，因為它很放鬆。

Wǒ xǐhuān tā, yīnwèi tā hěn fàngsōng.

I like it because it’s relaxing.
我喜歡它，因為它很有趣。

Wǒ xǐhuān tā, yīnwèi tā hěn yǒuqù.

I like it because it’s interesting.

我盡量每個禮拜___。

Wǒ jǐnliàng měi ge lǐbài ___.

I try to ___ every week.

Meaning: 我盡量每個禮拜___。 = I try to ___ every week.

When to use: Use this when you make an effort to do something weekly, even if it doesn’t always happen.

Tip: 盡量 (jǐnliàng) means “try to” or “as much as possible,” so it sounds flexible—not guaranteed.

我盡量每個禮拜爬山。

Wǒ jǐnliàng měi ge lǐbài páshān.

I try to hike every week.
我盡量每個禮拜練吉他。

Wǒ jǐnliàng měi ge lǐbài liàn jítā.

I try to practice guitar every week.

2. Conversational Listening Practice

Hear phrases in a real mini-conversation.

Anna and David are chatting about hobbies after work.

Anna and David talk about hiking, photography, and guitar practice in a friendly Taiwan Mandarin mini-dialogue using Traditional Chinese.

What hobbies are Anna and David talking about overall?

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

你對爬山有興趣嗎？

Nǐ duì páshān yǒu xìngqù ma?

Are you interested in hiking?

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

有啊。我一個禮拜去爬山一次。

Yǒu a. Wǒ yí ge lǐbài qù páshān yí cì.

Yeah. I go hiking once a week.

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

很棒！我最近在學拍照，我拍照越來越進步了。

Hěn bàng! Wǒ zuìjìn zài xué pāizhào, wǒ pāizhào yuè lái yuè jìnbù le.

Nice! I’ve been learning photography lately, and I’m getting better at it.

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

我彈吉他還是新手。很好玩，可是很難。

Wǒ tán jítā háishì xīnshǒu. Hěn hǎowán, kěshì hěn nán.

I’m still a beginner at guitar. It’s fun, but it’s hard.

Portrait of Anna in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

Anna

你每天練嗎

Nǐ měitiān liàn ma?

Do you practice every day?

Portrait of David in a Traditional Chinese lesson dialogue

David

沒有，我有時間就會做。我盡量每個禮拜練吉他。

Méiyǒu, wǒ yǒu shíjiān jiù huì zuò. Wǒ jǐnliàng měi ge lǐbài liàn jítā.

No, I do it when I have time. I try to practice guitar every week.

3. Guided Practice

Quizzes and matching to lock in meaning.

Which phrase means “I’m getting better at photography”?

How do you ask “Are you interested in yoga?”

Which phrase means “I do it when I have time”?

Which phrase means “I go swimming once a week”?

I’m getting better at drawing.

我每天練習，所以我畫畫___。

Are you interested in yoga?

我最近想開始運動。你對___？

I like it because it’s relaxing.

下班後我常常聽音樂；我喜歡它，因為它很___。

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:

我___越來越進步了。

Wǒ ___ yuè lái yuè jìnbù le.

I'm getting better at ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

我___還是新手。

Wǒ ___ háishì xīnshǒu.

I'm still a beginner at ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

我會___大概一個小時。

Wǒ huì ___ dàgài yí ge xiǎoshí.

I do ___ for about an hour.

Say this phrase out loud:

你對___有興趣嗎？

Nǐ duì ___ yǒu xìngqù ma?

Are you interested in ___?

Say this phrase out loud:

我有時間就會做。

Wǒ yǒu shíjiān jiù huì zuò.

I do it when I have time.

Say this phrase out loud:

很好玩，可是很難。

Hěn hǎowán, kěshì hěn nán.

It's fun, but it's hard.

Say this phrase out loud:

我一個禮拜去___一次。

Wǒ yí ge lǐbài qù ___ yí cì.

I go ___ once a week.

Say this phrase out loud:

我喜歡它，因為它很___。

Wǒ xǐhuān tā, yīnwèi tā hěn ___.

I like it because it's ___.

Say this phrase out loud:

我盡量每個禮拜___。

Wǒ jǐnliàng měi ge lǐbài ___.

I try to ___ every week.