What this lesson is about
In this lesson, you will learn how to talk about your interests and free-time activities. This is an important topic in everyday communication: when you meet people, keep a conversation going, or want to suggest meeting up, the topic of hobbies comes up very often.
At A1 level, it is important to be able to say what you like doing, what you do sometimes or regularly, and also ask another person about it.
Useful words on the topic
Below are basic words and expressions that are often used when talking about hobbies.
en hobby — hobby
fritid — free time
interesse — interest
å lese — to read
å høre på musikk — to listen to music
å se på film — to watch a film
å trene — to exercise
å gå tur — to go for a walk
å lage mat — to cook
å spille fotball — to play football
å tegne — to draw
å danse — to dance
å synge — to sing
å møte venner — to meet friends
å strikke — to knit
Notice that many verbs in the dictionary appear with the particle å. This is the infinitive form, the basic form of the verb.
How to say what you like
To talk about favorite activities, the structure Jeg liker ... is very useful.
Examples:
Jeg liker å lese. — I like reading.
Jeg liker å lage mat. — I like cooking.
Jeg liker musikk. — I like music.
Jeg liker å gå tur. — I like going for walks.
If you want to say that you like something very much, you can use Jeg liker veldig godt ....
Jeg liker veldig godt å danse. — I really like dancing.
Jeg liker veldig godt å møte venner. — I really like meeting friends.
How to talk about your free-time habits
When talking about hobbies, simple present tense sentences are often used. At this stage, it is enough to build short and clear phrases.
Examples:
Jeg leser i fritiden. — I read in my free time.
Jeg trener to ganger i uka. — I exercise twice a week.
Jeg ser ofte på film. — I often watch films.
Jeg hører på musikk hver dag. — I listen to music every day.
Jeg spiller fotball på lørdag. — I play football on Saturday.
Useful frequency words:
ofte — often
noen ganger — sometimes
hver dag — every day
i helgen — at the weekend
på kvelden — in the evening
How to ask about another person's hobbies
In conversation, it is important not only to talk about yourself but also to ask simple questions to the other person.
Useful questions:
Hva liker du å gjøre i fritiden? — What do you like to do in your free time?
Har du en hobby? — Do you have a hobby?
Hva gjør du i helgen? — What do you do at the weekend?
Liker du å trene? — Do you like exercising?
Spiller du fotball? — Do you play football?
Examples of short answers:
Ja, jeg liker å lese. — Yes, I like reading.
Nei, jeg liker ikke å danse. — No, I do not like dancing.
Jeg går ofte tur. — I often go for walks.
Jeg møter venner i helgen. — I meet friends at the weekend.
Negation: how to say that you do not like something
For negation, the particle ikke is used. In simple sentences, it usually comes after the verb.
Examples:
Jeg liker ikke sport. — I do not like sport.
Jeg liker ikke å synge. — I do not like singing.
Jeg spiller ikke fotball. — I do not play football.
Jeg ser ikke så ofte på TV. — I do not watch TV that often.
Even if you do not like something, it is useful to be able to say it politely and calmly. That makes your speech sound natural.
How to invite someone to do an activity together
The topic of hobbies is often connected with invitations. Once you can talk about your interests, the next step is to suggest doing something together.
Useful phrases:
Vil du bli med? — Would you like to come along?
Vil du gå på kino? — Would you like to go to the cinema?
Vil du gå en tur? — Would you like to go for a walk?
Vil du trene sammen? — Would you like to exercise together?
Har du lyst til å møte venner i kveld? — Would you like to meet friends this evening?
Examples of answers:
Ja, gjerne. — Yes, gladly.
Det høres bra ut. — That sounds good.
Beklager, jeg kan ikke i dag. — Sorry, I cannot today.
Kanskje en annen dag. — Maybe another day.
Mini-dialogues
See how the topic of hobbies sounds in short natural dialogues.
Dialog 1
A: Hva liker du å gjøre i fritiden?
B: Jeg liker å lese og høre på musikk.
Dialog 2
A: Har du en hobby?
B: Ja, jeg trener og går ofte tur.
Dialog 3
A: Vil du gå på kino i kveld?
B: Ja, gjerne!
Dialog 4
A: Liker du å lage mat?
B: Ja, veldig godt. Jeg lager ofte mat hjemme.
What is important to remember
To talk about hobbies, the structure Jeg liker ... is very useful.
To describe regular activities, use the simple present: Jeg leser, jeg trener, jeg går tur.
To ask another person, use questions with Hva and simple yes/no questions: Liker du ...?
For negation, use ikke.
To invite someone to do something together, the phrases Vil du bli med? and Vil du ...? are useful.
Lesson summary
Now you can talk about your interests and free time at a simple level. This will help you keep a conversation going, get to know people better, and communicate more easily in everyday situations. In the next lesson, the topics of daily routine and personal interests will be developed further so that you can talk about yourself more freely and naturally.