Hobbies and Interests

In this hobbies vocabulary lesson, you will learn how to talk about what you enjoy doing in your free time, including both indoor and outdoor activities.

1. Indoor and outdoor activities

Indoor activities

Indoor activities are things you do inside, where there’s a roof over your head. Examples include reading a book, playing board games, or cooking a meal. When you do indoor activities, you don’t have to worry about the weather outside because you’re protected and warm inside a house or a building.

Outdoor activities

Outdoor activities are things you do outside, under the open sky. These activities could be playing soccer in a park, going for a walk, or having a picnic. When you do outdoor activities, you enjoy the fresh air and sunshine, but you might also have to consider the weather, like if it’s rainy or too hot.

2. Talking about hobbies and interests

You can use the following expressions while talking about hobbies and interests in English.

1. I enjoy... / I love...
    I enjoy reading.
2. I’m into... / I’m really into...
   I’m really into hiking.
3. I’m passionate about...
   I’m passionate about painting.
4. I’m a fan of... / I’m a big fan of...
   I’m a big fan of jazz music.
5. I’m keen on...
   I’m keen on tennis.
6. I’m crazy about...
   I’m crazy about football.
7. In my free time, I like to...
   In my free time, I like to play the guitar.
8. I spend my spare time...
   I spend my spare time gardening.
9. I’m not a big fan of... / I’m not really into... -These are ways to express something you don’t like.
   I’m not a big fan of horror movies.
10. ...is not really my thing. - This is an informal way to say you don’t like something.
    Cooking is not really my thing.
11. I can’t stand... - This is a strong way to say you really dislike something.
     I can’t stand horse riding.

3. Difference between hobbies and interests

Hobbies are things that people enjoy doing in their free time. They can be a lot of fun, and they also give us a break from our daily tasks and work. Hobbies are usually activities that we do for pleasure. It could be anything like painting, playing a musical instrument, reading, gardening, or playing sports. Some people have hobbies that are very creative, like knitting or photography. Others might enjoy hobbies that are more relaxing, like bird-watching or stargazing. Hobbies can also be something that you like learning about. For example, if you enjoy learning about history, that can be your hobby too!

Interests are slightly different from hobbies. They are the things that you are curious about or enjoy learning more about. For instance, you could have an interest in science, art, technology, or fashion. Your interests help shape your thoughts and ideas, and they might influence what you study at school, the type of job you’d like to have, or even the hobbies you choose.