🎓 Prepared by students from Boğaziçi University

What Are Hobbies and Leisure Activities in German?

Hobbies and leisure activities (Hobbys und Freizeitaktivitäten) are the things you enjoy doing in your free time. German has many specific verbs and nouns for different hobbies — from spielen (to play) to lesen (to read) — and they're essential for talking about yourself and getting to know others.

Short answer

Hobbies are activities done for enjoyment in free time. Common German hobbies include Sport treiben (do sports), Musik hören (listen to music), Lesen (reading), Spielen (playing games/sports), and Handarbeiten (crafts).

Popular German Hobbies by Category

Active hobbies

•Fußball spielen (play football)
•Schwimmen (swimming)
•Wandern (hiking)
•Radfahren (cycling)

Passive hobbies

•Lesen (reading)
•Musik hören (listen to music)
•Fernsehen (watching TV)
•Malen (painting)

Step-by-step worked examples

Describe your favorite hobby (sport).

Mein Lieblingshobby ist Fußball spielen.
Ich spiele jeden Samstag Fußball.
Es macht mir viel Spaß.

What leisure activities do you do in winter?

Im Winter lese ich gerne Bücher.
Ich sehe auch gerne Filme an.
Something ich gehe Ski fahren.

How often do you listen to music?

Ich höre jeden Tag Musik.
Ich mag Pop und Rock.
Musik hilft mir zu entspannen.

Flashcards

Quick quiz

Q1.Which is NOT a typical hobby?

Correct answer: B. Arbeiten (to work) is not a hobby — it's an obligation, not leisure.

Q2.Complete: 'Ich spiele gerne ___.' (tennis)

Correct answer: B. Ich spiele gerne Tennis (I like to play tennis).

Q3.How do you say 'I do sports'?

Correct answer: D. All three are correct: spielen Sport, Sport treiben, or Mache Sport.

Q4.Which hobby is 'active'?

Correct answer: C. Schwimmen (swimming) is an active hobby; the others are passive.

📄Download this topic as a printable worksheet (PDF)Summary + 10 questions + answer key — print it, share it in class.↓

Study better with Bounlu apps

Notek

The full card deck, worked steps and AI-tutor support for “What Are Hobbies and Leisure Activities in German?” are in Notek — study by hand before your exam.

Get it free

PromyNever miss an exam or homework deadline with Promy: AI turns the dates in your inbox into reminders automatically.

Common mistakes

✗

Saying 'Ich spiele Basketball' with wrong case. — Correct: 'Ich spiele Basketball' is correct (direct object, no preposition).

✗

Confusing 'Hobby' (hobby, borrowed English) with 'Freizeitaktivität' (leisure activity). — Correct: Both are used; 'Hobby' is modern and common in German.

✗

Saying 'Ich höre Musik' (awkward). — Correct: 'Ich höre Musik' is correct; or 'Ich mag Musik' (I like music).

✗

Using 'machen' for all activities. — Correct: Use specific verbs: spielen (play), lesen (read), hören (listen), treiben (do sports).

FAQ

What are common German hobbies?

Popular hobbies include Fußball, Schwimmen, Lesen, Musik hören, Malen, Radfahren, and Wandern.

How do you ask someone about their hobbies?

Was sind deine Hobbys? (What are your hobbies?) or Was machst du in deiner Freizeit? (What do you do in your free time?)

What's the difference between 'Hobby' and 'Freizeitaktivität'?

Hobby is a regular activity you enjoy; Freizeitaktivität is any leisure activity (can be occasional).

Is 'Hobby' German or English?

'Hobby' is borrowed English, widely used in modern German alongside native terms like Freizeitbeschäftigung.