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Learning how to talk about hobbies and interests in Russian enables you to have interesting conversations with friends new and old. Do you like sport? Are you fond of dancing? Can’t you imagine life without traveling? Learn the Russian vocabulary you need to talk about activities you enjoy.
Learning new vocabulary is an essential part of learning a new language. But learning how to use those words correctly in speech and writing is as important as simply memorizing new words. Learn Russian with a tutor who will help you with everything from vocabulary to grammar.
How to Talk about Things You Like
People can ask you several questions in Russian related to your hobbies and interests:
Чем ты занимаешься в свое свободное время? (Chem ty zanimaesh’sya v svoyo svobodnoe vremya?) – What do you do in your free time?
Что тебе нравится делать в свободное время? (Chto tebe nravitsya delat’ v svobodnoe vremya?) – What do you like to do in your free time?
Чем ты увлекаешься? (Chem ty uvlekaesh’sya?) – What are you interested in?
У тебя есть хобби? (Y tebya est’ hobbi?) – Do you have hobbies?
You can use several phrases to answer these questions. You can pair the phrase “Мне нравится…” (Mne nravitsya… – I like…) with the words and phrases on the vocabulary list below.
Рисовать (risovat’) – to paint
Читать (chitat’) – to read
Танцевать (tantsevat’) – to dance
Путешествовать (puteshestvovat’) – to travel
Заниматься спортом (zanimat’sya sportom) – doing sports
Готовить (gotovit’) – to cook
Шить (shit’) – to sew
Играть в компьютерные игры (igrat’ v komp’iuternye igry) – to play computer games
Гулять (gulyat’) – to walk
Ходить в музеи/театры/кино/по магазинам (khodit’ v muzei/teatry/kino/po magazinam) – to go to museums/to theatres/to the cinema/shopping
If you’re asked about your interests, pair the phrase “Я интересуюсь…” (Ya interesuius’… – I’m interested in…) with the words and phrases on the vocabulary list below.
Фотографией (fotographiei) – photography
Искусством (iskusstvom) – art
Изучением языков (izucheniem yazykov) – learning languages
Футболом (futbolom) – football
Баскетболом (basketbolom) – basketball
Хоккеем (khokkeem) – hockey
Музыкой (muzykoi) – music
How to Talk about Music and Sport
Music and sport deserve special attention because of the variety of sports activities and musical genres.
Talking about Sport in Russian
If you do sports, describe what you do:
Я плаваю. Я хожу в бассейн дважды в неделю. (Ya plavaiu. Ya khozhu v Bassein dvazhdy v nedeliu.) – I swim. I go to the swimming pool twice a week.
Я играю в футбол. (Ya igraiu v futbol.) – I play football.
Я играю в шахматы. (Ya igraiu v shakhmaty.) – I play chess.
Мне нравится смотреть футбол по телевизору. (Mne nravitsya smotret’ futbol po televizoru.) – I like to watch football on TV.
Мне нравится бокс. (Mne nravitsya boks.) – I like boxing.
По утрам я бегаю. (Po utram ya begaiu.) – I go running every morning.
Я занимаюсь йогой раз в неделю. (Ya zanimauis’ iogoi raz v nedeliu.) – I do yoga once a week.
Я люблю кататься на велосипеде. (Ya liubliu katat’sya na velosipede.) – I like biking.
Talking about Music in Russian
Music evokes emotion, so let’s pair “Я люблю…” (Ya liubliu… – I love) with Russian vocabulary words and phrases related to music:
Я люблю слушать музыку. (Ya liubliu slushat’ muzyku.) – I love listening to music.
Какая музыка тебе нравится? (Kakaya muzyka tebe nravitsya?) – What kind of music do you like? Я люблю рок-музыку, иногда я слушаю рэп. Мне не нравится поп-музыка. (Ya liubliu rok muzyku, inogda ya slushaiu rep. Mne ne nravitsya pop-muzyka.) – I love rock music; sometimes I listen to rap music. I don’t like pop music.
We can also talk about specific musical instruments:
Ты играешь на каком-нибудь музыкальном инструменте? (Ty igraesh’ na kakom-nibud‘ muzykal’nom instrumente?) – Do you play any musical instruments? Да, я играю на гитаре. (Da, ya igraiu na gitare.) – Yes, I do. I play the guitar.
The names of other instruments include
Барабаны (barabany) – drums
Пианино (pianino) – piano
Скрипка (skripka) – violin
Learn to Talk about Your Hobbies and Interests in Russian
You can work on talking about the things you enjoy by using the set phrases listed here and adding words from the dictionary. An even easier solution is to work with a Russian tutor to expand your vocabulary while learning how to use and pronounce new words and phrases correctly.