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Study in the app →English · CEFR Band 1 (A1) · Chapter 27
Free time and hobbies Tiempo libre y aficiones
Decir qué disfrutas. Después de "like", "love" y "enjoy", el inglés usa la forma -ing del verbo: I like swimming. I love reading. También puedes decir "like to" + verbo simple: I like to swim. Lo que no puedes decir es "I like swim". El coreano añade su verbo de gustar directamente al verbo simple, así que los coreanos omiten el -ing; en inglés el verbo tras "like" debe ser "swimming" o "to swim".
Dialogue
I like swim? — ¿I like swim?
- Emma What do you do in your free time, Minsu? ¿Qué haces en tu tiempo libre, Minsu?
- Minsu I like read books. And I like swim. Me gusta read libros. Y me gusta swim. (desliz: tras "like" usa la forma -ing o "to": "I like reading / I like to read", "I like swimming", no "I like read / swim")
- Emma Add -ing after "like": "I like reading", "I like swimming". Or say "I like to read". Añade -ing tras "like": "I like reading", "I like swimming". O di "I like to read".
- Minsu OK. I like reading books, and I like swimming. Vale. Me gusta leer libros y me gusta nadar.
Dialogue
Do you like sport? — ¿Te gusta el deporte?
- Emma Do you like football, Minsu? ¿Te gusta el fútbol, Minsu?
- Minsu Yes, I love football. I play every weekend. Do you like sport? Sí, me encanta el fútbol. Juego todos los fines de semana. ¿Te gusta el deporte?
- Emma I like swimming and dancing, but I don't like football. Me gusta nadar y bailar, pero no me gusta el fútbol.
- Minsu Then let's watch a film together this weekend! ¡Entonces veamos una película juntos este fin de semana!
Vocabulary
| 汉字 | Pinyin | POS | Meaning |
|---|---|---|---|
| free time | n. | tiempo libre | |
| hobby | n. | afición | |
| music | n. | música | |
| film | n. | película | |
| sport | n. | deporte | |
| football | n. | fútbol | |
| read | v. | leer | |
| swim | v. | nadar | |
| dance | v. | bailar | |
| like | v. | gustar |
Grammar
I like swimming I like swimming
To say what you enjoy, use "like", "love", "enjoy" or "don't like". Before a noun, just add the noun: I like music. I love football. Before a verb, use the -ing form: I like swimming. I enjoy reading. I don't like cooking. A second pattern is "like to" + plain verb, with the same meaning: I like to swim. Both are correct, but you cannot leave the verb plain on its own — "I like swim" is wrong. To ask, say "Do you like …?": Do you like football? — Yes, I do. / No, I don't.
Para decir qué disfrutas, usa "like", "love", "enjoy" o "don't like". Ante un sustantivo, solo añade el sustantivo: I like music. I love football. Ante un verbo, usa la forma -ing: I like swimming. I enjoy reading. I don't like cooking. Un segundo patrón es "like to" + verbo simple, con el mismo sentido: I like to swim. Ambos son correctos, pero no puedes dejar el verbo solo — "I like swim" está mal. Para preguntar, di "Do you like …?": Do you like football? — Yes, I do. / No, I don't.
- I like music and I love films. Me gusta la música y me encantan las películas.
- I like swimming, but I don't like running. Me gusta nadar, pero no me gusta correr.
- She enjoys reading in her free time. Ella disfruta leyendo en su tiempo libre.
- Do you like football? — Yes, I do. ¿Te gusta el fútbol? — Sí.
Culture
Free time and the weekend El tiempo libre y el fin de semana
En EE. UU., el Reino Unido, Australia y Canadá, el tiempo libre suele girar en torno al fin de semana, y a la gente le encanta hablar de él. "What are you up to this weekend?" (¿Qué planes tienes este fin de semana?) el viernes y "How was your weekend?" (¿Qué tal el fin de semana?) el lunes son charla cotidiana. Saber responder — y cómo pasa la gente ese tiempo — te ayuda a participar.
Charla del fin de semana
Talking about free time is a safe, friendly topic — much safer than money or age. A colleague may ask "Any plans for the weekend?", and a short answer is all that is expected: "Not much, just relaxing" or "I'm going to see friends". On Monday the question flips to "How was your weekend?", and "Good, thanks — I went hiking. How about you?" keeps the exchange going. The point is not the detail but the friendly back-and-forth.
El deporte, ver y jugar
Sport is a huge part of free time, and each country has its favourites: American football and baseball in the US, football (soccer) and rugby in the UK, cricket and "footy" in Australia, ice hockey in Canada. Many people follow a team all their lives and wear its colours on match day. You do not have to play to join in — watching a game at home, in a pub or a bar with friends is just as common, and "Did you see the game?" is a easy way to start a conversation.
Clubes y aficiones
Beyond sport, people join clubs and classes for almost anything — book clubs, choirs, running groups, gardening, board games, hiking. Community noticeboards, libraries and apps list them, and most welcome beginners. Volunteering is also a common way to spend free time and meet people. If someone invites you to "come along" to their club, it is a friendly, low-pressure offer: you can just try it once and see if you enjoy it.
Así que el tiempo libre es un terreno fácil de conversación: pregunta por el fin de semana, comparte lo que te gusta hacer y di que sí cuando alguien te invite. No necesitas un inglés perfecto — unas pocas palabras sobre tus aficiones bastan para hacer un amigo.
pronunciation
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