Lesson 17: Hobbies and Free Time
What do you do for fun? This lesson lets you talk about your hobbies with one handy pattern: “I like to…” followed by a verb.
Talking about free time
מָה אַתְּ אוֹהֶבֶת לַעֲשׂוֹת בַּזְּמַן הַפָּנוּי?
ma at ohevet la’asot bazman hapanui?
What do you like to do in your free time?
אֲנִי אוֹהֶבֶת לִקְרֹא וּלְטַיֵּל. וְאַתָּה?
ani ohevet likro uletayel. ve’ata?
I like to read and to hike. And you?
אֲנִי אוֹהֵב לְנַגֵּן בְּגִיטָרָה וְלִשְׂחוֹת.
ani ohev lenagen begitara velischot.
I like to play guitar and to swim.
נִשְׁמָע כֵּיף!
nishma keif!
Sounds fun!
Grammar: “I like to…” + a verb
Take אוֹהֵב / אוֹהֶבֶת (ohev / ohevet, “like / love”, m. / f.) and add a verb in the infinitive — the “to do” form, which in Hebrew always starts with לְ־ (le-):
- אֲנִי אוֹהֵב לִקְרֹא ani ohev likro — “I like to read”
- אֲנִי אוֹהֶבֶת לְטַיֵּל ani ohevet letayel — “I like to travel / hike”
To ask, use לַעֲשׂוֹת (la’asot, “to do”): מָה אַתָּה אוֹהֵב לַעֲשׂוֹת? — “What do you like to do?”
Tip: זְמַן פָּנוּי (zman panui) is “free time”, literally “free/vacant time”.
Vocabulary
Free-time things to do
| לִקְרֹא | likro | to read |
| לְטַיֵּל | letayel | to travel, hike |
| לִשְׂחוֹת | lischot | to swim |
| לְנַגֵּן | lenagen | to play (an instrument) |
| לְבַשֵּׁל | levashel | to cook |
Useful words
| תַּחְבִּיב | tachbiv | hobby |
| זְמַן פָּנוּי | zman panui | free time |
| גִּיטָרָה | gitara | guitar |
| כֵּיף | keif | fun |