Tired of “meh” conversations that fizzle out before they even get deeper? Let’s face it, small talk can be a drag. But what if we told you that mastering the right words for die Hobbys or hobbies in German could help you unlock more engaging conversations? From basic words to sentence patterns, we’ll give you the low down on everything you need to know to express yourself better. Let’s start!
What sets your soul on fire? That thing you do in your free time that fills you with immense passion and purpose? You see, we all have our own unique ways of unwinding after a long day or weekend – whether it’s perfecting our downward dog, scoring goals on the football field, or whipping up a culinary masterpiece. But imagine being able to share that enthusiasm with others, especially in a foreign language? If you’re lucky, you might just win a friend or even have a new buddy to bond with! I know this because this is precisely what I experienced when I visited North Rhine-Westphalia!
I’ve always been a history buff at heart, and nothing gets my adrenaline pumping quite like a good flick set in the past – like the epic Netflix series, Barbarians. So when my friends planned to travel to Germany, I knew I couldn’t miss the chance to explore the hallowed grounds of Teutoburg Forest. Sure, it might not be on every tourist’s radar, but being able to step into the very same location where the legendary ambush happened is such an exciting experience for geeks like me.
When other foreigners asked me, I shared with them everything I know about the place. Boy, I was in my element! But as the day turned into night and dinner was served, I suddenly found myself in a predicament. As I sat there with my tour group, surrounded mostly by locals, one of the ladies turned to me and asked the dreaded question, “Was sind deine Hobbys?” My mind went blank, and before I knew it, another person chimed in with, “Was sind deine Interessen?” I was caught off guard and had no idea how to respond! So like any non-native speaker, I blurted out the only German word I knew: “Ja.”
Friends, I don’t want you to find yourself in that embarrassing situation ever! That’s why I’m here to save you from that cringe-worthy fate with this comprehensive guide to all the German vocabulary and basic sentences you need to know. Trust me, I wish I had a resource like this back in 2018 so I wouldn’t be cringing today. Anyway, let’s begin!

How To Ask About Hobbies In German
The easiest way to ask about someone’s hobbies in German is to say, “Was sind deine Hobbys?” Since we are inquiring, we need to use the question word “was“, which translates to “what” in English. We also utilized a “to be” verb in the form of “sind,” which is the third-person plural form of the verb “sein.” Basically, “sind” is the translation for “are” in English. We also use the possessive form “deine” to refer to “your” hobbies, which come from the German word “du.” And, of course, we can’t forget about the word “Hobbys,” which is the straightforward translation of “hobbies” in English.
Other Ways To Ask About Hobbies In German
Learning German doesn’t have to be a drag – in fact, it can be downright fun! And when it comes to asking about someone’s hobbies, why settle for just “good enough?” Let’s step up our game and learn some additional ways to express ourselves and connect with others on a deeper level. In the previous section, we covered the basics of asking, “Was sind deine Hobbys?” – but now, let’s explore some other common phrases and expressions to add to our arsenal.
- What do you like doing best? = Was machst du am liebsten?
- Do you have any hobbies? = Welche Hobbys hast du?
- What is your favorite leisure activity? = Was ist deine Lieblingsfreizeitaktivität?
- What do you like to do? = Was machst du gern?
- What do you like doing in your free time? = Was machst du gern in deiner Freizeit?
- How do you like to spend your free time? = Wie verbringst du gern deine Freizeit?
- What sports do you play? = Welche Sportarten treibst du?
- Do you play + sport? = Spielst du + Sport?
Did you see how easy those questions were? I know they might seem like a mouthful at first, but trust me – they’re incredibly handy, especially when you find yourself conversing with native German speakers.

How To Say Your Hobbies In German
While learning the right questions to ask can take you far, learning how to formulate your responses to the same question can also help you out! The easiest way to express your hobbies in the German language is by using this sentence formula: Mein Hobby ist + German word for the hobby. The word “Mein” means “my” in English, while “Hobby” is a loanword from English that means the same thing in German. Finally, “ist” is the third person present tense of the verb “sein.” So, when you put it all together, “Mein Hobby ist” means “My hobby is” in English.
- My hobby is skiing = Mein Hobby ist Ski fahren.
- My hobby is cooking = Mein Hobby ist Kochen.
- My hobby is painting = Mein Hobby ist Malen.
- My hobby is watching movies = Mein Hobby ist Filme schauen.
Can’t pick which thing you want to do during your spare time? You can also answer by saying, “Meine Hobbys sind +German word for the hobby. ” In this instance, we are using the plural version of the word “hobby,” which is “Hobbys” in German.
- My hobbies are skiing, cooking, and painting = Meine Hobbys sind Skifahren, Kochen und Malen.
- My hobbies are playing soccer and horse riding = Meine Hobbys sind Fußball spielen und Reiten.
- My hobbies are traveling, taking pictures, and playing games = Meine Hobbys sind reisen, fotografieren und spielen.
- My hobbies are swimming and going to the cinema = Meine Hobbys sind Schwimmen und ins Kino gehen.
Here’s the tricky part about this point: Some hobbies require verbs. Whenever you want to talk about a hobby that uses a verb, always conjugate the word depending on the subject. Some of the verbs you can use are spielen (to play), gehen (to go), and machen (to do). To use it, simply start with Ich + Verb + gern(e) + German word for the hobby.
- I like playing ice hockey = Ich spiele gern Eishockey.
- I like playing football and basketball = Ich spiele gerne Fußball und Basketball.
- I like going to the mall = Ich gehe gerne ins Einkaufszentrum.
- I like going to the park = Ich gehe gerne in den Park.

Words For Hobbies In German
Ready to use the sentence formulas we shared above? If that’s the case, then learning about the common hobbies in the German language is important. To help you get started, we rounded up the best words in the tables below.
Outdoor Hobbies
Get ready to explore the great outdoors with these thrilling hobbies! From scaling mountains to kayaking rapids, these outdoor activities will get your heart pumping and your spirit soaring.
English Word | German Verb |
---|---|
Hiking | wandern |
Climbing | klettern |
Rock Climbing | Bergsteigen |
Fishing | angeln |
Hunting | jagen |
Cycling | Radfahren |
Running | laufen |
Walking | Spazieren gehen |
Bouldering | bouldern |
Archery | Bogenschießen |
Bird Watching | Vogelbeobachtung |
Stargazing | Sterne beobachten |
Geocaching | Geocaching |
Sports Hobbies
Are you ready to kick your fitness routine up a notch? These sports hobbies will have you sweating, strategizing, and having a blast! From classic games like basketball and soccer to unique sports like racquetball and cricket, there’s something for anyone to enjoy.
English Word | German Verb |
---|---|
Swimming | schwimmen |
Diving | tauchen |
Sailing | segeln |
Surfing | surfen |
Kitesurfing | Kitesurfen |
Rowing | rudern |
Canoeing | Kanufahren |
Kayaking | Kayakfahren |
Water skiing | Wasserski fahren |
Skiing | Skifahren |
Snowboarding | Snowboarden |
Ice skating | Eislaufen |
Roller skating | Rollschuhfahren |
Skateboarding | Skateboarden |
Soccer playing | Fußball spielen |
Basketball playing | Basketball spielen |
Volleyball playing | Volleyball spielen |
Tennis playing | Tennis spielen |
Table tennis playing | Tischtennis spielen |
Badminton playing | Badminton spielen |
Golf playing | Golf spielen |
Baseball playing | Baseball spielen |
American football playing | American Football spielen |
Rugby playing | Rugby spielen |
Boxing | boxen |
Wrestling | ringen |
Karate | Karate praktizieren |
Judo | Judo praktizieren |
Fencing | fechten |
Travel Hobbies
Ready to embark on an adventure? These travel hobbies will have you packing your bags and exploring the world! From cruising the high seas to backpacking through foreign lands, these activities will help you create unforgettable memories and broaden your horizons.
English Word | German Verb |
---|---|
Traveling | reisen |
Backpacking | Rucksackreisen |
Hiking | wandern |
Camping | zelten |
Sightseeing | Besichtigen |
Exploring | erforschen |
Road tripping | eine Autoreise machen |
Cruising | eine Kreuzfahrt machen |
Sailing | segeln |
Kayaking | Kajakfahren |
Canoeing | Kanufahren |
Trekking | Trekking |
Mountaineering | Bergsteigen |
Ski touring | Skitouren gehen |
Snowshoeing | Schneeschuhwandern |
Scuba diving | tauchen |
Snorkelling | schnorcheln |
Surfing | surfen |
Kitesurfing | Kitesurfen |
Paragliding | Paragleiten |
Skydiving | Fallschirmspringen |
Bungee jumping | Bungee-Jumping |
Hot air ballooning | Heißluftballonfahren |
Trail Running | Trailrunning |
Motorcycle touring | Motorradfahren |
Train riding | Zugfahren |
Flying | fliegen |
Crafts Hobbies
Are you a DIY master? These crafts hobbies will have you channeling your creativity and producing stunning works of art.
English Word | German Verb |
---|---|
Drawing | zeichnen |
Painting | malen |
Sculpting | Bildhauerei |
Pottery | töpfern |
Woodworking | Holzarbeiten |
Knitting | stricken |
Crocheting | häkeln |
Sewing | nähen |
Embroidery | sticken |
Quilting | Patchworken |
Jewelry making | Schmuckherstellung |
Calligraphy | Kalligrafie |
Origami | Origami |
Scrapbooking | Scrapbooking |
Card-making | Kartenherstellung |
Photography | Fotografie |
Filmmaking | Filmemachen |
Acting | Schauspielerei |
Singing | singen |
Playing an instrument | Ein Instrument spielen |
Dancing | tanzen |
Cooking Hobbies
Ready to whip up some culinary delights? These cooking hobbies will have you mastering the kitchen and impressing your taste buds! From baking decadent treats to experimenting with exotic flavors, these hobbies will bring a whole new level of flavor and fun to your life.
English Word | German Word |
---|---|
Baking | backen |
Cake decorating | Tortendekoration |
Candy making | Süßigkeitenherstellung |
Chocolate making | Schokoladenherstellung |
Confectionery | Süßwaren |
Cooking competition | Kochwettbewerb |
Cookbook collecting | Kochbuchsammlung |
Food blogging | Food-Blogging |
Food photography | Lebensmittelfotografie |
Food styling | Foodstyling |
Foraging | Wildsammlung |
Gardening | Gartenarbeit |
Grilling | grillen |
Home brewing | Selbstbrauen |
Mixology | Getränkekunde |
Molecular gastronomy | Molekulargastronomie |
Organic farming | Biologischer Landbau |
Recipe testing | Rezeptentwicklung |
Wine tasting | Weinverkostung |
Collecting Hobbies
Ready to become a collector extraordinaire? These collecting hobbies will have you amassing a unique and fascinating collection of treasures!
English Word | German Verb |
---|---|
Collecting stamps | Briefmarken sammeln |
Collecting coins | Münzen sammeln |
Collecting postcards | Postkarten sammeln |
Collecting stickers | Aufkleber sammeln |
Collecting figurines | Figuren sammeln |
Collecting sports memorabilia | Sportandenken sammeln |
Collecting comic books | Comicbücher sammeln |
Collecting action figures | Actionfiguren sammeln |
Collecting antiques | Antiquitäten sammeln |
Collecting vinyl records | Vinyl-Schallplatten sammeln |
Collecting rare books | Seltene Bücher sammeln |
Collecting art | Kunst sammeln |
Collecting vintage cars | Vintage-Autos sammeln |
Collecting model trains | Modelleisenbahnen sammeln |
Collecting toys | Spielzeug sammeln |
Collecting rocks and minerals | Steine und Mineralien sammeln |
Collecting seashells | Muscheln sammeln |
Collecting fossils | Fossilien sammeln |

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