I have a lot of interests but not always enough time. Still, when I can, I read, I listen to audiobooks in the car, I go to the theatre, I practise yoga and I walk. I love travelling and learning languages. Below you will find useful present tense verbs and constructions to talk about pastimes in Spanish, with explanations in English and practice tasks at the end.

Why focus on the present tense?

The present tense is the simplest way to describe everyday activities and habits. Use it to say what you do regularly, what you like to do now, and to describe routines. You will see two common patterns below: the present indicative (leo, camino, viajo) and the gusta/encantar + infinitive construction (me gusta leer, me encanta viajar).

Quick conjugation reminder

Spanish verbs fall into three groups by their infinitive endings: -ar, -er, and -ir. Here are the regular present tense endings for each group (using hablar, comer, vivir):

• hablar (to speak): yo hablo, tú hablas, él/ella habla, nosotros hablamos
• comer (to eat): yo como, tú comes, él/ella come, nosotros comemos
• vivir (to live): yo vivo, tú vives, él/ella vive, nosotros vivimos

Useful verbs for talking about hobbies (with examples)

Below are common verbs you can use to describe hobbies and pastimes, with example sentences in Spanish and English translations.

• leer (to read)
  

  Leo mucho, pero ahora escucho muchos audiolibros en el coche. — I read a lot, but now I listen to many audiobooks in the car.

  
  
• escuchar (to listen)
  

  Escucho audiolibros en el coche. — I listen to audiobooks in the car.

  
  
• ir al teatro / ver teatro (to go to the theatre / to see theatre)
  

  Me gusta ir al teatro y ver obras. — I like going to the theatre and watching plays.

  
  
• practicar / hacer yoga (to practise / to do yoga)
  

  Practico yoga cuando puedo. — I practise yoga when I can.

  
  
• caminar / pasear (to walk, to go for a walk)
  

  Caminar es posiblemente mi pasatiempo favorito porque se puede hacer en cualquier lugar. — Walking is possibly my favourite hobby because you can do it anywhere.

  
  
• viajar (to travel)
  

  Viajo siempre que tengo tiempo. — I travel whenever I have time.

  
  
• aprender idiomas (to learn languages)
  

  Me gusta aprender idiomas y conocer culturas. — I like learning languages and getting to know cultures.

  
  
• cocinar (to cook)
  

  Ahora no cocino mucho por falta de tiempo, pero antes cocinaba mucho. — Now I do not cook much because I don’t have time, but I used to cook a lot.

  
  
• visitar museos (to visit museums)
  

  Visito museos cuando puedo; me impresiona el talento de los pintores y escultores. — I visit museums when I can; I am impressed by the talent of painters and sculptors.

  
  
• mirar dibujos / ver arte (to look at drawings / to see art)
  

  Me encanta mirar dibujos y obras de arte. — I love looking at drawings and works of art.

  
  

Gusta, encanta and the infinitive

When you want to say you like or love doing something, Spanish often uses gustar or encantar + an infinitive:

• Me gusta leer. — I like to read.
• Me encanta viajar. — I love to travel.
• No me gusta cocinar ahora. — I do not like to cook now.

Notice the structure: the verb (gusta/encanta) agrees with the thing you like (the infinitive counts as singular). Use the indirect object pronoun (me, te, le, nos, os, les) to indicate who likes it.

Tip on combining activities

You can combine verbs with gerunds or infinitives to describe multitasking: Camino y escucho música or Camino mientras escucho un audiolibro.

Practice tasks

Try these exercises to reinforce the present tense and hobby vocabulary. Write your answers in Spanish.

1. Conjugation: Give the yo form (present) of these verbs: leer, escuchar, viajar, practicar, cocinar.
2. Translation: Translate into Spanish:
   1. I listen to audiobooks in the car.
   2. Walking is my favourite hobby because it is free.
   3. I like learning languages and travelling.
3. Fill in the blanks with the correct present tense form:
   1. Yo ______ (leer) novelas en el verano.
   2. Nosotros ______ (visitar) museos los fines de semana.
   3. Ella ______ (practicar) yoga por la mañana.
4. Write 5 to 8 sentences about your hobbies using both the present indicative and the me gusta + infinitive construction.
5. Speaking task: Record yourself saying two sentences about what you do daily and two sentences about what you like to do. Focus on pronunciation and rhythm.

Answer key

• 1. Yo leo, yo escucho, yo viajo, yo practico, yo cocino.
• 2.
  1. Escucho audiolibros en el coche.
  2. Caminar es mi pasatiempo favorito porque es gratis.
  3. Me gusta aprender idiomas y viajar.
• 3.
  1. Yo leo novelas en el verano.
  2. Nosotros visitamos museos los fines de semana.
  3. Ella practica yoga por la mañana.

Use these verbs and constructions in short daily sentences to build fluency. Start with simple present statements and the me gusta pattern, then add details like time expressions (por la mañana, los fines de semana) and complements (en el coche, con música). Practise regularly and your ability to talk about hobbies in Spanish will feel natural quickly.

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