Learn how to talk about hobbies and free time in Korean, with vocabulary for sports, reading, gaming, and music, plus example sentences using 취미.
"What do you do in your free time?" is one of the most common questions in any beginner conversation, in any language. In Korean, this question centers on the word 취미 (chwimi), meaning "hobby," and mastering it opens the door to real, personal conversations with Korean speakers.
| Korean | Romanization | English |
|---|---|---|
| 독서 | dokseo | reading |
| 요리 | yori | cooking |
| 운동 | undong | exercise |
| 등산 | deungsan | hiking |
| 여행 | yeohaeng | traveling |
| 그림 그리기 | geurim geurigi | drawing |
| 사진 찍기 | sajin jjikgi | photography |
| 게임 | geim | gaming |
| 음악 감상 | eumak gamsang | listening to music |
| 영화 감상 | yeonghwa gamsang | watching movies |
| 춤추기 | chumchugi | dancing |
| 노래하기 | noraehagi | singing |
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 매일 | every day |
| 가끔 | sometimes |
| 주말마다 | every weekend |
| 자주 | often |
Example: 저는 주말마다 등산을 해요. — I go hiking every weekend.
| Korean | English |
|---|---|
| 축구 | soccer |
| 농구 | basketball |
| 수영 | swimming |
| 배드민턴 | badminton |
| 요가 | yoga |
Is 취미 only for serious hobbies? No — Koreans use 취미 loosely for anything you enjoy in your free time, even casual habits like watching dramas (드라마 보기).
How formal is this vocabulary? All the phrases above use the polite 해요체 form, appropriate for most everyday conversations, including with teachers, coworkers, and new acquaintances.
Talking about your own life and interests is one of the most motivating parts of learning a language. Klovers' conversation-focused classes make sure you can talk about your real hobbies, not just textbook examples.