Korean for Beginners: Talk About Hobbies with Enthusiasm and Frequency
Learn to say what you're into and how often you do it in Korean. Use phrases like 사진 찍는 걸 좋아해요 and 게임을 몇 시간씩 해요, and ask follow-up questions.
By PookieFriends & plans · Yapr Learn
In this lesson, you will learn how to talk about hobbies in Korean in a way that shows enthusiasm and frequency, not just listing activities. You will use the pattern -는 걸 좋아해요 to say you like doing something, and add frequency words like 자주, 매일, and 몇 시간씩 to say how often or how long you do it. You will also learn follow-up questions such as 얼마나 자주 해요? and 왜 좋아해요? so you can keep a conversation going. By the end, you can say things like 'I'm into photography' and 'I spend hours gaming' in natural Korean.
By the end, you can…
- say what hobby I am into using -는 걸 좋아해요.
- express how often I do a hobby using 자주, 매일, and 몇 시간씩.
- ask follow-up questions about someone's hobby.
Listen once. Try it slowly. Then say it without looking.
Checking available voices…
저는 사진 찍는 걸 좋아해요.
I'm into photography.
jeo-neun sa-jin jjik-neun geol jo-a-hae-yo.
Use this to say you like taking photos. It literally means 'I like taking pictures.'
저는 게임을 몇 시간씩 해요.
I spend hours gaming.
jeo-neun ge-im-eul myeot si-gan-ssik hae-yo.
몇 시간씩 means 'several hours at a time.' Use it to show you spend a long time on a hobby.
얼마나 자주 해요?
How often do you do it?
eol-ma-na ja-ju hae-yo?
A follow-up question to ask about frequency. Use it after someone mentions a hobby.
저는 매일 음악을 들어요.
I listen to music every day.
jeo-neun mae-il eum-ak-eul deul-eo-yo.
매일 means 'every day.' Use it to say you do something daily.
왜 그걸 좋아해요?
Why do you like it?
wae geu-geol jo-a-hae-yo?
A follow-up question to ask for a reason. 그걸 refers to the hobby just mentioned.
Pronunciation guides are approximate. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Make it make sense
Useful pattern
To say you like doing an activity, use the pattern verb stem + -는 걸 좋아해요. For example, 찍다 (to take a photo) becomes 찍는 걸 좋아해요 (I like taking photos). 하다 (to do) becomes 하는 걸 좋아해요 (I like doing it). You can also add frequency words before the verb: 자주 (often), 매일 (every day), 가끔 (sometimes). For example, 저는 자주 사진을 찍어요 (I often take photos). To say you spend a long time, use 몇 시간씩 (several hours at a time): 게임을 몇 시간씩 해요 (I play games for hours).
When to use it
Use these phrases when you want to share your hobbies with enthusiasm. Instead of just saying 'I like photography,' say 저는 사진 찍는 걸 정말 좋아해요 (I really like taking photos) by adding 정말 (really). When someone tells you their hobby, ask follow-up questions like 얼마나 자주 해요? (How often do you do it?) or 왜 좋아해요? (Why do you like it?). This keeps the conversation going and shows you are interested. For example, if your friend says 저는 등산을 좋아해요 (I like hiking), you can ask 얼마나 자주 등산해요? (How often do you hike?).
Listen to each line, then take one part and reply out loud.
취미가 뭐예요?
What is your hobby?chwi-mi-ga mwo-ye-yo?저는 사진 찍는 걸 좋아해요. 주말마다 사진을 찍어요.
I'm into photography. I take photos every weekend.jeo-neun sa-jin jjik-neun geol jo-a-hae-yo. ju-mal-ma-da sa-jin-eul jjik-eo-yo.얼마나 자주 찍어요?
How often do you take photos?eol-ma-na ja-ju jjik-eo-yo?일주일에 두 번 정도 찍어요. 그리고 게임도 몇 시간씩 해요.
I take photos about twice a week. And I also spend hours gaming.il-ju-il-e du beon jeong-do jjik-eo-yo. geu-ri-go ge-im-do myeot si-gan-ssik hae-yo.A little context goes a long way
In Korean, it is common to use 저 (jeo) for 'I' in polite conversation. When talking with friends, you can use 나 (na). Also, asking personal questions about hobbies is acceptable, but avoid asking about income or age unless you are close. Using frequency words like 자주 and 매일 shows your level of interest.
One thing to watch for
Saying 저는 사진을 좋아해요 to mean 'I'm into photography.'
Try this instead: This means 'I like photos' (the object), not the activity. To say you like taking photos, use 저는 사진 찍는 걸 좋아해요. The pattern -는 걸 turns the verb 찍다 into a noun phrase 'taking photos.'
Your turn
Try answering out loud before checking a possible answer.
1How do you say 'I'm into music' in Korean?
Show a sample answer
저는 음악 듣는 걸 좋아해요.
This uses the pattern -는 걸 좋아해요 with the verb 듣다 (to listen). You could also say 저는 음악을 좋아해요, but that means 'I like music' not the activity of listening.
2Ask 'How often do you play sports?' in Korean.
Show a sample answer
얼마나 자주 운동해요?
This uses 얼마나 자주 (how often) with the verb 운동하다 (to exercise). You can also say 운동을 얼마나 자주 해요? with the same meaning.
3Translate: 'I spend hours reading books.'
Show a sample answer
저는 책을 몇 시간씩 읽어요.
몇 시간씩 means 'several hours at a time.' The verb 읽다 (to read) is used. You could also say 독서를 몇 시간씩 해요, but 책을 읽어요 is more common in speech.
Use -는 걸 좋아해요 to say you're into an activity, and add frequency words like 자주, 매일, or 몇 시간씩 to show how often or how long. Ask follow-up questions with 얼마나 자주 해요? and 왜 좋아해요? to keep the conversation going.
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