In this workshop you practise a short, natural hobby conversation in Japanese. You will ask what someone's hobby is, say what you do and how long you have done it, and ask how long someone has done their hobby. Every Japanese example comes from the recordings, and each one is explained in English before you use it. You can play both roles with the audio, but there is no automatic assessment, so use the answer keys to check yourself.
Asking about hobbies and naming yours
The question «趣味は何ですか。» means "What are your hobbies?" It is a general question about free-time activities, so the answer is a hobby word, not a greeting. A simple answer is «私は絵を描いています。», which means "I'm painting" or "I paint as a hobby." The same line can describe what you are doing now or what you do regularly, so in this conversation it works as a hobby answer. If you want to name a different hobby from the recordings, you can use «ギターを習っています。», which means "I'm learning guitar." Notice that «私は絵を描いています。» and «ギターを習っています。» are both answers about your own activity, so they fit after the question «趣味は何ですか。». When you answer, keep the hobby word clear and do not add a long explanation before it.
Saying and asking how long
To add time to your hobby answer, use «もう五年間絵を描いています。», which means "I've been painting for five years now." This line combines the hobby with a length of time, so it answers both "what" and "how long." When you want to ask someone else about time, use «どのくらいギターを弾いていますか。», which means "How long have you been playing guitar?" This question asks about the activity of playing guitar, so the answer should mention that same activity and a length of time. In the recorded exchange, the follow-up question «どのくらい弾いていますか。» means "How long have you been playing?" It is shorter because the activity is already clear from the conversation. Keep the activity the same between the question and the answer: if the question is about playing guitar, the answer is about playing guitar, not about a different hobby.
Following the order of the conversation
A natural hobby exchange moves in a clear order. First comes the general question «趣味は何ですか。», "What are your hobbies?" Then comes a hobby answer with time, such as «絵を描くことです。もう五年間描いています。», which means "Painting. I've been painting for five years now." After that, the other person can react and share their own hobby with «へえ、すごいですね。私はギターを習っています。», which means "Wow, that's great. I'm learning guitar." Finally, the first speaker asks for time with «どのくらい弾いていますか。», "How long have you been playing?" This order matters: the question comes before the answer, and the reaction comes before the new hobby. When you swap roles, you change who reads each part, but you do not change the order of question, answer, reaction, and follow-up question.
Listen once, then say the phrase yourself. Slow playback keeps the original pitch.
Checking available voices…
私は絵を描いています。
I'm painting. / I paint (as a hobby).
Watashi wa e o kaite imasu.
もう五年間絵を描いています。
I've been painting for five years now.
Mou go-nenkan e o kaite imasu.
ギターを習っています。
I'm learning guitar.
Gitā o naratte imasu.
どのくらいギターを弾いていますか。
How long have you been playing guitar?
Dono kurai gitā o hiite imasu ka.
Read one side aloud, then answer in your own words. The goal is to make the exchange yours.
趣味は何ですか。
What are your hobbies?絵を描くことです。もう五年間描いています。
Painting. I've been painting for five years now.へえ、すごいですね。私はギターを習っています。
Wow, that's great. I'm learning guitar.どのくらい弾いていますか。
How long have you been playing?Your turn
Try each prompt out loud. Choose a guided start, the full sequence, or a challenge pass after your first attempt.
Guided hobby exchange
Two people meet at a community class. Person A wants to know about Person B's free-time activity. Person B paints as a hobby and has done it for five years.
Your task: Read the exchange in order. Person A asks what the hobbies are using «趣味は何ですか。». Person B answers with the hobby and the time using «絵を描くことです。もう五年間描いています。». Then swap roles and read the same exchange again, keeping the same order.
Choose the right reply
Person A says «へえ、すごいですね。私はギターを習っています。», which means "Wow, that's great. I'm learning guitar." Person B wants to ask how long Person A has been playing.
Your task: Choose the best reply from these two options: (1) «どのくらい弾いていますか。», which means "How long have you been playing?" or (2) «趣味は何ですか。», which means "What are your hobbies?" Then say your chosen line aloud.
Recall the exchange with correct roles
Two classmates are talking after a lesson. One asks about hobbies, the other answers with painting and five years, then the first reacts and mentions guitar, and the second asks how long.
Your task: Without looking at the lines, rebuild the conversation in order from memory. Use «趣味は何ですか。», «絵を描くことです。もう五年間描いています。», «へえ、すごいですね。私はギターを習っています。», and «どのくらい弾いていますか。». Then swap roles with your partner and say the whole exchange again, keeping the same order.
Common questions
Can I use «私は絵を描いています。» as an answer to «趣味は何ですか。»?
Yes. «趣味は何ですか。» asks what your hobbies are, and «私は絵を描いています。» means "I'm painting" or "I paint as a hobby." It names an activity, so it works as a hobby answer. If you want to add time, you can move to «もう五年間絵を描いています。», which means "I've been painting for five years now."
What is the difference between «どのくらいギターを弾いていますか。» and «どのくらい弾いていますか。»?
Both ask how long someone has done an activity. «どのくらいギターを弾いていますか。» means "How long have you been playing guitar?" and it names the activity. «どのくらい弾いていますか。» means "How long have you been playing?" and it is shorter because the activity is already clear. In both cases, the answer should mention the same activity and a length of time.
Sources and further reading
- japanese: discuss hobbies in depthChecked September 2026
Practice real time conversations on Yapr for faster learning.
Take today's Japanese into a conversation with a Yapr AI tutor. Speak, make mistakes, and try again.
Practice on Yapr