Russian phrases for Sports and Leisure activities

 Lesson comments

It's easy to strike a conversation about hobby and leisure activities in Russian. Study the phrases below and try to use them in practice, whether it is in face-to-face conversation with your Russian friends or online via language exchange websites, penpals clubs, and voice software like Skype that enables you to make phone calls all over the world.

У тебя есть хобби?          
 [oo tee-byah yes't' khoh-bee]
Do you have a hobby?
Какое у тебя хобби?          
 [kah-koh-yeh oo tee-byah khoh-bee]
What is your hobby?
Какими видами спорта ты занимаешься?          
 [kah-kee-mee vee-dah-mee spohr-tah ti zah-nee-mah-eesh-syah]
What sports do you play? (literally: What kinds of sports you engage in?)

Take a note of one more phrase that will improve your command of the Russian language. Is has a cultural pecularity and is very popular when you want to find out more about another person in Russia. It can be translated into English approximately as "What are your interests?"

Чем ты увлекаешься?          
 [chyem ti oo-vlyeh-kah-eesh-sya]
What are your interests? (Literally: What you engage in?)
Что ты любишь + [infinitive] …?          
 [shtoh ti lyoo-bish]
What do you like + [the infinitive] …?

Examples of the infinitive that can be used in the phrase above are: читать (to read), делать (to do), слушать (to listen to), готовить (to cook), пить (to drink), рассказывать (to story tell).

Talking about Activities

Below are a few key phrases to describe things that you might do for fun.

Кататься на...          
 [kah-tah-tsah nah...]
To go...
коньках          
 [kahn'-kahkh]
skating
лыжах          
 [lizhahkh]
skiing
роликах          
 [roh-lee-kahkh]
roller skating
велосипеде          
 [vee-lah-see-pyeh-dyeh]
bycicling
мотоцикле          
 [mah-tah-tsik-lyeh]
motocycling
машине          
 [mah-shi-nyeh]
car driving

Играть на...          
 [ee-graht' nah]
To play...
компьютере          
 [kahm-pyoo-teh-ryeh]
computer games
гитаре          
 [gee-tah-ryeh]
guitar
пианино          
 [pee-ah-nee-nah]
piano

Коллекционировать картины          
 [kah-lyehk-tsi-ah-nee-rah-vaht' kahr-tee-ni]
To collect paintings

Addressing invitations

Here are some phrases that you can encounter when extending or accepting invitations to do something together with your new friends:

Хорошая идея!          
 [kha-roh-shah-yah ee-dyeh-yah]
Good idea!
У меня нет (свободного) времени.          
 [oo mee-nyah nyet (svah-bohd-nah-vah) vryeh-mee-nee]
I don’t have (free) time.
Жаль.          
 [zhahl']
It’s a pity.
К сожалению.          
 [k sah-zhee-lyeh-new]
Unfortunately.

Check out other pages for taking about hobbies, fun and activities: How was your weekend?





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