私の趣味
watashi no shumi
The Japanese phrase for "my hobby" is 私の趣味 (watashi no shumi).
This phrase is used to describe an activity that a person enjoys doing regularly in their spare time for pleasure.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 私 (watashi, I/me), の (no, possessive particle) and 趣味 (shumi, hobby).
How does it change in a sentence?
To say "My hobby is [activity]", use the pattern 私の趣味は [activity] です (watashi no shumi wa … desu). Common activities you might use include 園芸 (engei, gardening), 写真 (shashin, photography), 映画 (eiga, movies), ダンス (dansu, dancing), 料理 (ryouri, cooking) and ハイキング (haikingu, hiking).
How do you pronounce it?
watashi no shumi
What mistakes should you avoid?
Avoid saying "to do a hobby" as 趣味をする (shumi o suru). In Japanese, it is more natural to simply state the activity itself as the hobby.
Did you know?
- While 趣味 describes a hobby, the word 道 (dou) is used for disciplined pursuits like 茶道 (tea ceremony) or 書道 (calligraphy) which are treated as lifelong paths rather than mere leisure.
- In Japanese job interviews, being asked about your 趣味 is a common way to gauge your personality and social fit. It is less about the activity itself and more about whether you are a well-rounded person.
- The character 趣 in 趣味 originally referred to the 'flavor' or 'essence' of something, linking the idea of a hobby to the feeling or atmosphere of an activity.
Examples in context
- 私の趣味は読書だ。My hobby is reading.This sentence is useful for stating that reading is your hobby using 私の趣味.Tatoeba #163364 by bunbuku, translation #1258651 by CK
- 私の趣味は音楽だ。My hobby is music.This sentence is useful for stating that music is your hobby using 私の趣味.Tatoeba #163378 by bunbuku, translation #251133 by CK
- 私の趣味はゴルフだ。My hobby is playing golf.This sentence is useful for stating that playing golf is your hobby using 私の趣味.Tatoeba #163380 by bunbuku, translation #251131 by CK
- Basketball wo suru no ga shumi desu. Anata wa? (バスケットボールをするのが趣味です。あなたは？)Playing basketball is my hobby. How about you?
- Shumi wa piano. Kimi wa? (趣味はピアノ。君は？)My hobby is piano. How about you?
- Basketball yaru no ga shumiなんだよ. Anta mo? (バスケットボールやるのが趣味なんだよ。あんたも？)I enjoy playing basketball. What about you?
- 20 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two students are chatting during a school break.
- 結衣 Yui大翔さんの趣味は何ですか？Daigoto-san no shumi wa nan desu ka?What is your hobby, Daigoto?
- 大翔 Hiroto私の趣味は料理を作ることです。Watashi no shumi wa ryouri o tsukuru koto desu.My hobby is cooking.
- 結衣 Yuiすごいですね！得意な料理はありますか？Sugoi desu ne! Tokui na ryouri wa arimasu ka?That's amazing! Is there something you're good at cooking?
- 大翔 Hirotoイタリア料理が好きです。Itaria ryouri ga suki desu.I like Italian food.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
