私の趣味は
watashi no shumi wa
The English phrase "my hobby is" is said in Japanese as 私の趣味は (watashi no shumi wa).
This phrase is used to introduce a personal interest or activity that one enjoys doing in their spare time. It is typically followed by a noun or a noun phrase representing the activity.
What does it mean word for word?
The word 趣味 (shumi) means "hobby" or "interest". The particle は (wa) is a topic marker that marks the preceding phrase 私の趣味 as the topic of the sentence.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
You can use Watashi no shumi wa… desu for a formal way to say "my hobby is". For a more concise formal version, you can drop the pronoun and say Shumi wa … desu. In informal settings, you might use Shumi wa … n da.
How does it change in a sentence?
The particle は (wa) serves as a topic marker for the phrase 私の趣味.
How do you pronounce it?
watashi no shumi wa
Did you know?
- The word 趣味 (shumi) can also be used as an adjective to describe someone's 'taste' or 'aesthetic'. If someone says 趣味が悪い (shumi ga warui), they are not talking about a hobby but are calling your taste in fashion or art 'bad'.
- The kanji 趣 in 趣味 originally referred to the 'spirit' or 'meaning' of a thing. This reflects a cultural history where a 'hobby' was not just a pastime but a way to appreciate the deeper essence of an art form.
- In Japanese social settings, stating a hobby often serves as a 'social lubricant' to find common ground. It is common for the other person to respond with 私もです (me too) even if they only have a passing interest, to maintain harmony.
Examples in context
- 私の趣味は読書だ。My hobby is reading.This sentence is useful for saying "My hobby is" using the form 私の趣味は.Tatoeba #163364 by bunbuku, translation #1258651 by CK
- 私の趣味は音楽だ。My hobby is music.Tatoeba #163378 by bunbuku, translation #251133 by CK
- 私の趣味はゴルフだ。My hobby is playing golf.Tatoeba #163380 by bunbuku, translation #251131 by CK
- 19 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Two acquaintances are chatting at a cafe.
- 美咲 Misaki蓮さんの趣味は何ですか？Ren-san no shumi wa nan desu ka?Ren, what is your hobby?
- 蓮 Ren私の趣味は料理です。Watashi no shumi wa ryouri desu.My hobby is cooking.
- 美咲 Misakiすごいですね！Sugoi desu ne!That's amazing!
- 蓮 Ren美咲さんの趣味は何ですか？Misaki-san no shumi wa nan desu ka?And what is your hobby, Misaki?
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
