¿qué te gusta hacer?
The English phrase "what do you like to do?" is translated into Spanish as ¿qué te gusta hacer?
This phrase is a question used to ask someone about their hobbies or how they enjoy spending their free time.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is built from qué (what), te (to you), gusta (is pleasing) and hacer (to do), meaning "what to you is pleasing to do".
Which one should you use?
While ¿qué te gusta hacer? specifically asks about activities, the shorter phrase ¿qué te gusta? is a broader question that can refer to objects, food or concepts.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, you can use ¿qué te mola hacer? to mean "what do you like to do?" In Mexico, the phrase ¿Qué te gusta hacer en tu tiempo libre? can also be used to ask this question.
How does it change in a sentence?
In Spain, if you are speaking to a group of friends or peers, you can use the plural informal form ¿qué os gusta hacer? to mean "what do you (plural) like to do?"
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking cultures, asking ¿qué te gusta hacer? is often a gateway to 'sobremesa', the custom of staying at the table long after a meal to talk.
- The word hacer used in this phrase is a direct descendant of the Latin word facere, which is the same root that gives English the words 'factory' and 'facility'.
- While ¿qué te gusta hacer? is used for hobbies, Spanish has a separate verb encantar for things you love. If you replace gusta with encanta, the intensity of the preference increases significantly.
Examples in context
- ¿Qué te gusta hacer en tu tiempo libre?What do you like to do in your free time?
Example conversation
Lucía and Mateo are having coffee at a local cafe.
- LucíaMe encanta leer, ¿y a ti? ¿qué te gusta hacer?I love reading, and you? what do you like to do?
- MateoA mí me gusta mucho jugar al fútbol.I really like playing soccer.
- Lucía¡Qué divertido! ¿Juegas en un equipo?How fun! Do you play on a team?
- MateoSí, juego con mis amigos todos los sábados.Yes, I play with my friends every Saturday.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries hacer, qué, te, CC BY-SA 4.0.
