Korean · Beginner (A1) · Chapter 11 of 12
Hobbies and free time
취미와 여가Chwimiwa yeoga
Talk about hobbies in Korean: say what you can and can't do, how often you do things, and invite someone or answer an invitation.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Talk about your hobbies and free time
- Say what you can and can't do with -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요 and 못
- Say how often you do something
- Invite someone and accept or decline
Listen
On Jeju, Ko Eunbi and her colleague Moon Jaehyeon talk about their hobbies during a break. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Jaehyeon
은비 씨, 취미가 뭐예요?
Eunbi ssi, chwimiga mwoyeyo?
Eunbi, what are your hobbies?
Eunbi
저는 책을 자주 읽어요. 음악도 들어요. 재현 씨는요?
Jeoneun chaegeul jaju ilgeoyo. Eumakdo deureoyo. Jaehyeon ssineunyo?
I often read books. I listen to music too. What about you, Jaehyeon?
Jaehyeon
저는 주말에 자주 등산해요. 테니스도 가끔 쳐요.
Jeoneun jumare jaju deungsanhaeyo. Teniseudo gakkeum chyeoyo.
I often go hiking at the weekend. I sometimes play tennis too.
Eunbi
테니스요? 저는 테니스 못 쳐요. 하지만 수영은 할 수 있어요.
Teniseuyo? Jeoneun teniseu mot chyeoyo. Hajiman suyeongeun hal su isseoyo.
Tennis? I can't play tennis. But I can swim.
Jaehyeon
수영을 자주 해요?
Suyeongeul jaju haeyo?
Do you swim often?
Eunbi
네, 일주일에 두 번 해요. 그리고 기타도 배워요.
Ne, iljuire du beon haeyo. Geurigo gitado baewoyo.
Yes, twice a week. And I'm learning the guitar too.
Jaehyeon
등산은 좋아해요? 이번 주 토요일에 같이 한라산에 갈래요?
Deungsaneun joahaeyo? Ibeon ju toyoire gachi Hallasane gallaeyo?
Do you like hiking? Would you like to go up Hallasan together this Saturday?
Eunbi
좋아요. 몇 시에 만나요?
Joayo. Myeot sie mannayo?
Sounds good. What time shall we meet?
Jaehyeon
아침 일곱 시에 만나요.
Achim ilgop sie mannayo.
Let's meet at seven in the morning.
Eunbi
네, 토요일에 만나요.
Ne, toyoire mannayo.
OK, see you on Saturday.
Understand
Can and can't: -(으)ㄹ 수 있어요
To say you can do something, add -ㄹ 수 있어요 to a verb stem ending in a vowel, or -을 수 있어요 to a stem ending in a consonant. For can't, use (eopseoyo) instead of (isseoyo). Word for word, it's “there is a way to …”.
In everyday speech, Koreans often say “can't” with (mot) before the verb, like (an): (mot chyeoyo), I can't play. With a noun + (hada) verb, goes before (haeyo): (suyeong mot haeyo), I can't swim.
| Verb | can | can't |
|---|---|---|
| (suyeonghada), swim | (suyeonghal su isseoyo) | (suyeonghal su eopseoyo) |
| (chida), play | (chil su isseoyo) | (chil su eopseoyo) |
| (ikda), read | (ilgeul su isseoyo) | (ilgeul su eopseoyo) |
| (gada), go | (gal su isseoyo) | (gal su eopseoyo) |
How often?
Words for “how often” usually come before the verb: (jaju ilgeoyo), I often read. To say “… times a week”, use (iljuire), per week, + a native number + (beon), time: (iljuire du beon), twice a week.
(jeonhyeo), never, not at all, always goes with a negative: (jeonhyeo an haeyo), I never do it.
| Korean | Meaning |
|---|---|
| (maeil) | every day |
| (jaju) | often |
| (iljuire du beon) | twice a week |
| (gakkeum) | sometimes |
| (jeonhyeo an haeyo) | I never do it |
Inviting, and 치다 for tennis
To invite someone, use (gachi), together, and (gallaeyo?), shall we go?, as a fixed phrase: (gachi deungsan gallaeyo?), shall we go hiking together? Say yes with (joayo), sounds good. Say no politely with (mianhaeyo, geunareun an dwaeyo), sorry, I can't that day.
The present tense can also suggest something: (toyoire mannayo), let's meet on Saturday, see you on Saturday. (mannayo) comes from (mannada), to meet.
For tennis and the piano, Korean uses (chida), to hit: (teniseureul chyeoyo), (pianoreul chyeoyo). (deutda), to listen, is irregular: its present is (deureoyo).
More in the grammar: Can and can't: -(으)ㄹ 수 있다 / 없다 · Negation: 안, 못, -지 않다, -지 못하다 · The present tense: -아요 / -어요 · Irregular verbs: ㅂ, ㄷ, ㅅ, 르, ㅎ (and ㅡ, ㄹ stems) · Requests and suggestions: -(으)세요, -아/어 주세요, -(으)ㄹ까요?
New words
- 취미chwimihobby · (chwimiga mwoyeyo?), What are your hobbies?
- 책chaekbook
- 자주jajuoften
- 읽다ikdato read · (ilgeoyo)
- 음악eumakmusic
- 듣다deutdato listen · irregular: (deureoyo)
- 주말jumalweekend · (jumare), at the weekend
- 등산deungsanhiking (in the mountains) · (deungsanhaeyo), I go hiking
- 테니스teniseutennis
- 가끔gakkeumsometimes
- 치다chidato play (tennis, the piano); to hit · (chyeoyo)
- 수영suyeongswimming · (suyeonghaeyo), I swim
- 배우다baeudato learn · (baewoyo)
- 같이gachitogether
Practise
1.How do you say “I can swim”?
2.How do you say “I play the piano”?
3.Put the words in order: say you swim twice a week.
Tap the words below in the right order.I swim twice a week.
4.Match the Korean with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
5.Put the words in order: suggest meeting at seven in the morning.
Tap the words below in the right order.Let's meet at seven in the morning.
6.You'd like to play tennis, but you don't know how. What do you say?
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
취미가 뭐예요?
Chwimiga mwoyeyo?
What are your hobbies?
Listen, then say it out loud, as close to the recording as you can.
Check
Five questions on this chapter. Then mark it as finished to add its words to your review deck.
0 of 5 answered.