Spanish · Beginner (A1) · Chapter 11 of 12
Hobbies and free time
El tiempo libre
Talk about sports and hobbies in Spanish, say how often you do things, and invite someone, accept or say no with poder.
In this chapter you'll learn to
- Talk about the sports and hobbies you do
- Say how often you do something
- Invite someone and accept or decline with poder
Listen
Carlos and Marina work together in Madrid. They chat at the coffee machine on a Thursday. Listen to the whole dialogue first, then line by line.
Carlos
Oye, Marina, ¿haces deporte?
Hey, Marina, do you do any sport?
Marina
Sí, nado dos veces a la semana. Y a veces juego al pádel.
Yes, I swim twice a week. And sometimes I play padel.
Carlos
¿Al pádel? Yo juego todos los sábados. ¿Quieres jugar conmigo el sábado?
Padel? I play every Saturday. Do you want to play with me on Saturday?
Marina
Lo siento, el sábado no puedo. Voy a ir a Toledo con mi familia.
Sorry, I can't on Saturday. I'm going to Toledo with my family.
Carlos
¿Y el domingo? ¿Puedes?
And on Sunday? Can you?
Marina
El domingo sí puedo. ¿A qué hora?
On Sunday I can. What time?
Carlos
A las diez de la mañana, en el club del parque.
At ten in the morning, at the club in the park.
Marina
Perfecto. Pero no juego muy bien.
Perfect. But I don't play very well.
Carlos
No pasa nada. Yo tampoco.
Don't worry. Neither do I.
Marina
Vale. Hasta el domingo.
OK. See you on Sunday.
Understand
Poder, jugar and hacer
means “can” or “to be able to”. It's followed by an infinitive: (Can you come?). When you've already said what you mean, can stand alone: (I can't on Saturday). For a skill you have learned, like swimming, Spanish uses (to know): (I can swim).
The o of changes to ue in most forms: , . Only and keep the o, just as (e to ie, chapter 8) keeps its e. (to play) changes in the same places, u to ue: , , .
In the present, (to do, to make) is regular except in the form: . You use it for sport: (Do you do any sport?)
| Person | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| / / | |||
| / | |||
| / | |||
| / / |
How often?
Most of these expressions go at the beginning or the end of the sentence: or . (always) usually goes just before the verb: .
(never) goes before the verb: . If it comes after the verb, you also need before it: . Both mean “I never swim”.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| always | |
| every day | |
| every Saturday | |
| twice a week | |
| once a month | |
| sometimes | |
| never |
Inviting, accepting and saying no
To invite a friend, ask + infinitive? (Do you want to…?). In Spain you'll also hear + infinitive? (Do you fancy…?).
To say no politely, start with (I'm sorry) and suggest another day if you can.
| Spanish | English |
|---|---|
| Do you want to play tennis with me? | |
| Do you fancy having dinner on Friday? | |
| / | Yes, of course. / OK. |
| I'm sorry, I can't. | |
| I can't on Saturday. What about Sunday? |
More in the grammar: Questions and negation · The present tense of regular verbs
New words
- hacer deporteto do sport · , , …
- nadarto swim
- dos veces a la semanatwice a week
- a vecessometimes
- jugar al pádelto play padel · + = ; , …
- todos los sábadosevery Saturday
- ¿Quieres…?Do you want to…?
- conmigowith me
- no puedoI can't
- ¿Puedes?Can you?
- el parquepark · masculine
- perobut
- No pasa nada.Don't worry. / It doesn't matter.
- yo tampocome neither, neither do I · with :
Practise
1.Your friend asks You're free. What do you answer?
2.Complete with : “I'm sorry, I can't.”
I'm sorry, I can't.
3.Complete the invitation: “Do you want to play padel with me?”
Do you want to play padel with me?
4.Put the words in order.
Tap the words below in the right order.I swim twice a week.
5.Match the Spanish with the English.
Pick a word on the left, then its meaning on the right.
6.Your friend says You don't play well either. What do you say?
0 of 6 exercises done.
Say it out loud
¿Quieres jugar al pádel conmigo?
Do you want to play padel with me?
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.