Los pasatiempos (Hobbies)
¡El que canta, su mal espanta! They who sing, scare their troubles away! How do you “scare your troubles away”? Let’s talk about some of the different types of activities, hobbies and pastimes that people do to relax and enjoy doing during their free time.
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These vocabulary words were read by a speaker from Valencia, España.
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- escuchar música 🎧
- listening to music
- escribir ✍️
- writing
- sacar fotos 📸
- take photos
- hacer ejercicio 💪
- exercising
- hacer manualidades 🎨
- crafting
- hacer rompecabezas 🧩
- doing puzzles
- hacer senderismo 🥾
- hiking
- hacer voluntariado
- volunteer work
- hacer jardinería 🌱
- gardening
- jugar ajedrez ♟️
- playing chess
- jugar videojuegos 🎮
- playing video games
- observar aves /pájaros 🐦
- bird watching
- tejer o coser 🧶
- knitting or sewing
- ver películas 🎬
- watching movies
- viajar ✈️
- traveling
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Nota cultural: Pasatiempos e identidad
In Spanish-speaking countries, some hobbies reflect local traditions. In Mexico and Guatemala, many people do textile crafts such as embroidery or weaving. In the Andes, knitting is not just a common activity: it’s a cultural tradition passed down through generations.
In Argentina and Uruguay, it’s typical to gather and drink mate for hours, blending leisure with social connection. In Colombia and Costa Rica, where biodiversity is rich, birdwatching is a popular hobby, even among young people.
In places like Cuba and the Dominican Republic, music is part of everyday life, and many people play instruments or dance regularly, not just during special events.
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Pronunciación del español (Spanish Pronunciation)
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How Spanish is different from English: English doesn’t have the softer [β], [ð], and [ɣ] sounds, so they can be tricky for English speakers to pronounce. Listen to the difference between Spanish and English here.
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Would you like to practice your pronunciation of the sounds /b/, /d/, and /g/? Check out this resource! Follow the instructions on the page in order to practice your pronunciation of these consonants.