B1 Free Time Activities: Essential English Vocabulary for Leisure — B1 English vocabulary lesson by Langcom

B1 Free Time Activities: Essential English Vocabulary for Leisure

Raúl Maguiña

Fondateur de Langcom | Examinateur pour les examens de Cambridge et du SIELE

septembre 19, 2026

B1📚 Vocabulaire⏱️ 5 min de lecture📅 Mise à jour en septembre 2026
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Learning vocabulary for free time activities helps you talk about your hobbies and what you enjoy doing outside of work or study. This is important for everyday conversations and for exams like B1 Preliminary. English uses different verbs with specific activities, so it’s useful to learn them together. For example, we play games, go rollerblading, and do sport. Understanding these common collocations makes your English sound more natural and fluent. This guide will teach you key vocabulary to describe your leisure time, helping you share your interests and understand others better.

Why is Free Time Vocabulary Important?

Talking about your free time is a common topic in daily conversations. It helps you connect with people and share your personality.

Knowing this vocabulary is also essential for English exams, especially at B1 level. You might need to:

  • Describe your hobbies.
  • Talk about your weekend plans.
  • Ask others about their interests.

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Verbs for Free Time Activities: Go + -ing

Many activities use the verb go followed by a verb ending in -ing. These are usually activities you do outside or as a hobby.

  • go rollerblading: I love to go rollerblading in the park on sunny days.
  • go shopping: On Saturdays, my sister and I often go shopping for new clothes.
  • go to the cinema: Let's go to the cinema tonight and watch a new film.
  • go to concerts: They often go to concerts to see their favourite bands.

Verbs for Free Time Activities: Play + Noun

Nous utilisons le verbe play for sports, games, and musical instruments.

  • play board games: My family loves to play board games together on rainy afternoons.
  • play computer games: My brother spends hours playing computer games with his friends online.

Verbs for Free Time Activities: Do + Noun

Le verbe do is used for general activities, sports without a ball, or individual hobbies.

  • do sport: It's important to do sport regularly to stay healthy.

Verbs for Free Time Activities: Make + Noun

Le verbe make is used for creating things or building something.

  • make jewellery: She likes to make jewellery as a hobby and sometimes sells it.
  • make model planes: My uncle enjoys making model planes in his free time.

Other Common Free Time Verbs and Collocations

Here are more important phrases to describe what you do in your free time:

  • sing in a band: My friend sings in a band every weekend.
  • read books: I always read books before I go to sleep.
  • draw cartoons: He can draw cartoons very well.
  • collect cards: Do you collect cards, like football cards?
  • listen to music: I often listen to music while I'm studying.
  • text friends: I usually text friends to make plans.
  • take photos: She loves to take photos of nature.
  • hang out with friends: We often hang out with friends at the coffee shop.
  • cook: He enjoys cooking new recipes in his free time.
  • paint: My grandmother likes to paint beautiful landscapes.
  • surf the internet: I usually surf the internet to find interesting articles.
Key Free Time Activities Vocabulary (B1)
Verb + Activity Example Sentence
go rollerblading She loves to go rollerblading on sunny days.
go shopping We often go shopping for new clothes.
go to the cinema Let's go to the cinema tonight.
play board games My family plays board games.
play computer games He plays computer games every day.
do sport It's good to do sport.
make jewellery She likes to make jewellery.
make model planes My uncle makes model planes.
sing in a band My friend sings in a band.
read books I enjoy reading books.
draw cartoons He can draw cartoons well.
collect cards Do you collect cards?
listen to music I listen to music while working.
text friends I text friends to make plans.
take photos She loves to take photos.
hang out with friends We hang out with friends.
cook He enjoys cooking new recipes.
paint My grandmother likes to paint.
surf the internet I surf the internet for news.

Exemples

  • On weekends, I like to go rollerblading in the park.
  • My sister loves to make jewellery and give it as gifts.
  • Do you prefer to play board games or computer games?
  • After school, I often listen to music and text friends.
  • They usually go to the cinema on Friday nights.
  • It's good to do sport to stay fit and healthy.
  • I enjoy reading books, especially fantasy novels.
  • We often hang out with friends at the beach in summer.

Entraînement

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Common Mistakes with Free Time Activities

Spanish speakers sometimes make mistakes with the verbs used for activities:

  • Using 'do' for sports with a ball:

    I do football.

    I play football.

    Remember to use play for sports with a ball (football, tennis) and games (board games, computer games).

  • Using 'make' instead of 'do' for general activities:

    I make sport.

    I do sport.

    Utilisation do for general activities like do sport, do yoga, do homework.

  • Forgetting '-ing' with 'go':

    Let's go shop.

    Let's go shopping.

    When go is followed by an activity, it usually takes the -ing form (e.no-translation>go swimming, go cycling).

Questions fréquemment posées

What are some common ways to ask about free time activities?

You can ask: What do you do in your free time?, What are your hobbies?, ou What do you like doing on weekends?

How can I use this vocabulary in the B1 Preliminary exam?

In the B1 Preliminary Speaking Part 1, you might be asked about your hobbies or what you do in your free time. You can use phrases like I enjoy reading books ou I often go rollerblading to answer these questions.

Is there a difference between 'hobby' and 'free time activity'?

A hobby is usually a regular activity you do for pleasure, like making jewellery ou collecting cards. A free time activity is a more general term for anything you do when you are not working or studying, like listening to music ou hanging out with friends.

Leçons associées

À propos de l'auteur : Raúl Maguiña

Raúl Maguiña est le directeur de l'Asociación Educativa Langcom, un centre agréé de préparation à l'examen Cambridge English situé à votre pays. Fort de plus d'une décennie d'expérience dans l'enseignement des langues et les certifications internationales, il a aidé des milliers d'étudiants, d'enseignants et d'établissements d'enseignement dans 25 pays à obtenir les certifications d'anglais Cambridge, IELTS, TOEFL et Michigan.

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