About This Lesson
Use Talking about drawing in free time to practice Japanese conversation, pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and quizzes.
Dialogue
A
ひまなときは何をするの？
hee-mah nah toh-kee wah NAH-nee oh SOO-roo noh? What do you do in your free time?
B
家で絵を描くのが好きだよ。
ee-eh deh eh oh KAH-koo noh gah SOO-kee dah yo. I enjoy drawing at home.
A
リラックスできる趣味だね。
ree-RAK-koo-soo deh-kee-roo shoo-MEE dah neh. That sounds like a relaxing hobby.
B
ふだん、ノートに小さいものをスケッチするよ。
foo-DAHN, NOH-toh nee chee-SAH-ee moh-noh oh soo-KEH-chee SOO-roo yo. I usually sketch small things in my notebook.
A
よく練習するの？
yoh-koo ren-SHOO SOO-roo noh? Do you practice often?
B
少しだけ。時間があるときが多いよ。
SOH-koo-shee dah-keh. JEE-kahn gah ah-roo toh-kee gah oh-MOH-ee yo. A little, mostly when I have time.
A
私も描いてみようかな。
wah-SHEE moh KAH-ee-teh mee-YOH kah-nah. Maybe I can try it too.
B
私の古いえんぴつを使っていいよ。
wah-SHEE noh foo-ROO-ee ehn-pee-tsoo oh tsu-KAHT-teh EE yo. You can use my old pencil.Word by Word
ひまな
In ひまなとき, ひまな means having free time or being free. It describes とき, so the phrase refers to a time when someone is free. A common reuse pattern is ひまな＋とき for talking about free time.
とき
In ひまなときは何をするの？, とき means a time or occasion. Together with ひまな, it means “when you have free time.” A common reuse pattern is [description]とき for “when [something is the case].”
は
In ひまなときは何をするの？, は marks ひまなとき as the topic of the question. The question asks what the person does during that time. A common reuse point is placing は after the time or situation you want to discuss.
何
In 何をするの？, 何 means “what,” asking about the thing the person does. It is followed by を because the unknown thing is the object of する. A common reuse pattern is 何を＋action for asking what someone does or uses.
を
In 何をするの？, を marks 何 as the object of する. It shows what action is being done. A common reuse point is placing を after the thing directly affected by an action.
する
In 何をするの？, する means “do.” It refers generally to the activity the person does in free time. A common reuse pattern is a noun＋する for actions such as 練習する.
の
At the end of 何をするの？, の makes the question sound like a conversational request for information. It is part of the casual question ending rather than a possessive marker here. This ending is useful when asking someone informally about an action or situation.
家
In 家で絵を描くのが好きだよ。, 家 means “home” or “house.” It identifies the place where the drawing happens. A common reuse point is using 家 with a location marker when talking about activities at home.
で
In 家で絵を描くのが好きだよ。, で marks 家 as the place where the drawing takes place. The phrase means “draw at home.” A common reuse point is placing で after a location to describe an action done there.
絵
In 絵を描くのが好きだよ。, 絵 means a picture or drawing. It is the thing being drawn, marked by を. A common reuse pattern is 絵を描く when talking about drawing pictures.
描く
In 絵を描くのが好きだよ。, 描く means “draw.” It describes the activity that the speaker likes. A common reuse point is placing the thing being drawn before を, as in 絵を描く.
が
In 絵を描くのが好きだよ。, が marks 絵を描く as the activity associated with 好き. The sentence means that the speaker likes drawing. A common reuse pattern is [activity]のが好き for saying that you like an activity.
好き
In 絵を描くのが好きだよ。, 好き means that the speaker likes or is fond of drawing. It describes the speaker’s preference, with the liked activity marked by が. A common reuse pattern is [thing or activity]が好き.
だ
In 趣味だね。, だ gives the casual statement the meaning “is” or “is a.” It connects 趣味 with the statement that the activity is a hobby. This casual ending is useful in informal statements about what something is.
よ
At the end of 好きだよ。, よ adds an assertive tone, presenting the speaker’s preference as information for the listener. It helps the speaker clearly tell the other person that drawing is enjoyable. This particle is commonly used at the end of an informal statement when emphasizing the information being given.
リラックス
In リラックスできる趣味だね。, リラックス refers to relaxing. Together with できる, it describes a hobby that allows someone to relax. A common reuse point is using リラックス with an expression that says the activity is possible or effective.
できる
In リラックスできる趣味だね。, できる means “can” or “be able to,” so リラックスできる means “can relax.” It explains what kind of hobby 趣味 is. A common reuse point is placing an activity or action before できる to express ability or possibility.
趣味
In リラックスできる趣味だね。, 趣味 means “hobby.” It identifies drawing as a regular leisure activity. A common reuse point is using 趣味 when naming an activity someone enjoys in free time.
ね
At the end of 趣味だね。, ね invites the listener to share or acknowledge the speaker’s view. Here it gives the statement a friendly, agreement-seeking tone. This particle is commonly used at the end of an informal comment when checking the listener’s reaction.
ふだん
In ふだん、ノートに小さいものをスケッチするよ。, ふだん means “usually” or “ordinarily.” It tells the listener that the action is a normal habit, not a one-time event. A common reuse point is placing ふだん before the action being described.
ノート
In ノートに小さいものをスケッチするよ。, ノート means “notebook.” It identifies the place or surface connected with the sketching. A common reuse point is using ノート when talking about writing or drawing in a notebook.
に
In ノートに小さいものをスケッチするよ。, に marks ノート as the place or surface where the sketching is done. The phrase means sketching small things in a notebook. A common reuse point is placing に after a destination or a surface associated with an action.
小さい
In 小さいものをスケッチするよ。, 小さい means “small.” It describes the size of もの. A common reuse point is placing 小さい before a noun to describe something small.
もの
In 小さいものをスケッチするよ。, もの means “thing” or “object.” Together with 小さい, it refers generally to small things that can be sketched. A common reuse point is using もの after a description when referring to an unspecified thing or object.
スケッチ
In 小さいものをスケッチするよ。, スケッチ means “sketch.” It names the drawing activity being done to small things. A common reuse pattern is [object]をスケッチする.
よく
In よく練習するの？, よく means “often,” describing the frequency of practice. It asks whether the person practices frequently. A common reuse point is placing よく before an action to ask or say that it happens often.
練習
In よく練習するの？, 練習 means “practice.” Together with する, it refers to practicing the drawing skill. A common reuse pattern is 練習する when talking about practicing an activity or skill.
少し
In 少しだけ。, 少し means “a little” or “a small amount.” It gives the amount of practice as limited, and だけ narrows it further. A common reuse point is placing 少し before an action or amount when describing a small quantity.
だけ
In 少しだけ。, だけ means “only” or “just.” It limits the amount to 少し, so the answer means “only a little.” A common reuse point is placing だけ after the noun or amount that is being limited.
時間
In 時間があるときが多いよ。, 時間 means “time.” With ある, it refers to having time available. A common reuse pattern is 時間がある when saying that someone has time.
ある
In 時間があるときが多いよ。, ある means that time is available, giving the phrase “have time.” It is part of 時間があるとき, meaning “when there is time.” A common reuse point is placing ある after a thing that is available or exists.
多い
In 時間があるときが多いよ。, 多い means that such occasions are frequent or numerous. It says that occasions when the speaker has time happen often. A common reuse point is using 多い after a noun or situation when saying that there are many such cases.
私
私 refers to the speaker as “I” or “me.” In 私も描いてみようかな。, it means “I too,” while in 私の古いえんぴつ, it indicates that the pencil belongs to the speaker. A common reuse point is combining 私 with の for possession or も for “also.”
も
In 私も描いてみようかな。, も means “also” or “too.” It adds the speaker to the people who may draw. A common reuse point is placing も after a person or thing to add it to the same situation.
描いて
In 私も描いてみようかな。, 描いて is the form of 描く used before みよう. In 描いてみよう, it contributes the action “draw” to the meaning “try drawing.” A common reuse pattern is [action in this form]みる or みよう for trying an action.
みよう
In 描いてみようかな。, みよう helps express the speaker’s intention or suggestion to try drawing. Together, 描いてみよう means “try drawing” or “let’s try drawing,” while かな makes it tentative. A common reuse point is putting this form after an action to suggest trying it.
かな
At the end of 私も描いてみようかな。, かな expresses uncertainty or wondering. It makes the thought “maybe I’ll try drawing too” sound tentative rather than definite. This ending is useful when softly considering an action or asking oneself what to do.
古い
In 私の古いえんぴつを使っていいよ。, 古い means “old.” It describes the condition or age of えんぴつ. A common reuse point is placing 古い before a noun to describe something old.
えんぴつ
In 私の古いえんぴつを使っていいよ。, えんぴつ means “pencil.” It is the object that the listener is allowed to use. A common reuse point is placing を after えんぴつ when it is the object of an action.
使って
In 私の古いえんぴつを使っていいよ。, 使って is the form of 使う used before いい. In 使っていい, it contributes the action “use” to the meaning that using the pencil is permitted. A common reuse pattern is [thing]を使っていい for giving permission to use something.
いい
In 使っていいよ。, いい means “acceptable” or “okay,” so the whole expression gives permission to use the pencil. The permission comes from the construction 使っていい, not from いい alone. A common reuse point is placing an action in this form before いい when allowing someone to do it.
Grammar Points
Vてみようかな
私、絵を描いてみようかな。
wah-SHEE, eh oh KAH-ee-teh mee-YOH kah-nah.Maybe I’ll try drawing a picture.
“Vてみようかな” expresses a tentative thought or decision: “Maybe I’ll try V-ing.”
Vていい
古いえんぴつを使っていい？
foo-ROO-ee ehn-pee-tsoo oh tsu-KAHT-teh EE?Is it okay to use the old pencil?
“Vていい？” asks for permission to do something: “Is it okay if I V?”
Japanese Vocabulary
する
verb
SOO-roo
to do
何をするの?
ノート
noun
NOH-toh
notebook
ノートに小さいものをスケッチするよ。
ひまなとき
phrase
hee-mah nah toh-kee
in your free time
ひまなときは何をするの?
ふだん
adv
foo-DAHN
usually; normally
ふだん、ノートに小さいものをスケッチするよ。
リラックスできる
adj
ree-RAK-koo-soo deh-kee-roo
relaxing
リラックスできる趣味だね。
何
pron
NAH-nee
what
何をするの?
家
noun
ee-eh
home
家で絵を描くのが好きだよ。
絵
noun
eh
picture; drawing
家で絵を描くのが好きだよ。
好き
adj
SOO-kee
to like; fond of
絵を描くのが好きだよ。
趣味
noun
shoo-MEE
hobby
リラックスできる趣味だね。
小さい
adj
chee-SAH-ee
small
小さいものをスケッチするよ。
描く
verb
KAH-koo
to draw
絵を描くのが好きだよ。
Quiz
Spelling
Tap the letters to spell the word.
relaxing
Show Answer
リラックスできるin your free time
Show Answer
ひまなときto like; fond of
Show Answer
好きsmall