Lesson 8.1

Meus passatempos

My Hobbies

Welcome to Unit 8 — free time and hobbies! Talking about what you like to do is one of the fastest ways to connect with Brazilians, who are famously sociable and expressive about their passions. In this lesson you'll learn the all-important structure 'gostar de + infinitivo' (to like doing something), plus frequency adverbs like 'sempre', 'às vezes', and 'nunca'. By the end, you'll be able to describe your favorite pastimes — from reading to dancing samba.

Learning tips

'Gostar' ALWAYS takes the preposition 'de' — 'gosto DE ler', never 'gosto ler'. This trips up English speakers constantly.
The intensity scale is gosto → adoro → amo. 'Adoro' is super common and sounds natural in everyday speech — not over-the-top like 'love' sometimes does in English.
Frequency adverbs usually go BEFORE the verb ('sempre leio') or at the start of the sentence ('Às vezes canto...').
Don't forget: Brazilians often use 'passatempo' and the English loanword 'hobby' (pronounced 'RÓ-bi') interchangeably.

Warm-up & Active Recall

Recap: Last unit you described your home — rooms, furniture, and adjectives like 'aconchegante' and 'luminoso'. Today we shift gears to free time, where you'll use the structure 'gostar de + infinitivo' (much like 'I like to + verb' in English) and frequency adverbs.

Word	Meaning
a vista	the view
o sol	the sun
o mar	the sea
a janela	the window
a porta	the door
luminoso	bright/luminous
confortável	comfortable
pequeno	small
aconchegante	cozy
adorar	to adore / love

Dialog

Beatriz and Thiago sit down at a café in Santa Teresa on a Saturday afternoon and compare their hobbies. Watch how they use 'gostar de + infinitivo' to list what they like doing, and how they sprinkle in frequency adverbs like 'sempre', 'às vezes', and 'geralmente'. Notice also the intensity jump from 'gostar' to 'adorar' — 'Eu adoro ler!' is a stronger 'I really love reading!'

☕ Em um café em Santa Teresa — uma tarde de sábado

Beatriz

Thiago, o que você gosta de fazer no tempo livre?

(Thiago, what you like of to-do in-the free time?)

Thiago, what do you like to do in your free time?

Thiago

Eu adoro ler! Sempre tenho um livro na mochila. E você, Bia?

(I adore to-read! Always I-have a book in-the backpack. And you, Bia?)

I love to read! I always have a book in my backpack. And you, Bia?

Beatriz

Eu gosto de dançar samba e de cantar. O samba é o meu passatempo favorito!

(I like of to-dance samba and of to-sing. The samba is the my hobby favorite!)

I like to dance samba and sing. Samba is my favorite hobby!

Thiago

Legal! E você também gosta de pintar, né? Vi umas fotos...

(Cool! And you also like of to-paint, right? I-saw some photos...)

Cool! And you also like to paint, right? I saw some photos...

Beatriz

Pinto às vezes, sim. Geralmente nos fins de semana. Adoro a música e a arte.

(I-paint at times, yes. Generally on-the weekends. I-adore the music and the art.)

I paint sometimes, yes. Usually on weekends. I love music and art.

Thiago

Que hobby gostoso! Eu escrevo também, mas só um diário.

(What hobby nice! I write also, but only a diary.)

What a lovely hobby! I write too, but only in a diary.

Beatriz

Que legal, Thiago! Ler e escrever combinam bem.

(How cool, Thiago! To-read and to-write combine well.)

How cool, Thiago! Reading and writing go well together.

Vocabulary

Active words

Word	IPA	Translation	Note
ler	/ˈleʁ/	to read	The final '-r' is often reduced or dropped in casual BR speech
escrever	/is.kɾeˈveʁ/	to write	The 'es-' start sounds like 'ish-'
pintar	/pĩˈtaʁ/	to paint	Regular -ar verb
cantar	/kɐ̃ˈtaʁ/	to sing	Regular -ar verb
dançar	/dɐ̃ˈsaʁ/	to dance	Regular -ar verb — very Brazilian activity!
a música	/a ˈmu.zi.kɐ/	music	Feminine noun
o livro	/u ˈli.vɾu/	the book	Masculine noun
o passatempo	/u ˌpa.sɐˈtẽ.pu/	the hobby / pastime	The native Portuguese word — widely used
o hobby	/u ˈʁɔ.bi/	the hobby (English loanword)	Pronounced 'RÓ-bi' — the 'h' sound becomes rolled 'r'
adorar	/a.doˈɾaʁ/	to adore / to love (non-romantic)	Stronger than 'gostar', weaker than 'amar' — very common

Passive words

Word	IPA	Translation	Note
desenhar	/de.zeˈɲaʁ/	to draw	The 'nh' sounds like 'ny' in 'canyon'
fotografar	/fo.to.ɡɾaˈfaʁ/	to photograph	Long verb but regular -ar
colecionar	/ko.le.sjoˈnaʁ/	to collect	For coins, stamps, etc.
o artesanato	/u aʁ.te.zɐˈna.tu/	handicrafts / arts and crafts	Big cultural thing in northeastern Brazil
a leitura	/a lejˈtu.ɾɐ/	reading (the activity)	Noun form of 'ler'
a pintura	/a pĩˈtu.ɾɐ/	painting (the activity)	Noun form of 'pintar'

Useful chunks

Word	Translation
gostar de + infinitivo	to like + verb (literally 'like of + verb')
no tempo livre	in free time

Pronunciation: Two sounds to watch: (1) In verbs ending in '-ar' like 'dançar', 'cantar', the final '-r' is a soft, rolled-back sound — almost like an English 'h' in Rio. Try 'dan-SÁH' rather than 'dan-SAR'. (2) The 'lh' cluster in 'trabalhar' sounds like the 'lli' in 'million' — never pronounce it as two separate sounds. (3) 'Adoro' has stress on the middle syllable: a-DÔ-ru — and the final 'o' becomes 'u'.

Grammar: 'Gostar de + infinitivo' — expressing what you like to do; frequency adverbs

Pronome	Gostar de (presente)	Exemplo
Eu	gosto de	Eu gosto de ler.
Você / Ele / Ela	gosta de	Ela gosta de cantar.
Nós / A gente	gostamos de / gosta de	Nós gostamos de dançar. / A gente gosta de pintar.
Vocês / Eles / Elas	gostam de	Eles gostam de escrever.

Importante: A preposição 'de' é obrigatória depois de 'gostar' — 'gosto de ler' (nunca 'gosto ler'). Se o verbo começa com 'a' (por exemplo: 'andar'), não há contração — 'gosto de andar'.

Intensidade: gosto → adoro (mais forte) → amo (muito forte). Para o oposto: não gosto → detesto / odeio.

Advérbios de frequência (onde colocar):
| Advérbio | Significado | Exemplo |
|---|---|---|
| sempre | always | Eu sempre leio à noite. |
| geralmente | usually | Geralmente pinto no sábado. |
| às vezes | sometimes | Às vezes canto no chuveiro. |
| nunca | never | Eu nunca danço sozinho. |

Normalmente o advérbio vai antes do verbo principal ou no início da frase.

The single most important structure for talking about hobbies in Portuguese: gostar de + infinitivo — 'to like doing something'.

Unlike English ('I like reading' or 'I like to read'), Portuguese requires the preposition 'de':

Eu gosto de ler. (I like to read.) ✅

Eu gosto ler. ❌ (grammatically wrong)

Gostar conjugation + 'de':

Pronoun	Gostar de (present)	Example
eu	gosto de	Eu gosto de ler.
você / ele / ela	gosta de	Ela gosta de cantar.
nós / a gente	gostamos de / gosta de	Nós gostamos de dançar. / A gente gosta de pintar.
vocês / eles / elas	gostam de	Eles gostam de escrever.

Intensity scale:

gosto de (I like) → adoro (I love / I adore) → amo (I truly love)

Negative: não gosto (I don't like) → detesto / odeio (I hate)

Note: 'adorar' and 'amar' do NOT need 'de' — they take the infinitive directly: 'Eu adoro ler' (not 'adoro de ler').

Frequency adverbs (where to place them):

Adverb	Meaning	Example
sempre	always	Eu sempre leio à noite.
geralmente	usually	Geralmente pinto no sábado.
às vezes	sometimes	Às vezes canto no chuveiro.
nunca	never	Eu nunca danço sozinho.

Typically the adverb comes before the main verb or at the beginning of the sentence.

Exercises

Fill in the Blanks

Complete each sentence with the missing word (preposition, verb conjugation, or frequency adverb).

Eu gosto ler livros de aventura.(preposition after 'gostar')
Ela de cantar no karaokê. (gostar)(gostar with ela)
Nós de dançar samba. (gostar)(gostar with nós)
Thiago ler — é o passatempo favorito dele. (adorar)(adorar with ele — 3rd person singular)
Eu pinto — só gosto de desenhar. (nunca)(frequency adverb — 'never')

Grammar Application

Conjugate verbs and choose the right frequency adverbs.

Conjugue 'gostar de ler' com 'você': (gostar de ler — you form, remember 'de'!)
Conjugue 'gostar de cantar' com 'eles': (gostar de cantar — eles form)
Frequência 'always': leio antes de dormir.('always' in Portuguese)
Frequência 'sometimes': danço no fim de semana.('sometimes' — two words!)
Intensidade mais forte que 'gostar': 'Eu samba!'(stronger than 'gostar' — 'I love')

Translation (English → Portuguese)

Translate each sentence. Don't forget the preposition 'de' after 'gostar'!

I like to read.
She loves to dance.
What do you like to do in your free time?
We sometimes sing at parties.
My hobby is painting.

Creative Construction

Write a few sentences about your own hobbies. Use at least two different verbs with 'gostar de' or 'adorar', and include a frequency adverb.

Takeaway

Use 'gostar DE + infinitivo' to say what you like doing — the preposition 'de' is mandatory. Intensity goes gosto → adoro → amo. Frequency adverbs (sempre, geralmente, às vezes, nunca) usually go before the verb.

Culture note: Hobbies in Brazil are often deeply social — samba, capoeira, football in the park, beach volleyball, playing guitar at a 'roda de amigos' (friend circle). Even solitary hobbies like reading often happen in public — it's normal to see Brazilians reading at a café or on the beach. The word 'passatempo' (literally 'pastime') is equally common as the English loanword 'hobby'. Don't be surprised if your first-ever conversation with a Brazilian turns into a list of 'o que você gosta de fazer?' — it's one of the most natural getting-to-know-you questions.

Explanations in: de en