#25 Booking a Sightseeing Bus Tour｜Useful English Travel Phrases
Izumi English Morning
#36 Talking About New Lessons or Hobbies｜Everyday English Phrases
Izumi
Talking about “something new you recently started” or “a new challenge you’ve taken on” is a great way to learn more about a friend’s interests.
In English as well, hobbies and lessons are common topics in casual conversation.
In this article, I explain useful English expressions for talking about new lessons or hobbies, along with grammar points and tips for expanding the conversation.
Contents
Dialogue
Have you picked up any new hobbies recently?
Yeah, I just started taking cooking classes on the weekends.
That sounds fun! What kind of food are you learning to cook?
Mostly Japanese and Italian dishes. I’ve always wanted to learn how to make them properly.
Nice! How often do you go to class?
Once a week. It’s a small class, so we get a lot of personal attention.
1. Expressions for Saying You Started Something New
A commonly used phrasal verb for starting a new hobby or activity is “pick up.”
Literally it means “to pick up,” but in everyday conversation it is used to mean “start,” “take up,” or “begin learning.”
- I picked up painting during the holidays.
- She picked up yoga after moving to a new city.
This expression has a casual nuance and is especially common among younger speakers. It can be applied to languages, sports, musical instruments, and many other activities.
2. Talking About Starting Lessons
“take lessons” or “take classes” means “to attend lessons” or “to go to a class.” These expressions work well in both formal and casual contexts.
- I started taking French classes last month.
- He’s taking guitar lessons every Tuesday.
You can use attend instead of take, but take is more common.
Examples of different lesson types:
- cooking classes
- dance lessons
- calligraphy classes
3. Using “What kind of ～?” to Expand the Conversation
When you want to learn more about what someone is studying or practicing, you can ask: “What kind of ～?” (What type of ～?)
- What kind of food are you learning to cook?
- What kind of music do you play?
This phrase is highly versatile and can be used not only for hobbies but also for topics like work, movies, music, or books.
4. Adverbs and Phrases That Show Frequency
When talking about how often you attend lessons, the following expressions are useful:
- once a week
- twice a week
- three times a month
- every Sunday
- every other week
These expressions can be combined with other phrases to clearly describe your learning schedule in daily conversation.
5. Talking About Motivation or Purpose
Sharing the reason or motivation behind starting a lesson makes the conversation more meaningful.
The following expressions are often used:
- I’ve always wanted to ～.
- I thought it would be fun to ～.
- It’s something I’ve been interested in.
Examples in conversation:
- I’ve always wanted to learn how to cook Japanese food.
- It’s something I’ve been interested in since high school.
Summary
- pick up ～
→ A casual expression meaning “start a new hobby or skill.” - start taking ～ classes / lessons
→ Used to express that you began attending lessons. - What kind of ～?
→ A basic expression for asking more details about the activity. - once a week / every Sunday
→ Useful phrases for talking about frequency. - I’ve always wanted to ～
→ A natural way to express your motivation or purpose.
