Beginner (A1)ReadingLessonPublic

Hobbies in Daily Talk: Japan, Europe, and the USA

Quality checked lesson

Published 2 Sep 2026

Hobbies give people easy, friendly topics for daily conversation. Sports, music, short trips, and weekend plans are common, but each person has different interests.

Two friends sit on a park bench talking, hands in pockets, with a small radio and thermos on a checkered cloth.

Article

Choose how to use this lesson

You can switch anytime.

Lesson controls

Tap a word for dictionary help.

Study mode

Introduction

, for . , , , and are , but each has .

Before you begin

Warm-up

What hobbies do you enjoy?
What do people talk about after a weekend?
Do you often talk about sports, music, or trips?

A young man and woman sit on a living-room sofa holding tea mugs and talking beside a sunny window.

Reading

Part 1: Small Talk and Shared Topics

What about in is a , like in or the in the . is , polite .

It and . It is not a or a .

, , , , and are . A can us this : the , the , and the own . Not everyone in the same .

Check your understanding

Check: Part 1: Small Talk and Shared Topics

1. What is the main purpose of small talk?

Sample answer

The main purpose is to build a friendly and comfortable relationship.

Think one step further

What would you talk about in daily life with a new coworker, and why?

Reading

Part 2: Baseball Talk in Japan

is a in . In a 2024 , 47.4% of on during the .

may about a or at near . is another . He for the and the , and he an with 262 in 2004.

Check your understanding

Check: Part 2: Baseball Talk in Japan

1. What baseball topics may appear in daily conversation in Japan?

Sample answer

People may talk about NPB games, summer Koshien, and famous players such as Ichiro Suzuki.

Two friends sit in a small karaoke room with microphones on the table; one hugs a red cushion while a screen glows with colored lights.

Reading

Part 3: Karaoke with Friends or Alone

is with while on a . in in 1971.

The 100 . , a by the after or on a .

Some also , which . The same can be or .

Check your understanding

Check: Part 3: Karaoke with Friends or Alone

1. How can karaoke be both a social and a private hobby?

Sample answer

Friends can sing together in a karaoke box, while one person can enjoy hitokara alone.

Reading

Part 4: Weekend Trips and Seasonal Plans

in also the . In and , may in for and under its many cherry .

Another is an . An is a and the around it.

in and in are . These about , , and .

Check your understanding

Check: Part 4: Weekend Trips and Seasonal Plans

1. Why do hanami and onsen trips become daily conversation topics?

Sample answer

They become conversation topics because people can share news about their weekend, the season, food, and travel.

Reading

Part 5: Football, Cycling, and Hiking in Europe

In , 57% of they are in . may be about a or .

are also : 42% of a at once in 2020. In , in the . The has more than 65,000 of , with that .

Check your understanding

Check: Part 5: Football, Cycling, and Hiking in Europe

1. What different hobby topics are common in Germany and Switzerland?

Sample answer

German examples include football and cycling, while a Swiss example is hiking on marked Alpine trails.

A man and a woman sit on a sofa talking while a football match plays on TV and a pie and roast sit on the coffee table.

Reading

Part 6: Big Games in Spain and the USA

In , or may , the between and . In the , is the to for about 41% of .

during , and the Super is another . Like in , these . , is more than .

Check your understanding

Check: Part 6: Big Games in Spain and the USA

1. What do sports conversations in Japan, Spain, and the USA have in common?

Sample answer

In all three countries, important games can give people shared topics for friendly daily conversation.

What you can do now

Final Reflection

Which hobby or weekend topic from your country would you share with someone from Japan, Germany, Spain, Switzerland, or the USA, and why?

Learning cards

My cards

Hobbies in Daily Talk: Japan, Europe, and the USA

Reviews first

0 due · 0 new · about 1 min

Learn the sense first · then retrieve it

No saved cards yet

Open a word or phrase in the article and choose Save to My Words.

Listening

Lesson audio

Listen from the beginning, or choose “Play this part” as you read along.

Reading

Part 1: Small Talk and Shared Topics

What people talk about in daily life is often a weekend hobby, like NPB baseball in Japan or the Super Bowl in the USA.

Small talk is short, polite conversation.

It helps people feel friendly and comfortable.

It is not a serious meeting or a business deal.

Weather, weekend plans, food, hobbies, and sports are often safe topics.

A simple lens can help us understand this talk: the topic, the local example, and the person’s own interest.

Not everyone in one country likes the same things.

Reading

Part 2: Baseball Talk in Japan

Watching sport is a popular hobby in Japan.

In a 2024 survey, 47.4% of adults watched NPB professional baseball on TV during the past year.

People may talk about a weekend game or summer high school baseball at Koshien Stadium near Osaka.

Ichiro Suzuki is another famous topic.

He played for the Orix BlueWave and the Seattle Mariners, and he set an MLB record with 262 hits in 2004.

Reading

Part 3: Karaoke with Friends or Alone

Karaoke is singing with recorded music while reading words on a screen.

Daisuke Inoue built coin karaoke machines in Kobe in 1971.

The machines used 100 yen coins.

Today, friends often rent a small private karaoke box by the hour after work or on a weekend.

Some people also enjoy hitokara, which means singing karaoke alone.

The same hobby can therefore be social or private.

Reading

Part 4: Weekend Trips and Seasonal Plans

Daily talk in Japan also follows the seasons.

In late March and early April, people may visit Ueno Park in Tokyo for hanami and picnic under its many cherry trees.

Another weekend topic is an onsen trip.

An onsen is a Japanese hot spring and the baths around it.

Dogo Onsen in Matsuyama and Beppu Onsen in Oita are well-known places.

These trips give people easy Monday topics about weather, food, and travel.

Reading

Part 5: Football, Cycling, and Hiking in Europe

In Germany, 57% of people say they are interested in watching football.

Monday talk may be about a Bundesliga match or FC Bayern Munich.

Active hobbies are also important: 42% of German adults rode a bicycle at least once in 2020.

In Switzerland, people often discuss weekend hikes in the Alps.

The country has more than 65,000 kilometres of marked trails, with yellow Wanderweg signs that show walking time.

Reading

Part 6: Big Games in Spain and the USA

In Spain, cafe or work talk may follow El Clasico, the football match between Real Madrid and FC Barcelona.

In the USA, American football is the favourite sport to watch for about 41% of adults.

Families often watch NFL games during Thanksgiving weekend, and the Super Bowl is another major topic.

Like NPB talk in Japan, these games offer shared stories.

However, personal interest is always more important than nationality.

Finished listening?

Mark this listening practice complete when you have followed the lesson audio.

Article complete

Choose your next step

Open the next same-level lesson, replay the article, or save this page for later.

Next A1 lesson

Keep the habit going with another lesson at the same level.

A1: Leo and the Red Kite Browse A1 lessons

Listen Again

Replay the article once and notice how much more you understand.

One replay is enough. Then move on.

Lesson resourcesOptional

Hobbies in Daily Talk: Japan, Europe, and the USA

Article

Great job!

Your rhythm

Great job!

Your rhythm

Great job!

Your rhythm

Great job!

Your rhythm

Great job!

Your rhythm

Great job!

Your rhythm

Great job!

Your rhythm

No saved cards yet

Lesson audio

Finished listening?

Choose your next step

Next A1 lesson

Listen Again

Resources