How To Talk About Your Weekend

How to talk about your weekend and leisure activities in English? Today, you will learn essential vocabulary and expressions for talking naturally about hobbies, weekend activities, and free time.

These are phrases native speakers use in everyday conversations. This lesson is ideal for intermediate to advanced English learners who want to feel more fluent and confident when talking about their plans or interests.

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Harry

Harry is a native English teacher with over 10 years of experience both online and in face-to-face lessons. With his extensive experience in business, he specialises in Business English lessons but happily teaches ESL students with any English learning needs.

So this is an advanced English lesson. And in this advanced English lesson, we’re going to look at vocabulary specifically related to your free time and leisure.

A lot of these words and phrases and expressions are really great for those proficiency exams like IELTS, CAE, TOEFL that you might be doing, particularly if the examiner asks you to talk about your leisure time or your free time, and you might want to use some of these words or know how to start a conversation.

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weekend conversation starters

What did you get up to?

What do you do at the weekend?

What do you usually get up to at the weekends?

Have you any plans for this weekend?

adjectives for describing weekend

1️⃣ rewarding

Meaning: satisfying or fulfilling. It could involve quality time with loved ones, a fun hobby, or simply relaxing

Examples:

Helping the kids with basketball practice this weekend was really rewarding – seeing their excitement and progress made it all worth it.

I spent a rewarding weekend coaching the local youth football team. It was great to see them improve.

2️⃣ time-consuming

Meaning: it takes a lot of time to complete or requires a significant amount of effort

Examples:

I wish you wouldn’t play golf so often on weekends, it’s so time-consuming.

Cleaning out the garage ended up being so time consuming this weekend, I barely had time to relax.

3️⃣ fruitful

Meaning: productive or successful, leading to positive results or accomplishments

Examples:

It was a really fruitful weekend. We like to get away from the city and spend some time in nature to recharge.

We had a really fruitful weekend exploring small towns in the countryside. It felt great to get out of the city.

4️⃣ lucrative

Meaning: the activities were financially rewarding or brought in extra income

Examples:

I had a lucrative weekend at the car boot sale, picked up a few items worth good money.

I had a lucrative weekend working on some freelance projects and made a bit of extra money.

5️⃣ absorbing

Meaning: deeply engaging or captivating, holding your full attention

Examples:

I had an absorbing weekend cooking. I was so into trying new recipes that the time just flew by.

Spending the weekend at the theatre was really absorbing. The play was brilliant.

Harry finds a good book absorbing and likes to spend his free time reading.

How To Talk About Your Weekend

nouns related to weekend

1️⃣ culture vulture

Meaning: someone who loves exploring arts and culture, like theatre, museums, and galleries

Examples:

Emma’s a real culture vulture. She spends every weekend at museums, galleries, or the theatre.

Sophie’s a true culture vulture. If there’s a concert, play, or art show in town, she’s always the first to go.

2️⃣ couch potato

Meaning: someone who spends a lot of time sitting and watching TV, often with little physical activity

Examples:

Jake has become a real couch potato, spending all weekend in front of the TV.

Laura turned into a couch potato over the holidays, barely moving from the sofa.

3️⃣ dabbler

Meaning: someone who tries different hobbies or interests without fully committing to any of them

Examples:

He’s a bit of a dabbler in painting. He enjoys it but doesn’t do it very often.

He’s a dabbler in photography. He always takes his camera when he goes for a walk.

He dabbles in collecting small antiques, picking up affordable pieces from shops now and then.

4️⃣ doer

Meaning: someone who actively engages in various hobbies or projects

Examples:

He’s a real doer. At the weekends he’s off cycling, he’s off hill walking. He’s painting on a Sunday. He never sits still.

Emily is a real doer who fills her weekends with DIY projects and learning new skills.

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expressions for hobbies or interests

1️⃣ to be into sth

Meaning: (casual) you have a strong interest or enthusiasm for an activity, topic, or hobby

Examples:

She’s really into photography and spends hours taking pictures.

I’m into jazz music and listen to it every day.

2️⃣ to be fond of sth

Meaning: (slightly formal) to express a gentle liking or affection for something

Examples:

He is fond of football. He likes getting out with his friends.

I’m fond of pottery. It’s fun to make things, and sometimes we even create gifts for birthdays or Christmas.

3️⃣ to be hooked on

Meaning: to be very interested in or addicted to sth

Examples:

He started playing golf with his friends a couple of months ago, and now he’s completely hooked on it.

She’s hooked on that new series and watches it every night.

4️⃣ to be passionate about

Meaning: to be hooked on sth, but it doesn’t necessarily mean that it takes up all of your time

Examples:

He’s passionate about painting and spends hours perfecting his work.

She’s passionate about animal welfare and volunteers regularly at the shelter.

How To Talk About Your Weekend

5️⃣ to have a go (at sth)

Meaning: to try sth, often for the first time or just to see how it goes

Examples:

I’ve never skied before, so I’m not sure how good I’ll be, but I’ll have a go! It sounds fun.

I’ve never cooked Italian before, but I’ll have a go at making fresh pasta tonight.

6️⃣ to take up sth

Meaning: to start a new activity or hobby

Examples:

Jake decided to take up boxing and joined a local boxing club.

Emma has taken up cycling and now rides 40 km every weekend.

So this was essential vocabulary on how to talk about weekend and free time in English. If you have any questions about words or expressions of verbs or sentences that you might like to use, try to practise them. And if you want to contact me, you can do so on www.englishlessonviaskype.com and I’ll come back to you with your answers very, very quickly.

Thanks for listening, thanks for watching. This is Harry saying goodbye, join me again soon.