How do you say "What are your hobbies?" in Japanese?

Quick use

Use しゅみはなんですか (shumi wa nan desu ka) when you want to open a light conversation topic with someone new.

It is useful when names and basic introductions are already finished and you want to keep the conversation going.

Chunk or pattern

• Reusable pattern: 〜 は / なん ですか
• You can replace しゅみ with another topic you want to ask about.
• Good swaps here: しごと, おすすめ, すきなたべもの.

Core words

• しゅみ: hobby.
• なん: what.

Helper words and endings

• は: marks the topic, like “as for ...” here.
• ですか: makes it a polite question.

Practical note

This is a safe small-talk question, but it can feel a little interview-like if asked suddenly. It works best after a short self-introduction or another natural topic.