French Phrase
C'est mon passe-temps principal.
Meaning
This sentence means “It’s my main hobby.” It emphasizes that among all the activities you enjoy, this one is the most important or frequent.
When to use
Use this phrase when you want to tell someone which activity occupies most of your free time, for example in introductions, interviews, or casual conversation about interests.
✦Grammar Breakdown
C'estmonpasse-tempsprincipal.
C'est (ce + est)
C'est is the contraction of ce (this/that) + est (is) and is used to identify or describe something.
Possessive adjective (mon)
Mon is the masculine singular possessive adjective meaning 'my', used before masculine nouns or nouns that start with a vowel.
Compound noun (passe-temps)
Passe-temps is a compound noun meaning 'hobby' or 'pastime'; it is masculine, so it takes masculine articles and adjectives.
Adjective after noun (principal)
When an adjective follows the noun, it usually adds a nuance of importance or quality; here principal means 'main' or 'principal'.
🗨In Conversation
Quel est ton passe-temps préféré ?
What’s your favorite pastime?
C'est mon passe-temps principal.
It’s my main hobby.
✕Common Mistakes
C'est mon passe-temps principale.
Passe-temps is masculine, so the adjective must stay masculine (principal).
C'est ma passe-temps principal.
The possessive must match the gender of passe-temps (masculine), so use mon, not ma.
C’est mon passe-temps principales.
Avoid adding an extra –es; the adjective does not take a plural ending here.
↔Alternatives
C'est mon loisir principal.
It’s my main leisure activity.
C'est mon hobby principal.
It’s my main hobby.
C'est mon activité favorite.
It’s my favorite activity.
Cultural Tip
In French, passe-temps is the most common word for ‘hobby’, but loisir is also widely used, especially in formal contexts. Remember that passe-temps is masculine, so the possessive must be mon, not ma, and the adjective principal must agree in gender (principal, not principale). Also, C’est is preferred over Il est when a noun follows the verb.