French Phrase
Pas vraiment, je préfère faire du vélo.
Meaning
The speaker is politely saying they don’t really like something and then stating that they would rather ride a bike. It’s a soft way to decline or express a different preference.
When to use
Use this sentence when someone asks you about a hobby, a food, or an activity you’re not enthusiastic about, and you want to shift the conversation to your love of cycling.
✦Grammar Breakdown
Pasvraiment,jepréfèrefaireduvélo.
Pas vraiment
A common negation phrase meaning 'not really'; combines the negative particle 'pas' with the adverb 'vraiment' for a softer denial.
Préférer + infinitif
The verb 'préférer' is followed directly by an infinitive verb to express a preference (e.g., je préfère faire).
Faire du + activity
The construction 'faire du' + noun denotes doing a recreational activity (e.g., faire du vélo = to ride a bike).
Partitive article 'du'
In 'du vélo', 'du' is the partitive article used before a masculine singular noun to talk about an activity in general.
🗨In Conversation
Tu aimes le jogging?
Do you like jogging?
Pas vraiment, je préfère faire du vélo.
Not really, I prefer to ride a bike.
✕Common Mistakes
Pas, je préfère faire du vélo.
The comma after 'Pas' breaks the idiomatic phrase; use 'Pas vraiment' or just 'Non' for a correct negation.
Je préfère faire le vélo.
The correct idiom is 'faire du vélo' (partitive article), not 'faire le vélo'.
Je préfère à faire du vélo.
When expressing a preference, use 'préférer' + infinitive, not 'préférer à' + infinitive.
↔Alternatives
Pas trop, je préfère faire du vélo.
Not much, I prefer to ride a bike.
Non, je préfère faire du vélo.
No, I prefer to ride a bike.
Je préfère le vélo.
I prefer the bike.
Cultural Tip
Cycling is a very common pastime and mode of transport in France, especially in cities like Paris and Lyon. Saying 'faire du vélo' sounds natural and shows you’re familiar with everyday French lifestyle. Avoid using 'faire le vélo' – the correct idiom is 'faire du vélo'.