ocio
nounCEFR B1
What does “ocio” mean in English?
leisure, free time — time not occupied by work or obligations; recreational time for cultural and personal activities
Example sentences
Dedico la mayor parte de mi tiempo de ocio a leer novelas históricas y a visitar museos de arte cuando el clima lo permite.
I devote most of my leisure time to reading historical novels and visiting art museums when the weather allows.
En España, el sector del ocio y la cultura genera miles de empleos y contribuye de forma significativa a la economía nacional.
In Spain, the leisure and culture sector generates thousands of jobs and contributes significantly to the national economy.
Después de años trabajando sin descanso, decidió que necesitaba más ocio y empezó a reservar los domingos solo para actividades culturales.
After years of working non-stop, he decided he needed more leisure time and started reserving Sundays just for cultural activities.
How to use it
Ocio is a masculine noun (el ocio) meaning 'leisure' or 'free time' — time not occupied by work or obligations. It covers the full range of recreational activities: going to the cinema, playing sport, reading, visiting museums, and everything in between. A near-synonym is el tiempo libre (free time), which is more colloquial and conversational; el ocio is more formal and often appears in compound constructions: el tiempo de ocio, las actividades de ocio, la industria del ocio. At B1 it appears in discussions of work-life balance, cultural participation, and personal hobbies.
Common mistake
Ocio does not mean 'ocean' (that is el océano). English speakers sometimes confuse the two false friends. Ocio can be uncountable when referring to the concept (necesito más ocio = I need more leisure), and appears in fixed collocations with de: el tiempo de ocio, las actividades de ocio.