Hello and welcome to my podcast My Life and Other Funny Stories. My name is Dagmar Tomášková, I am an English tutor and coach and I created this podcast for English students who want to improve their oral comprehension. As always you can find the transcription of this episode and vocabulary list in the notes of the podcast. 

Now, if you’re a Harry Potter fan, you probably already know about the four Hogwarts houses – Gryffindor (Nebelvír), Slytherin (Zmijozel), Ravenclaw (Havraspár), and Hufflepuff (Mrzimor). Each house has unique personality traits, and every Hogwarts student is sorted into one of them. Sorted means that they are chosen into different houses.

But today, we’re not sorting people – we’re sorting English words and idioms! Why? Because words, just like people, have different feelings and characteristics. And maybe it will be helpful for you to remember them in connection with one of the houses!

I hope you are going to like it, let’s go.

GRYFFINDOR WORDS – THE HOUSE OF BRAVERY

Let’s start with Gryffindor – the house of bravery, courage, and adventure. If you’re a Gryffindor, you’re probably someone who loves challenges and isn’t afraid to take risks. So what kind of words belong in Gryffindor?

First, let’s look at a phrase: To take the plunge – This is a phrase that means to make a big decision, especially when something is scary or uncertain.

A plunge is a noun that describes the action of jumping into deep waters.

Example:
„I wasn’t sure if I should move to another country, but I finally took the plunge! I am moving to English next month“

Second, we have the word “Fearless” – They describe someone who faces danger without fear. I learned this word from Taylor Swift’s song where she sings “And I don’t know why but with you I’d dance in a storm in my best dress”. Fearless is a synonym for brave.

Example:
„She was fearless when she gave her speech in front of 500 people!“

The third expression will be an Idiom: „Throw caution to the wind“ – This means to stop worrying about the risks and just go for it!

A caution is a care or an attention, so this means that you throw away your worries.

For example::
„I wasn’t sure if I should dance in front of everyone, but then I threw caution to the wind and had the best time!“

So,here are some words that express courage and adventure – perfect for Gryffindor!

SLYTHERIN WORDS – THE HOUSE OF AMBITION 

Next, we have Slytherin, the house of cleverness, ambition, and strategy. Slytherins know how to get what they want and are great at planning ahead. So, what kind of words belong in Slytherin?

First, we have the word “Scheming”  – This word describes someone who makes secret, clever plans, sometimes in a sneaky way.

Example:
„The villain in the movie was always scheming to take over the city.“

Second, we have a word that is quite similar to the Czech one:  Manipulative – This is used to describe someone who controls or influences others in a clever but often dishonest way. 

Example:
„He was very manipulative – he always got what he wanted.“

Third, we have an idiom: „Play your cards right.“ This means being strategic and making the right moves to be successful. So to play your cards right means that you will do all the right steps and think about your plan. 

Example:
„If you play your cards right, you might get promoted at work.“

So these are some words that could definitely describe someone from Slytherin.

RAVENCLAW WORDS – THE HOUSE OF WISDOM

Now, let’s talk about Ravenclaw, the house of intelligence, creativity, and curiosity. Ravenclaws love learning, deep thinking, and coming up with new ideas. What words fit into this house?

The first word on our list is the word  “Eloquent” – This describes someone who speaks very well and uses advanced words. Because of that, they come across as very smart and educated.

Example:
„The professor was so eloquent that everyone loved listening to his lectures.“

Second word, we have the word “Innovative” – This means creative and full of new ideas. I think I don’t have to explain that in detail as it is quite similar to the Czech word of the same meaning.

Example:
„Steve Jobs was an innovative thinker – he changed the world of technology.“

And lastly, for Ravenclaw, we have an Idiom: „A wise owl“ – This idiom means someone who is very knowledgeable and intelligent.

Example:
„My grandmother is a wise owl – she always gives the best advice.“

HUFFLEPUFF WORDS – THE HOUSE OF KINDNESS 

Finally, we have Hufflepuff, the house of kindness, loyalty, and hard work. Hufflepuffs are the most dependable friends and always put others before themselves. What words belong in this house?

The first one will be “Trustworthy” – This means someone who you can rely on and you can tell them secrets without worrying that they will tell them to someone else.

This word is constructed from the words “trust” and “worthy”. “Trust” is “důvěry” and “worthy” means “něčeho hodný” so it means that this person deserves your trust.

Example:
„She’s so trustworthy – I can tell her anything!“

Let’s look at a second expression for Hufflepuff and that is “Down-to-earth” – This means practical, humble, and easy to talk to. They are also very realistic. 

Example:
„Even though he’s famous, he’s really down-to-earth and friendly.“

And lastly, let’s look at one Idiom: „Go the extra mile“ – This means to do more than expected or that you have to. For example, if you have to write 7 pages of an essay but you write 10 to make it better, you go the extra mile.

Another example can be:
„She always goes the extra mile to help her friends.“ This means that she will do always even more than her friends ask of her.

So, we’ve sorted English words into Hogwarts houses!

• Gryffindor words are brave and courageous.
• Slytherin words are clever and ambitious.
• Ravenclaw words are intelligent and creative.
• Hufflepuff words are kind and humble.

If you learned some new words today, try using them in a sentence! And if you enjoyed this episode, love reading and Harry Potter, join me in my Harry Potter book club where we are going to read the first book of Harry Potter series, meet every week for a group conversation and you will get as much support as you need. So check it out if it sounds like something for you! I am excited to see you there! You will find a link to apply in the description of this episode!

Thank you so much for listening to this episode and don’t forget that you can find the transcription and vocabulary list in the notes. Please give it a five-star rating if you liked it and I will see you next time, bye-bye.

And if you love Harry Potter and you want to try all of these tips in practice, join me in my Harry Potter book club where we are going to read the first book of Harry Potter series, meet every week for a group conversation and you will get as much support as you need. So check it out if it sounds like something for you! I am excited to see you there! You will find a link to apply in the description of this episode! (CLICK HERE)

Thank you so much for listening to this episode and don’t forget that you can find the transcription and vocabulary list in the notes. Please give it a five-star rating if you liked it and I will see you next time, bye-bye.