Learn English with Harry Potter Movies
Created: Nov 30, 2024
Last Updated: Nov 30, 2024
The biggest reason to learn English with Harry Potter is simple: it's an incredible, timeless story. At Flurret, we believe the most effective way to add new English words to your vocabulary is to learn English with movies.
So what better movie series to start with than with an epic tale of friendship, magic and the battle between good and evil? From classroom lessons in a castle to magical battles, these beloved films turn learning English into an adventure.
Why Harry Potter is perfect for improving English fluency
Let's explore some of the key reasons why the Harry Potter films are perfect for improving your advanced English skills.
You’ll learn magical vocabulary as Harry does
Part of the appeal of learning English with Harry Potter is the way that the main character Harry knows nothing about the magical world when he starts his adventure.
That means that as he’s introduced to this world full of spells and creatures, so are you. You’ll get the benefit of having new terms introduced in context and explained by characters as they appear.
For example when Hagrid explains Muggle to Harry:
Hagrid says, "A Muggle. It's what we call folk who don't have magic - non-magic folk."
Experience a variety of British accents
Do you want to work on your English accent? The best way to refine your own accent is through immersion. The film features an excellent range of speaking styles that reflect Britain's different regions and social classes.
Listen out for a wide variety of common British accents, such as…
- Professor McGonagall's crisp Scottish accent
- Hagrid's warm West Country accent, typical of many people who live in the rural West of England
- The Malfoy family's refined upper-class pronunciation
- Ron and the Weasley family’s casual middle-class English
- Seamus Finnigan's Irish lilt
- Professor Dumbledore, Snape and Flitwick's precise Received Pronunciation (what many people think of a classic British accent)
When it comes to clear, well-pronounced speech, Harry Potter is one of the best movies to learn English from. Use conversations between the characters to help work on your own pronunciation of words.
Grow your abilities with the characters
The books and films in this famous series follow Harry as a newcomer to the world of magic, aged 11. As his journey grows, so does the complexity of both the story and the language used.
The early films feature simpler vocabulary and more straightforward conversations, perfect for building your foundation in English. By the time you reach the later films, you'll be ready for more sophisticated dialogue and complex emotional scenes.
Add magic and folklore to your vocabulary
The wizarding world introduces you to a treasure trove of magical vocabulary that appears throughout many fantasy books and movies, not just this series. When you learn English with Harry Potter, you'll master timeless magical terms like wand, spell, and potion that appear in countless other stories and games.
The films bring magical creatures to life, teaching you about dragons, unicorns, and goblins as well as enchanted objects like cauldrons and magic mirrors that you’ll find in many fairy tales beyond Harry Potter.
The best part is that the series naturally introduces these terms through engaging scenes with clear context, like when Professor Lupin teaches Harry’s class about Boggarts:
Professor Lupin says, “A Boggart is a shape-shifter. It will turn into whatever each of us most fears."
Learn British expressions, slang and idioms
Another benefit of learning English with Harry Potter is that it’s packed full of British vocabulary. These terms will help you understand British culture, TV shows and movies better in future - especially if you’re mainly used to American shows and movies.
Here are some examples of classic British expressions you'll hear during the films:
Ron about joining Harry's quest: "You don't reckon we're in for it now?" (meaning: going to be in trouble)
Ron talking about getting detention "That's bang out of order!" (meaning: completely unfair)
Get a taste of British culture
From traditional boarding school life to classic English foods and celebrations, the Harry Potter films offer a window into British culture. Here are just some examples...
- Experience Christmas traditions, from gift exchanges on Christmas morning to wearing paper crowns from crackers during Christmas lunch
- See traditional British boarding school life reflected at Hogwarts in school uniforms, house systems and prefects as well as student common rooms full of camaraderie
- Visit the Hog's Head pub in Hogsmeade, where you'll experience the cozy atmosphere that Britain's pub culture is famous for
- Ron and the Weasley family’s casual middle-class English
These are just the big moments - you'll also pick up smaller cultural details, from how people greet each other in shops to the way students interact with their professors.
Learn English with Harry Potter movies the smart way
If you’ve ever tried learning English through movies you probably already know it can be a brilliant method for learning new vocabulary.
However, it can require a lot of stopping and starting if you plan to learn the vocabulary as you go. After a while, that approach can become frustrating and hard to stick with.
That’s where Flurret comes in. We help you learn any new vocabulary before you watch it. That way, you have a smoother watching experience and can focus on hearing your new vocabulary in context.
Try Flurret today to learn English with Harry Potter as well as hundreds of other hugely popular TV shows and best movies to learn English with.
Glossary
Even this page is a chance to add some new English words to your growing vocabulary. Here are some definitions to words you might not know yet:
- Encountered - Met or experienced something.
- Sophisticated - Complex or refined, showing good taste and knowledge.
- Dialogue - Conversation between two or more people.
- Treasure trove - A valuable collection or resource.
- Boggart - Originally a mischievous household spirit in English folklore, reimagined in Harry Potter as a magical creature that changes into what you fear most.
- Immersion - Being completely surrounded by something.
- Lilt - A pleasant rising and falling sound of someone's voice, often associated with Irish or Scottish accents.
- Detention - Punishment where students must stay after school hours.
- Quest - A long search or journey for something.
- Prefect - A senior student with special responsibilities.
- Common room - A shared living space in a British school or university.
- Treacle - A thick, sweet, dark syrup used in British desserts.
- Camaraderie - Friendly trust and friendship among people who spend time together.