Learn English with The Lion King (1994)

Simba is a young lion who will one day be king, like his father Mufasa. His uncle Scar wants the throne for himself. After a terrible loss Simba runs away, and one day he must come back to take his place.

Level: You can follow it at B2. Easy from C2.
Speech: Slow
Accent: American, British
Length: 1 h 29 min

Words and phrases (15)

circle of life
B1phrase
The way living things are born, die, and feed new life.
It's the circle of life
2:16
- Example: The old tree fell and fed young plants, part of the circle of life.
slip one's mind
B2phrase
To be forgotten by someone.
Must've slipped my mind.
6:05
- Example: I meant to call you, but it slipped my mind.
turn one's back on someone
B1phrase
To walk away from someone and show you do not care.
Don't turn your back on me, Scar.
6:27
- Example: He turned his back on his old friends when he got rich.
lion's share
B1phrase
The biggest part of something.
Well, as far as brains go, I got the lion's share.
6:44
- Example: She did the lion's share of the work.
be at the shallow end of the gene pool
B2phrase
To be weak or not clever from birth.
informal, a joke
But when it comes to brute strength, I'm afraid I'm at the shallow end of the gene pool.
6:47
- Example: He says he is at the shallow end of the gene pool, but he is very funny.
bust someone's bubble
B2phrase
To tell someone a sad truth that ends their happy hope.
informal
Sorry to bust your bubble, but you two turtle doves have no choice.
14:49
- Example: I hate to bust your bubble, but the shop is closed today.
walk on the wild side
B1phrase
To live in a dangerous or exciting way.
informal
I walk on the wild side.
19:10
- Example: He left his safe job to travel alone; he likes to walk on the wild side.
laugh in the face of danger
B2phrase
To show you are not afraid of anything dangerous.
I laugh in the face of danger.
19:13
- Example: He climbs high rocks with no rope and laughs in the face of danger.
with a heavy heart
B1phrase
Feeling very sad about something you do.
So it is with a heavy heart that I assume the throne.
40:30
- Example: With a heavy heart, she said goodbye to her old house.
put your behind in your past
B1phrase
A joke way to say: forget the bad things in your past.
informal
You know, kid, in times like this, my buddy Timon here says, "You got to put your behind in your past."
43:42
- Example: After my bad day, my brother laughed: "Just put your behind in your past!"
put something behind you
B2phrase
To stop thinking about a bad thing from the past.
It's, "You got to put your past behind you."
43:54
- Example: She lost the game, but she quickly put it behind her.
hakuna matata
B2phrase
No worries; there are no problems.
a Swahili saying, used in East Africa
Hakuna matata.
44:14
- Example: Forget the rain and smile â€” hakuna matata!
bone to pick with someone
B2phrase
A reason to talk to someone who made you angry.
informal
We got a bone to pick with you.
49:24
- Example: I have a bone to pick with my brother about my broken bike.
go for the jugular
C2phrase
To attack the weakest, most dangerous spot.
informal
Go for the jugular!
54:59
- Example: In the debate, she went for the jugular right away.
come in handy
B1phrase
To be useful at some time.
See, I told you he'd come in handy.
55:02
- Example: Take this map; it may come in handy.

Last updated 12 November 2026