we humbly seek gold

Video lesson

Welcome

Ready for Part 2 of our English adventure with A MINECRAFT MOVIE 🧱? Hello, I’m Jainie, and this lesson, we’ll break down tricky words and informal phrases like: “crushing loaf” 🍞, “elite loot” ✨, “double cross” ⚔️, “bunch of big softies” 💪❤️, “bro-hemeth” 😂, and many more. Let’s watch and learn.

Learn new words and phrases

What are you doing down here?

Simple words, right? But ‘down here’ is useful. Natalie has just come down into this mineshaft to find Henry. So, ‘down here’ clearly means ‘in this place, below where we just were or where people normally are’. It emphasizes the location – underground, unexpected, maybe a bit strange or even dangerous. She’s not just asking what he’s doing, but why he’s doing it in this specific, lower location. It’s a very natural way to ask when you find someone unexpectedly in a spot below you, like a basement, a cave, or… well, a creepy abandoned mineshaft!

we’re not in Idaho anymore

This line, “We’re not in [Place] anymore,” is a very famous quote, originally from ‘The Wizard of Oz’ (“We’re not in Kansas anymore”). It’s used when people find themselves in a completely strange and unexpected place. It’s a cultural reference lots of English speakers know.

heck

‘heck’ is an expression of annoyance or surprise, or a way of adding emphasis to a statement or question.

quest giver

This term comes straight from video games! A ‘quest giver’ is a character who gives the player a mission or task – a ‘quest’. Garrett thinks this world works like a game.

I’ll do the talking

When Garrett said this, he meant, ‘Let me speak for the group’. He’s taking charge!

wise

means having or showing the ability to make good judgments, based on a deep understanding and experience of life.

‘humbly’ means in a way that shows that you do not think you are important, or in a way that shows you do not consider yourself as better than others.

And ‘seek’ is just a slightly more formal word for ’look for’ or ’try to find.’ So, Garrett is basically saying, ‘Excuse me, Mr. Wise Creature, we are respectfully looking for gold, please help us!’ He’s keeping up that very formal, maybe slightly silly, role-playing.

lead us to your treasure load

We know ’treasure’ – valuable things like gold, jewels, etc. Adding ‘-load’ on the end of a word is informal slang for ‘a large amount of something’. Even though Garrett was trying to be formal, he slipped back into some slang there!

I work in the animal field

Dawn says, ‘I work in the animal field…’ Let’s look at this. When we talk about a ‘field’ of work, it doesn’t mean a grassy place outside! It means an area of study, business, or expertise. So, if you ‘work in the animal field,’ your job involves animals – maybe you’re a vet, a zookeeper, or like Dawn, you run a mobile zoo! You could also work in the ‘medical field’ (doctors, nurses) or the ’tech field’ (computers, software).

shh… we’re talking

And Garrett’s reaction? ‘shh… we’re talking.’ That sound, ‘shh’, is what we use to tell someone to be quiet. And when he says ‘we’re talking’ right after ‘shh’, it means ‘Hey! You interrupted us! Be quiet, we are having an important conversation right now!’

Now, let’s skip ahead slightly. They’ve met Steve, the guy who seems to know this world. He wants the cube (the ‘orb’) they have, and they want to get home. Let’s watch the negotiation.

you gotta give me that orb

Steve says, “you gotta give me that orb.” Notice ‘gotta’ – that’s informal spoken English for ‘got to’ or ‘have to’. It means ‘you must’. Steve is making a demand as part of the deal.

‘orb’ means something in the shape of a ball, it also means is a ball-shaped object with a cross on top of it, used as a symbol of royal power, and carried by a king or queen during some official ceremonies. In Minecraft world, it looks like a cube.

none of your concern

This is a strong way of saying ‘It’s none of your business!’ or ‘You don’t need to know, and I’m not telling you.’ It sounds a bit rude or secretive. Finally, Steve asks, “do we have a deal?” This is a very common question at the end of a negotiation to ask if everyone agrees to the terms.

under two conditions

When you make a deal ‘under conditions,’ it means you will only agree IF the other person accepts your specific requirements or rules.

if you double cross us…

To ‘double cross someone’ means to betray them, to trick them after you’ve made an agreement. Garrett is warning Steve not to cheat them.

this guy is such a tool bag

Natalie is not impressed! She whispers, “This guy is such a tool bag.” ’tool bag’ is slang for someone annoying, arrogant, or maybe a bit stupid.

we need to load up on some gear

Okay, deal done! Steve says, “we need to load up on some gear…”. To ’load up on’ something means to get a large quantity of it. And ‘gear’ here means equipment, supplies, tools – things you need for a specific activity, like adventure or survival.

this guy’s lost his mind. This is a common idiom. If someone has ’lost their mind,’ it means they are acting crazy, illogical, or are suggesting something very foolish or dangerous.

I got a secret stash of elite loot

Okay, Steve has a ‘secret stash’. ‘stash’ means an amount of something that has been stored or hidden, especially a large amount, a hidden collection. ’loot’ means valuable items, in computer games, the things you get as rewards. ’elite’ means top quality.

you don’t bug them, they won’t bug you

‘To bug’ someone means to annoy or bother them. So, leave them alone, they leave you alone. Simple!

they love crushing loaf

‘loaf’ means bread or cake that is shaped and baked in a single piece and can be sliced for eating. ‘crushing’ here just means eating a lot of it with enjoyment. These villagers really like bread!

a bunch of big softies

A ‘softie’ is someone gentle or kind, the opposite of tough. So, this ‘iron golem’ look scary but is nice… unless you bother the villagers!

bro-hemeth

This is mixing the words ‘bro’ (friend) with ‘behemoth’ (giant creature). Just a silly nickname!

I got goose pimples just walking up on it

‘goose pimples’, or sometimes called ‘goosebumps,’ are those little bumps that appear on your skin when your hair stands up. Why do we get them? Usually, it’s because you’re cold, or maybe scared. But you can also get them when you feel a strong emotion, like being very impressed, or even strong nostalgia or pride! Here, Steve is looking at his lava chicken invention, and he’s SO impressed, excited, and proud of his own creation! It’s a common way to express feeling really moved or excited about something.

sizzling

means making the sound of, or a sound like, food cooking in hot oil.

I hope you enjoyed watching and learning with me today. Which phrase was your favorite? Let me know in the comments! See you next lesson.