2026.07.09_Talking about DIY

Listen UP! Talking about DIY– Pre Intermediate, Intermediate


https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-english/260515



Spotify: 

https://open.spotify.com/episode/09shqXAtUosRNTT1iFcPmy


Vocabulary

English word

Pronunciation 

Slovak

Example sentence

DIY (Do It Yourself)

/ˌdiː aɪ ˈwaɪ/

domáce opravy a úpravy

I enjoy doing DIY at weekends.

fairy lights

/ˈfeəri laɪts/

svetelná reťaz

She put fairy lights on the wall.

procrastinate

/prəˈkræstɪneɪt/

prokrastinovať

I often procrastinate when I have difficult tasks.

postpone

/pəˈspəʊn/

odložiť

We postponed the renovation until next year.

flat-pack furniture

/ˌflæt pæk ˈfɜːnɪtʃə/

nábytok na montáž

IKEA sells flat-pack furniture.

state

/steɪt/

stav

The garden is in a bad state.

come round

/kʌm raʊnd/

prísť na návštevu

Friends often come round at weekends.

put up

/pʊt ʌp/

zavesiť, upevniť

We put up new shelves yesterday.

put together

/pʊt təˈɡeðə/

poskladať

It took three hours to put together the wardrobe.


Practical english

Talking about abilities

  • I´m quite handy around the house. - V dome som celkom šikovný/á.

  • I´m hopeless at DIY..- V DIY som beznádejný/á.

  • I can manage basic repairs. -  Zvládam základné opravy.

  • That´s beyond my skills. - To je nad moje schopnosti.

Talking about procrastination

  • I´ve been putting it off. - Odkladal/a som to.

  • I keep meaning to do it. - Stále to mám v úmysle urobiť.

  • It´s been on my to-do list for ages.. - Už dlho to mám na zozname úloh.


Useful idioms and expressions


get your hands dirty – pustiť sa do praktickej práce
I like getting my hands dirty in the garden.
build something from scratch – postaviť niečo od  nuly/od základu
He built the table from scratch.
bite off more than you can chew – vziať si väčšie sústo ako zvládneš
I tried to renovate the whole kitchen and bit off more than I could chew.
labour of love– práca robená s radosťou/láskou
Restoring the old house was a labour of love.


Create your own sentences with the following words:
decorating, artwork, ignore, argument, put together

Questions and Answers


Q: Do you enjoy DIY?
A: Sometimes. I enjoy simple DIY tasks, but I avoid complicated repairs.

Q: What DIY jobs can you do?
A: I can paint walls, assemble furniture and put up shelves.

Q: Do you prefer doing repairs yourself or hiring someone?
A:  It depends on the task. For small jobs, I prefer doing them myself.

Q:  Have you ever built flat-pack furniture?
A:  Yes, I have. It was challenging but satisfying.

Q:  Are you good at following instructions?
A:  Usually yes, especially when assembling furniture.

Q: Do you procrastinate?
A:  Sometimes. I often delay boring or difficult tasks.

Q: What home improvement project would you like to do?
A:  I'd like to redesign my living room and paint the walls.

Q: Do you enjoy decorating your home?
A: Yes, I enjoy making my home comfortable and attractive.

Q: What would your dream house look like?
A: It would have a large garden, a terrace and a modern kitchen.






 

 

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