Arithmancy
Catalan
Arithmancy becomes Magimàtica in Catalan. When we break it down it appears that ‘magi-’ is for magic and ‘màtica’ for matemàtica (aka maths). If maths had been magic at school, we would have paid far more attention.
Danish
In Danish, this subject also has a rather literal name, Talmagi, which directly translates to number magic – it does what it says on the tin!
Dutch
Seeing as Arithmancy is the art of predicting the future using numbers, as the rough translation of Voorspellend Rekenen is predictive calculating, this seems spot on!
Finnish
Sticking with the numbers theme, in Finnish the subject becomes Numerologia which directly translates to numberology.
Hungarian
Once again, numbers come to the forefront when directly translating the Hungarian version of the subject from Számmisztika to numerology.
Charms
Italian:
In Italian, Professor Flitwick’s subject becomes the whimsical sounding Incantesimi which roughly translates to enchantments or spells.
Indonesian:
The Indonesian version of Charms is Mantra, which directly translates to spells.
Slovenian:
There’s a theme emerging as we move through these translations, the Slovenian version of Charms is uroki which also roughly translates to spells!
French
Sortilèges is the French version of Charms – can you guess what it translates to? Yes! You’re right, Spells.
Swedish
Mixing things up a little, the Swedish version becomes Trollformellära – which has nothing to do with trolls but does roughly translate to spell craft.
Divination
Catalan:
The Catalan version of Divination is Futurologia which translates to futurology. As Divination is all about predicting the future, this makes perfect sense.
Finnish:
Speaking of the word prediction, the Finnish version of Divination, ennustaminen, directly translates to that.
German:
Whereas the German translation of this subject, Wahrsagen, taps into the more traditional view of psychics as its literal translation is fortune telling.
Hungarian:
The Hungarian version is like the German with the subject being known as jóslástan which roughly translates to the study of fortune telling.
Lithuanian:
The Lithuanian plays into the unknown and (dare we say) often fraudulent elements of Trelawney’s class as Ateities būrimas which translates to future guessing.
Herbology
Dutch:
Neville Longbottom’s favourite subject becomes Kruidenkunde in Dutch. When broken down it seems ‘kruiden’ translates to herbs and ‘kunde’ to knowledge/science/learning.
French:
In the Muggle world, the study of plants is known as botany. It also happens to be what Herbology is known as in the French translation – Botanique.
Hebrew:
On the topic of plant theory, this is what the Hebrew translation of Herbology, תורת הצמחים, means.
Hungarian:
Some of the magical plants in Professor Sprout’s greenhouses, such as the Mandrake, have brilliant healing properties. This is the idea that the Hungarian translation leans into with this subject becoming gyógynövénytan, which translates to herbal medicine.
Swedish:
Örtlära is the Swedish version of Herbology and its direct English translation is herbalism.
Defence Against the Dark Arts
Catalan:
The Catalan translation of Harry’s best subject is similar to the English as La Defensa Contra les Forces del Mal – defence against the forces of evil.
French:
It is the same story in French, where the subject is known as La Défense contre les forces du Mal which translates to defence against the forces of evil in English.
Dutch:
The Dutch variation, Verweer tegen Zwarte Kunsten, keeps the same start as the English version but translates to defence against black arts. Interesting, ‘Zwart’ (black) is often used to mean darkness when it comes to magic.
Hungarian:
The final word is the only difference between the Hungarian translation of DADA and the original, as sötét varázslatok kivédése is defence against dark spells/magic in English.
Slovak:
It’s pretty much an identical situation in Slovak as Obrana proti čiernej mágii translates to defence against dark magic.
Potions
Dutch:
Potions becomes Toverdranken in Dutch which means magic drinks… extremely literal but very accurate.
Finnish:
The Finnish have the same no-nonsense approach when it comes to naming this subject as taikajuomat is also magic drinks.
Lithuanian:
We really like that the Lithuanian translation represents the duality of Potions as both a force for good and evil. The subject becomes Nuodai ir vaistai which is poisons and medicine in English.
Slovak:
Potions becomes Elixíry in Slovak which, as you have probably figured out, means elixirs.
Slovenian:
The Slovenian is extremely similar to the English where the subject is known as čarobni napoji which translates to magic potions.
Muggle Studies
Dutch:
Dreuzelkunde is the Dutch version of Muggle Studies with Dreuzel meaning Muggle and Kunde meaning knowledge/science/learning.
Finnish:
Muggle Studies becomes jästitiedon in Finnish which is Muggle information in English.
French:
In French, the word for Muggle is Moldus. So, the subject dedicated to the study of them is L’étude des Moldus.
Italian:
The Italian word for Muggle Studies is Babbanologia. In Italian, Babbano is the word used for Muggle.
Slovak:
In Slovak, the name of this subject goes into quite a bit of detail as Život a Zvyky Muklov translates to the life and habits of Muggles in English.
