Australian Language & Lingo
Australian slang is a colourful mix of shortened or abbreviated words, affectionate name changes, and some terms that find their origins in the gold fields and cattle mustering of the early colonial days. There are so many 'ocker' terms, phrases, nicknames and ways of speaking that it could sound like someone is speaking a totally different language. It is still English - it's just our English, Australian English. It reflects our history just as much as it does our individuality!
For the most part if an Australian knows you’re not from around here they will probably tone it down a bit to help you out (unless they’re having bit of a laugh). But just in case you’re looking to infiltrate and blend in with the locals here are a few of the more common terms you’ll hear.
Common Aussie Lingo Terms
| Ace | Excellent! Very good! |
| Ambo: | Ambulance/ambulance driver |
| Arvo: | Short for afternoon (We'll have a beer this arvo) |
| Aussie: | Australian (pronounced Ozzie) |
| Bail out: | To depart |
| Barbie: | Barbecue/BBQ |
| Bastard: | Usually a term of endearment (listen for tone) |
| Battler: | Someone working hard |
| Beaut/beauty: | Great/fantastic |
| Bikkie: | Biscuit |
| Bloke: | Man or guy |
| Bloody: | Very (it's bloody hard work) |
| Bloody Oath: | That's certainly true |
| Bludger: | Lazy person, relies on others to do things |
| Blue | Fight (He was having a blue with his mate) |
| Bogan: | Country Australian with no shame (our version of an American Redneck) |
| Bogged: | Stuck in mud or deep sand (while driving) |
| Booze bus: | Police vehicle used for catching drink drivers |
| Bottle-o/Bottle shop: | Liquor store |
| Brekkie: | Breakfast |
| Brickie: | Bricklayer |
| Brisvegas/Brissie: | Brisbane |
| Bull bar: | Metal bars on the front of vehicles to prevent damage from hitting animals |
| Bummer: | Well gee, that's not good |
| Bundy: | Short for the town Bundaberg, or the country's favourite rum |
| Bush: | The forest |
| Bush basher: | An old car only used for tearing around the bush in |
| Chunder: | Vomit |
| Cobber: | Friend or mate |
| Copper: | Police Officer (not to be mistaken with 'cobber') |
| Crack onto: | To hit on someone |
| Crikey: | An exclamation (was often used by the late Steve Irwin) |
| Crook: | Sick |
| Daks: | Pants or trousers |
| Digger: | Australian soldier |
| Dip: | A swim (Have a dip in the pool if the weather is too hot) |
| Dinkum (fair dinkum!): | True/real/genuine |
| Dunny: | Outside toilet (often indoor toilets are referred to as dunnies) |
| Durry: | Cigarette |
| Esky: | Insulated food/drink container (used mostly for beer) |
| Fair go: | A chance (give a bloke a fair go) |
| Flamin' | Substitutes 'very' and is kiind of a rude or angry word (he's a flamin galah) |
| Footy: | Rugby League or Aussie Rules Football (not Soccer) |
| G'day: | Good day to you/hello |
| Galah: | Fool or silly person (named after a type of crazy bird) |
| Going off: | A party that is lots of fun (the place was going off!) |
| Good onya: | Good on you, well done (can be sarcastic) |
| Greenie: | Environmentalist |
| Grog: | Liquor/beer |
| Knock: | To criticise |
| Larrikin: | Someone always enjoying themselves, a harmless prankster |
| Maccas: | Macdonalds (you know, the golden arches) |
| Mate: | Friend, buddy |
| Missus: | Word for a man's wife or girlfriend |
| Mob: | A group of people |
| Mozzie: | Mosquito, annoying blood-sucking insect |
| Mug: | Friendly insult (have a go ya mug) |
| No worries: | Expression of forgiveness or reassurance |
| Ocker: | Very traditional Australian (will speak all of this fluently) |
| Outback: | The desert, centre of Australia |
| Pash: | A long passionate kiss (I pashed her last night) |
| Pint: | Large glass of beer |
| Pluggers: | Cheap, rubber sandals/flip flops (see thongs) |
| Pokies: | Poker machines. Found in many pubs and clubs |
| Pom/pommie: | An Englishman |
| Pot: | 285ml beer glass in Queensland and Victoria |
| Pressie: | A present or gift |
| Rapt: | Pleased or excited (Did she like the pressie? Oh, she was rapt!) |
| Reckon: | Think or agree. (Do you reckon? – Do you think so?) |
| Rego: | Vehicle registration |
| Rellie/relo: | Family relative (How are the rellies?) |
| Ripper: | Great or fantastic (It was a ripper party) |
| Rock up: | Arrive or turn up |
| Rollie: | A self-rolled cigarette |
| Roo: | A kangaroo |
| Sanger: | A sandwich |
| Schooner: | A size of beer glass in Queensland, NSW and South Australia |
| Scrub: | Another word for bush (He's out in the scrub) |
| Servo: | Petrol station |
| She'll be right: | It will turn out okay |
| Sheila: | A woman |
| Shout: | Turn to buy, usually drinks (It's your shout – It's your round) |
| Slab: | A carton of beer, usually 24 bottles or cans |
| Smoko: | Smoke or coffee break |
| Snag: | A sausage, preferably on the barbie |
| Spewin | Very angry (He was spewin when he saw the phone bill) |
| Spit the dummy: | Get angry/lose control verbally. Also referred to as a "dummy spit" |
| Sprung: | Caught doing something you were trying to hide |
| Spunk/spunky: | Attractive person of either sex |
| Squizz/stickybeak: | To look at something (Have a squizz at this!) |
| Stocko: | Car talk for unmodified/stock standard car or car parts |
| Stoked: | Very pleased |
| Strewth: | Exclamation |
| Stubby: | A single-serve bottle of beer |
| Stubby holder: | An insulated beer holder. Keeps the beer cool for longer. |
| Tea: | Can mean leaf tea or dinner (Come over for tea – Have dinner at my place) |
| Thongs: | Rubber sandals (not a g-string), known elsewhere as jandals/flip flops etc. |
| Togs: | Swimwear (Bring your togs and you can have a dip in the river) |
| Too right | Definitely! I agree totally! |
| Trackie daks: | Tracksuit pants |
| Truckie: | Truck driver |
| True blue: | Patriotic Australian |
| Tucker: | Food. Comes from 'bush tucker' which involves native berries and animals |
| Turps: | A word for alcohol (He hit the turps last night) |
| Uni: | University, college, where you go to get a degree |
| Up oneself: | To have a high opinion of yourself |
| Ute: | Short for utility vehicle |
| Walkabout: | When something goes missing (my keys have gone walkabout) |
| Whinge: | Complain (Nobody likes a whinger) |
| Wog: | A person of Mediterranean origin (not as much an insult as in the UK) |
| Woop woop: | Any regional/unimportant area (He moved out to the middle of woop woop) |
| XXXX: | A beer pronounced four-ex, a brand favoured by many Queenslanders |
| Yabby: | Australian, inland freshwater crayfish that taste delicious |
| Yakka: | Work. (Digging that hole was hard yakka) |
