“G’day!” That cheerful, welcoming line is perhaps the best-known and amiable phrase in the Australian vocabulary. It is an invitation to a good-natured chat and almost always prompts a smile in return. In some ways, “G’day” communicates the best of Australian culture: welcoming, laid-back and easy-going friendliness to all.
Such is the power of good slang and, as anyone from Australia will tell you, it is everywhere here! Not just down at the local pub, at the beach or around the barbie, but also in the workplace and across the conference tables as well. It is part and parcel of everyday life so, for anyone planning on making the move to Australia for work or pleasure, it is a good idea to be familiar with at least some of the most common phrases and references so that you don’t find yourself out “back of Bourke” when you really only wanted to find the dunny!
So, to get you started, keep this as your reference guide so you can keep on top of Aussie conversation while waiting in the sausage sizzle line up at the footy (meaning AFL or rugby – NOT soccer!):-
Phrase/term = Meaning
Ace = great, excellent
Ankle-biter = child
Arvo = afternoon
Barbie = barbecue
Barrack = support (a sports team)
Bathers (also swimmers, cozzies) = garment you swim in
Bogan = Uncouth or uncool person
Bottle-o = bottle shop (liquor store)
Bloke = male
Bludger = lazy person
Buggered = tired, broken
Call it a day = finish what you are doing
Dodgy = not quite right, suspicious
Dunny = toilet
Fair go = give someone an equal chance
Fair dinkum = for real. Serious.
Give someone a bell = call someone on the phone
Good on ya = good for you (can be sarcastic)
Have a blue =have a fight
Hot under the collar = get angry
Idiot box = television
Jumper = sweater
Knock something = to criticise something
Lamingtons = sponge cakes coated in chocolate and grated coconut
Larrakin =a prankster, someone who likes to have a laugh
Little Aussie battler = someone bravely overcoming hardship
Maccas = McDonalds
Mate = term of friendship
Mucking around = playing games, being foolish
No worries = no problem, reassurance
Reckon = to agree, an opinion
Rip off = to cheat
Rug up = dress warmly
Servo = service station (gas station)
She'll be right = it'll be fine, reassurance
Shout = to pay for the next round of drinks
Show you the ropes = show you how things work
Slack = lazy
Slab = pack of 24 cans of beer
Spewin' = not happy
Spuda = potato
Spunk = a good looking person of either sex
Sucked in = to be conned or tricked into something
Sunnies = sunglasses
Ta = thank you
Take or chuck a sickie = have a day off work
Thongs = cheap rubber backless sandals
Trackie daks = tracksuit pants
True blue = genuinely Australian
Uni = university
Up yourself = have a high opinion of yourself
Veggies = vegetables Veggo = a vegetarian
Whinge = complain
Wonky = something unstable, unsteady or shaky
Wussa = coward
Yobbo = a rowdy/loud/disruptive person