# Australian slang

Australian slang is informal language used in Australia.

## Understand

This guide should be viewed as an informal and fun introduction to some Australian idiosyncrasies, rather than a guide on how to communicate.
Increasing globalisation and a move away from rural living has seen Australian English adopt a lot of American terms while at the same time romanticising words commonly associated with the bush. Australians mostly view their slang as being uniquely Australian and an integral part of their culture. Judging by the number of Australian slang books available on the shelves, it remains of interest to travellers too.
Many parts of Australian slang have their origins outside Australia, particularly in England and Ireland. Don't be surprised if many terms seem familiar. However, don't assume that similar slang expressions have the same meaning to Australians as they might in other countries. An attempt to use some Australian slang will likely be viewed as an attempt to mock, rather than as a genuine attempt to speak the local dialect. It's better to use the guide to interpret Steve Irwin's former TV shows or if you're really unsure, just use American English, as nearly every Australian speaks American English just as well as they speak their own dialect. Trying to use British English also will get you there in most places, but most British terms that are not commonly used in Australia (such as lorry or crisps) will likely not be understood by most, unlike American.
A significant portion of Australian lexicon and place names derive from one of the hundreds of Indigenous Australian languages spoken before the British colonial period, many of which are still spoken today. Some words and names like "Wooloomooloo", "Oodnadatta" or "Kununurra" which visitors to the country may find challenging to pronounce, typically roll off the tongue of Australian English speakers.
English-speaking travellers are best advised just to speak clearly, as most Australians are used to a variety of accents. However, it can never hurt to say "G'day, How ya goin'" to an Aussie. The double s in shortenings like "Aussie" and "Tassie" is pronounced like a z, not a soft s.

## Greetings
### G'day

    Hello.

### How ya goin'

    How are you?

### Not bad mate

    Fine, thank you.

### Cheers mate / Cheers brother

    Thank you.

### No worries / No drama

    You're welcome (in response to thank you)

### Too easy

    No problem (after being asked to do something)

### Oi

    Excuse me (regarded as uncouth by some people)

### You're right

    That is okay (in response to sorry)

### Yeah, nah

    I understand but disagree

### See ya later

    Goodbye

### Hoo roo

    Goodbye

### Take it easy

    Goodbye

### Devo

    Definitely

### Reckon

    For sure

## Time
### Brekkie

    breakfast

### Arvo

    afternoon, e.g. "Let's meet for a schooner this arvo".

### Yonks

    commonly used to convey an exaggerated view of time, e.g. "I haven't seen you in yonks".

## Colours
### Bluey

    Red hair

### Ranga

    Red haired (This can be considered offensive.)

## Cursing

Australians typically have a more laid-back approach to swearing when compared to other countries. Most of the time swearing is used for emphasis rather than to cause offence.

### Bugger

    Damn - a common expression of disappointment, not offensive.

### Cunt

    Commonly used between (male) friends: the running joke is that Australians call people they like cunts, and people they don't like mates. It can still be very offensive in other contexts, particularly towards women or people you don't know, and qualifiers matter too: sick cunt is high praise, dog cunt is a deadly insult.

### Drongo, Galah, Turkey

    an idiot or a fool (not generally considered offensive)

### Bloody bastard

    Usually used to show displeasure with an action or dislike of a person

### bloody

    very usually used when not in a good mood

## Sex and Anatomy
### Franga

    Condom (also Wetcheck, wetty, hoody, raincoat).

### Screw

    Sexual intercourse.

### Root

    Sexual intercourse, similar to the British word 'Shag'. Can also be used as a verb. This also affects Australian sporting terminology—while an American would root for a preferred team or athlete, an Australian would barrack or go for the same.

### Scrag

    Sexual intercourse.

### Gob Job

    Fellatio.

### Bum

    Backside.

## Eating
### Avo

    Avocado

### Grab a feed

    Get something to eat

### Barbie

    Barbecue.

### Sanga

    Sandwich.

### Brekkie

    Breakfast

### Take-away

    Fast food also used instead of "to go" when ordering food.

### Lollies

    Confectionary/sweets/candy

### Scab

    To scrounge off a friend, as in scab a feed.

### Snags / Sizzie

    Sausage Sizzles

### Bludge

    To be lazy, or to scab as above. A person who bludges is a bludger. Bludge can also mean to simply avoid

### Tucker

    Food

### Macca's

    McDonald's

### Macca's Run

    Late night trip to McDonald's, usually after a few alcoholic drinks.

### Bikkie

    Biscuit, by extension chocolate biscuit is chokky bikkie

## Drinking
### Cuppa

    A cup of coffee

### Grog

    alcoholic drink, likely beer.

### Plonk

    Cheap wine.

### Goon

    Cheap wine that comes in a box.

### Sloshed

    Somebody who is very drunk.

### Pony, Middy, Pot, Schooner, Handle

    Various sizes of glass (usually used for beer). Definitions vary by state.

### Bevo/Bevvie

    Alcoholic beverage

## Clothing, Accessories and objects
### Wife-beater

    A sleeveless shirt

### Thongs

    Flip-flops

### Sticky tape

    The proper way to say tape

### Barbie

    BBQ

### Bathers

    Swimsuit

### Billy

    teapot in the outback on the fire

### Booze-bus

    Police vehicle used to catch drunk drivers

### Budgie Smugglers

    Speedos, men's swimming briefs

### Lappy

    Laptop

### pavement princesses / mall-wheel drives

    refers to big oversized utes (pickup trucks), such as Ford F150s or Rams, whose drivers have earned a notorious reputation for being notoriously selfish drivers by many city dwellers.

### Sunnies

    Sunglasses

### Gum boots

    Wellington boots

## People
### Tradie

    Any tradesperson

### Mate

    Anybody at all, more commonly used by males, friends, someone you have never met

### Old Mate

    Someone that you know, but have forgotten their name.

### Aussie

    Australian - pronounced Ozzy.

### Mob

    A group of family or friends - "us mob" (mainly Aboriginal English).

### Youse

    Plural of you - pronounced 'Yooz'. Only common in working-class areas.

### Bogan

    An unsophisticated and boorish person, usually speaks in an Ocker fashion; favoured expression outside of Sydney to describe Westies.

### Westie

    A person from the western suburbs of Sydney, Melbourne or Brisbane. (all being working-class neighbourhoods)

### Brickie

    Bricklayer

### Sparkie

    Electrician

### Chippie

    Carpenter

### Truckie

    Truck driver

### Bikie

    Biker, usually used to refer to members of an outlaw motorcycle gang, rather than members of a motorbike club.

### Ocker

    A description of unique Aussie culture. An ocker Aussie would use a lot of these words often.

### Banana Benders

    Queenslanders

### Cane Toads

    Queenslanders; especially used to refer to the state's representative rugby league team and its supporters

### Cockroaches

    Somebody from New South Wales (usually by Queenslanders in reference to the State of Origin rugby league rivalry)

### Sandgropers

    Western Australians.

### Yogi, Yogi Bear

    Someone from the Australian Capital Territory. Derived from ACT vehicle registration plates, which all begin with "Y".

### Mexicans

    Not only used to describe individuals from Mexico, but frequently used by people from the eastern states to refer to those from any state/territory south of them. Queenslanders will use it for those from New South Wales, the ACT, Victoria, and less often Tasmania, while those from NSW and the ACT will use it for Victorians (and less often Tasmanians).

### Sheila

    A woman

### Eshay

    A teenager, particularly boys who wear branded clothing and are into drugs. However, it's mainly used to signify a rich teen

### Yank

    An American

### Kiwi

    A New Zealander

### Pom/Pommy

    An Englishman

### Ranga

    A person with red hair, derived from orangutan (sometimes pejorative)

### Coastie

    Someone from the Central Coast.

## Geography
### The bush

    areas outside of major cities and towns.

### The outback

    often attributed to the deserts of inland Australia, but more often, that which is further away from cities than the 'bush' on the coast

### Bushfire

    wildfire

### Woop Woop

    The middle of nowhere (e.g.: So I was stuck out whoop whoop...)

### Brissie

    Brisbane

### Rocky

    Rockhampton

### Radelaide

    Adelaide, although if you're not a South Australian, avoid using this term or the locals will hate you.

### Tassie

    Tasmania

### Wagga

    Short for Wagga Wagga

### Jindy

    Short for Jindabyne

### Bundy

    Short for Bundaberg, the world's ginger beer capital and Australia's rum capital.

### The Coast

    Central Coast

### Newy

    Newcastle

### Singo

    Singleton

### Bello

    Bellingen

### Tamo

    Tamworth, Australia's country music capital.

### Bre

    Brewarrina

### Freo

    Fremantle

### Snowies

    Snowy Mountains

## Places
### Servo

    Service Station (Gas station in North America or petrol station in Europe)

### Bottle-O

    Bottle Shop (Liquor Store)

### Maccas

    The McDonald's restaurant chain

### Gone walkabout

    When the location of someone/something is unknown, e.g. my phone's gone walkabout

### Woolies

    Woolworths, one of the two major supermarket chains.

## Animals
### Chook

    Chicken or fowl

### Mozzie

    Mosquito

### Roo

    Kangaroo

### Drop bear

    Terrifying carnivorous species of koala that drops from its treetop hideout onto the heads of unsuspecting prey (particularly gullible tourists)

## Driving
### Chuck a uey

    To make a U-turn (uey is pronounced yoo-ee)

### Ute

    Coupe utility vehicle (pickup truck)

## Other
### Choc A bloc or Chockers

    full - usually referring to heavy city traffic – particularly in Melbourne

### selfie

    this slang may be used worldwide, but the original term "selfie" was an Australian slang word used to describe a self photograph

## See also

* English language varieties
* Wiktionary
* Australian English