Australian’s are a proud bunch and inventors of many things, such as Google Maps, Wi-Fi and the electric drill. They even have their own language which leaves foreigners feeling stumped! We’ve decided to help break the barrier in trying to decipher Aussie slang.
Here’s some Aussie slang words and terms you should know when visiting:
A
Aerial pingpong : Australian Rules football
Arvo : afternoon
Aussie (pron. Ozzie) : Australian
Avos : avocados
B
Bail out : depart
Barbie : barbecue (noun)
Bathers : swimming costume
Bikkie : biscuit (cookie)
Blind : man, guy
Bloke : man, guy
Bludger : lazy person, layabout, somebody who always relies on other people to do things or lend him things
Bogan : person who takes little pride in his appearance, spends his days slacking and drinking beer
Boogie board : a hybrid, half-sized surf board
Booze bus : police vehicle used for catching drunk drivers
Bottle-o / Bottle shop : liquor shop
Brekkie : breakfast
Brizzie / Brisvegas : Brisbane, state capital of Queensland
Budgie smugglers : men’s bathing costume
Bull bar : stout bar fixed to the front of a vehicle to protect it against hitting kangaroos (also roo bar)
Bush : the hinterland, the Outback, anywhere that isn’t in town
BYO : unlicensed restaurant where you have to Bring Your Own alcahol, also similar party or barbecue
C
Cab Sav : Cabernet Sauvignon (a variety of wine grape)
Chewie : chewing gum
Chockers : full to the brim, hectic
Chokkie : chocolate
Chook : a chicken
Chrissie : Christmas
Chuck a sickie : take the day off sick from work when you’re perfectly healthy
Chunder : vomit
Cockie : cockroach
Cozzie : swimming costume
Cranky : in a bad mood, angry
Crook : sick/ill
Cubby house : Small, usually timber, house in the garden used as a children’s plaything.
D
Dag : a funny person, nerd, goof
Def : definitely
Bloke : man, guy
Devvo : devastated
Docket : a bill, receipt
Doco : documentary
Dodgy : seems suspect, not okay, poorly made, not right
Doona : a duvet/bed blanket
E
Esky : large insulated food/drink container for picnics, barbecues etc.
F
Footy : Australian football
G
Galah : fool, silly person. Named after the bird of the same name because of its antics and the noise it makes.
Garbo : municipal garbage/rubbish/trash collector
GC : Gold Coast
Gobsmacked : surprised, astounded
Grog : liquor, beer
H
Heaps : a lot
Hoon : hooligan
I
Icy pole, ice block : popsicle, lollypop
J
Jug : electric kettle
K
Kindie : kindergarten
L
Lippy : lipstick
M
Maccas (pron. “mackers”) : McDonald’s restaurant
Mozzie : mosquito
N
No dramas : same as ‘no worries’
No worries! : Expression of forgiveness or reassurance (No problem; forget about it; I can do it; Yes, I’ll do it)
O
Outback : interior of Australia
Oz : Australia!
P
Piss : beer.
Plonk : cheap wine
Pokies : poker machines, fruit machines, gambling slot machines
Porky : Lie, untruth (pork pie = lie)
Postie : postman, mailman
Pot : 285 ml beer glass in Queensland and Victoria
Prezzy : present, gift
R
Reckon! : think / you bet! Absolutely!
Rego : vehicle registration
Rellies : relatives
Roadie : a beer you buy to take away with you
Rock up : to turn up, to arrive
Rollie : a cigarette that you roll yourself
Roo : kangaroo
Rubbish (verb) : to criticize
S
Salvos, the : Salvation Army, bless them
Sanger : a sandwich
Servo : service station/gas station/petrol station
Schooner : large beer glass in Queensland; medium beer glass in South Australia
Scratchy : instant lottery ticket
Servo : petrol station
She’ll be Right : it’ll be all right/ok
Sickie : day off sick from work (chuck a sickie = take the day off sick from work when you’re perfectly healthy!)
Skull/Skol (a beer) : to drink a beer in a single draught without taking a breath
Slab : a carton of 24 bottles or cans of beer
Smoko : smoke or coffee break
Snag : a sausage
Sook : person or animal who is soft, tame, inoffensive. Hence sooky (adj.)
Spag bol : spaghetti bolognese
Spewin’ : very angry
Spit the Dummy : get very upset at something
Sprung : caught doing something wrong
Stoked : very pleased
Stubby : a 375ml. beer bottle
Stubby holder : polystyrene insulated holder for a stubby
Sunbake : sunbathe
Sunnies : sunglasses
Suss : suspicious
T
Tallie : 750ml bottle of beer
Tea : supper
Tee-up : to set up (an appointment)
Thingo : Wadjamacallit, thingummy, whatsit
Thongs : cheap rubber backless sandals
Tinny : can of beer
Tinny : small aluminium boat
Togs : swim suit
Too right! : definitely!
Tosser : an idiot
Trackie daks/dacks : tracksuit pants
Trackies : track suit
Tradie : tradesperson
Truckie : truck driver
Tucker : food
U
Uey : U-turn
Uni : university
Unit : flat, apartment
Up oneself : have a high opinion of oneself – “he’s really up himself”
Up somebody, get : to rebuke somebody – “the boss got up me for being late”
Ute : utility vehicle, pickup truck
V
Veggies : vegetables (pronounced vedgies)
Vee dub : Volkswagen
Veg out : relax in front of the TV (like a vegetable)
Vejjo : vegetarian
Vinnie’s : St. Vincent De Paul’s (charity thrift stores and hostels)
W
Whinge : complain
Woop Woop : invented name for any small unimportant town – “he lives in Woop Woop”
Wuss : coward; nervous person
X
XXXX : pronounced Four X, brand of beer made in Queensland
Know any others? Let us know- we’d love to hear them!
