Every language has its own slang and phrases you should master to sound like a true native speaker. Australian English is no exception.
You may have heard “G’day mate”, “fair dinkum”, and “strewth!” before, but the dialect is much broader than that. Try these next time you speak to an Aussie and you might convince them you’re “true blue”.
Arvo
Meaning: Afternoon
Bloody ripper
Meaning: Really awesome
Blind
Meaning:Highly intoxicated
Blowing the froth off a few
Meaning: Drinking alcohol
Bludger
Meaning: Someone who is lazy or doesn’t work
Brickie
Meaning: A bricklayer
Bogan
Meaning: An uncouth or unsophisticated person
Bottle-O
Meaning: A liquor store
Brolly
Meaning: Umbrella
[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2017/08/aussie-aussie-aussie-is-bullshit/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/08/Aussie-2-410×231.jpg” title=”’Aussie, Aussie, Aussie’ Is Bullshit” excerpt=”For years, two words have blistered around seats at Australian sporting events like a thunderclap. Sparked by a lone wolf, an individual in the crowd with extra air in their lungs, a deep, booming chant erupts. A verbal see-saw in the name of national pride.
Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Oi! Oi! Oi!
I hate it.”]
Buggered
Meaning: Exhausted
Can’t be arsed
Meaning: Can’t be bothered to do something
Cark it
Meaning: Die, stop functioning
Carrying on like a pork chop
Meaning: Someone acting silly or crazy
Chippy
Meaning: A carpenter
Chockers
Meaning: Full to the brim
Chuck a sickie
Meaning: Taking a day off work or school without necessarily being sick
Chuck a U-ey
Meaning: To make a U-turn in a vehicle
Chunder
Meaning: Vomit
Crikey
Meaning: An exclamation used to express mild surprise
Cracking the sh*ts
Meaning: Getting stroppy or angry
Crook
Meaning: Sick or ill
Cut
Meaning: To be angry or upset
Dead horse
Meaning: Tomato sauce or ketchup
Deadset
Meaning: Absolute or definite
Defo/Defs
Meaning: Definitely
Devvo
Meaning: Devastated
Dogged it
Meaning: Didn’t show up
Dog’s breakfast
Meaning: A mess or a complicated situation
Drongo
Meaning: A stupid or incompetent person
Drop your guts
Meaning: To pass wind
Dry as a dead dingo’s donga
Meaning: To be thirsty, usually for alcohol
Dunny
Meaning: Toilet
[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2017/07/plonk-a-language-lovers-guide-to-australian-drinking/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2014/06/DrinkingOz-410×231.jpg” title=”Plonk: A Language Lover’s Guide To Australian Drinking” excerpt=”The hard-drinking Aussie is the stuff of legend and lore. But there’s little proof Australians drank more than other colonials and by some accounts they drank less (points made in Sidney Baker’s The Australian Language). But, of course, we do enjoy a drink – at times a little too much – and a rich bevy of terms suggest we do it in Australian ways. merrily, tongue in cheek and with a shout or two.”]
Durry / dart
Meaning: Cigarette
Etch
Meaning: Suspicious or sketchy
Fair dinkum
Meaning: An exclamation to proclaim something as true or genuine
Fair shake of the sauce bottle / fair crack of the whip
Meaning: To give someone a fair go or chance
Festy
Meaning: Dirty or disgusting
Few roos loose in the top paddock
Meaning: Someone not very bright or slightly crazy
Fix you up
Meaning: Pay back money owed
Flanno
Meaning: A shirt made from flannelette
Flaming galah
Meaning: An insult used to describe a fool or an idiot
Flat chat
Meaning: Very busy
Footy
Meaning: Australian Football League (AFL), Rugby Union (Union) or Rugby League (NRL), but not football (see soccer).
Frothing
Meaning: Very keen
Furphy
Meaning: A rumour or story, that’s untrue or absurd
G’day
Meaning: Hi or hello
Garbo
Meaning: A garbage collector
Gone walkabout
Meaning: To go missing or head off without warning
Goon bag
Meaning: The silver pouch inside a cask wine box
Goose
Meaning: A light-hearted insult to describe a foolish person
Hard yakka
Meaning: Hard work
Have a go, ya mug
Meaning: Used to encourage someone to attempt something, usually if they are unsure
A head like a dropped pie
Meaning: Describing someone who is unattractive
Hoooroo
Meaning: See you later/goodbye
Hungers
Meaning: Hungover
Ken Oath
Meaning: “F*****g oath”. A similar term to “dead set” or “fair dinkum”.
Knackered
Meaning: Tired
Loose cannon
Meaning: Someone who has no self control
Maccas
Meaning: McDonald’s
Mates rates
Meaning: Discounts
Nah, yeah
Meaning: Yes (“Yeah, nah” = no)
No wuckin’ furries
Meaning: A fun way to say “No f*****g worries.” Not a problem or you’re welcome
Not here to f**k spiders
Meaning: Let’s get the job done
Ocker
Meaning: Someone with a heavy Australian accent or mannerisms
On the cans
Meaning: Drinking alcohol
Pelican
Meaning: An insult similar to “goose”
Playing for sheep stations
Meaning: Used either seriously or ironically to describe something as a big deal, or make it not seem so important
Ridgey-didge
Meaning: Legitimate; the real deal
Sausage sizzle
Meaning: A sausage served in white bread with tomato sauce. Used as a fundraiser, especially at election polling booths (a “democracy sausage”).
Servo
Meaning: Service or petrol station
Shark biscuit
Meaning: Someone learning to surf
She’ll be right
Meaning: Everything will be fine
Shout
Meaning: To buy the next round of drinks
Shoey
Meaning: Drinking alcohol from a shoe to celebrate a win
Smoko
Meaning: A quick break from work for a cigarette or snack
Sparky
Meaning: Someone employed as an electrician
Spit the dummy
Meaning: To throw a tantrum
Soccer
Meaning: Football with a round ball, such as the EPL.
[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2017/05/how-much-does-the-average-australian-earn-in-a-year/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/02/australian-wage-410×231.jpg” title=”What Is The Average Australian Weekly Wage?” excerpt=”The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) has released its average weekly earnings report which does exactly what it says on the tin. By taking the average weekly earnings and multiplying them by 52, it’s possible to work out the average annual wage in Australia. Here’s how much you should be earning.”]
Stoked
Meaning: Very happy
Straight to the pool room
Meaning: Used to describe something of high quality or to be proud of
Stubby
Meaning: A can of beer
Stubby holder
Meaning: An insulated sleeve to keep a beer cold
Strewth
Meaning: Used to express surprise or dismay
Suss
Meaning: Suspicious
Suss it out
Meaning: To figure out a tricky or unknown situation
Taking the piss
Meaning: To make fun of someone or something in a light-hearted way
Tell him he’s dreamin’
Meaning: Used to describe someone with unrealistic expectations
The lot
Meaning: An Aussie burger containing meat, lettuce, egg, bacon, pineapple, cheese, beetroot and sauce
Tinnie
Meaning: A can of beer or a small aluminium boat with an outboard on the back
Thongs
Meaning: Rubber flip flops
Tickets on yourself
Meaning: Used to describe someone with an inflated opinion of themselves
Top bloke
Meaning: A good guy
Tosser
Meaning: A jerk (and variation on “w**ker”).
Tracky dacks
Meaning: Sweat pants
Tradie
Meaning: A tradesperson
Truckie
Meaning: A truck driver
True blue
Meaning: Genuine; authentically Australian
Turps
Meaning: Alcohol
Up the duff
Meaning: Pregnant
Waazoo
Meaning: Bottom; but “up the waazoo” can mean “lots of something”
[referenced url=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/2017/05/do-australian-fast-food-chains-have-a-secret-menu/” thumb=”https://www.lifehacker.com.au/wp-content/uploads/sites/4/2017/05/Burrrger-410×231.jpg” title=”Try These 11 Australian Fast Food ‘Secret Menu’ Hacks” excerpt=”For lovers of burgers and fast food, the legend of the “secret menu” is a tantalising one, promising a secret club of tasty, cheap and ridiculously over the top food. Only one fast food outlet has openly confirmed having a secret menu — and that’s the infamous In-N-Out, which is sadly not available outside of the US (unless you make your own). So how do we go for secret menus here, in the land down under?”]
This story originally appeared on Business Insider.
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