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I am an Australian, born and bred. I have lived all my life in Melbourne (that’s “MELburn” and not “MELborn”).
In Australia, we speak English. With our own accent. And also with some of our own words and expressions. Oh, and we love shortening words.
If you’re heading Down Under (we don’t say that much in Australia by the way!), here’s an alphabetical list of a few words and phrases to help you understand “Strayan.”
A
Ankle biter – a small child
Arvo – afternoon
Aussie (pronounced “Ozzie”) – an Australian
B
Back of Bourke – a very long way away
Bail – to leave
Barbie or BBQ – Barbecue
Bathers/Togs/Cozzie – swimmers/swimming costume
Bikkie – biscuit
Bloke – a man (Note – “Bloke” can be the sign on public toilets/restrooms so learn this one!)
Bludger – a lazy person
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Bogan – an uncultured person
Bonnet – Hood (of a car)
Bonzer – great
Boot – Trunk (of a car)
Brekkie – breakfast
Bring a plate – bring food to an event (not literally bring a plate!)
Bush telly – campfire
BYO (Bring Your Own) – usually wine to a restaurant or food to an event
C
Cactus – dead, not functioning
Cappa – a cappuccino
Capsicum – peppers
Carked it – Died
Chips – Fries/French Fries
Chips – also means potato crisps!
Chockers – full or crowded
Chook – chicken
Chrissie – Christmas
Chuck a sickie – fake illness so as to have a day off work
Cot – a crib
Cranky – in a bad mood
Crook – sick
Cuppa – a cup of tea or coffee
Cut lunch – sandwiches
D
Dag – a funny person
Daks – trousers
Dinkum, fair dinkum – true, real, genuine, honest
Dipstick – a loser, an idiot
Dummy – a pacifier
E
Earbashing – nagging
Esky – a portable, insulated cooler for keeping drinks and food cold
F
Fair go – a chance
Fairy floss – cotton candy
Footy – (Australian Rules) football
G
G’Day – Hello
Galah – fool, silly person (also the correct name for a type of bird!)
Good onya – good for you, well done
H
Hooroo! – Bye!
K
Knock – to criticise
Knock back – refuse or refusal
L
Larrikin – a harmless prankster
Lollies – sweets, candy
M
Mate – friend
Maccas – McDonalds
Mozzie – Mosquito
N
Nappy – diaper
No drama – same as “no worries”
No worries – an expression of forgiveness or reassurance. In other words, “You’re welcome.”
O
Outback – interior of Australia
Oz – Australia
P
Petrol – gas
Postie – postman, mailman
Prawns – shrimp
Prezzy – present, gift
Q
Quid (to make a quid) – to earn money/to earn a living
R
Rack off! – Get lost!
Rapt – pleased, delighted
Reckon! – You bet! Absolutely!
Rello – relative
Ripper – great, fantastic
Rip snorter – great, fantastic Eg “It was a rip snorter of a party”
Rock up – to turn up
Roo – kangaroo
Rubbish bin – Trash can
S
Sanger/Sanga– sandwich
Servo – petrol/gas station
Sheila – a woman (Note – “Sheila” can be the sign on public toilets/restrooms so learn this one!)
She’ll be right – it’ll turn out OK
Shoot through – to leave
Shout – a turn to buy for others (usually refers to a round of drinks)
Smoko – smoke or coffee break
Snag – a sausage
Spewing – angry
Spit the dummy – get very upset at something
Sprung – caught doing something wrong
Stoked – happy/pleased
Sunnies – sunglasses
Surfies – people who surf
T
Ta – thanks
Tall poppies – successful people
Tea – a cup of tea (usually with milk unless it is a herbal tea)
Tea – also means dinner!
Thongs – flip flops
Tinny – a can of beer
Tinny – also means a small aluminium boat!
Toilets – bathrooms/restrooms
Tomato sauce (pronounced tom-ah-to) – ketchup
Too right! – definitely!
Tradie – tradesperson
True blue – patriotic
Tucker – food
U
University/uni – College
Ute – pickup truck
V
Veggies – vegetables
Vego – vegetarian
Veg out – relax (perhaps in front of the TV)
W
Whinge – to complain
Whipper snipper – weed wacker
Whoop whoop (pronounced “woop woop”) – middle of nowhere
Y
Yakka – work (noun)
So, there are a few words to get you started!
Time to start memorising (there’s another Australianism – we use “ise” instead of “ize”)!
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Author Bio: Leonie Jarrett lives in Melbourne, Australia with her Husband of more than 3 decades, her 4 adult children and her 2 Golden Retrievers. Leonie has variously been a lawyer and a business owner. Now that she is semi-retired, Leonie is loving writing about her life and her travels.
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