80+ Awesome Australian Slang Words To Know
G’day mate, ya ready for some Aussie slang words and phrases? Bloody oath!
If you are visiting Australia for the first time, you will be surprised with how fast Aussies talk and the number of slang words they use in daily conversations. If you are new, you’d be lost in no time. Australians are super creative with words and will rather shorten words to speak faster and sound friendlier. This has gained them unique, positive popularity amongst other English-speaking countries. You will definitely know an Aussie for their rich accent and unique slang. It is only in Australia that thongs mean flip flops, and Maccas means McDonald’s.
So, if you are thinking of traveling to Oz and want to blend in, then you need to know the common Australian Slang words. And that is where we come in!
In this article, you will learn common Australian slang words and phrases that will make you sound like a native. So, ready for an Australian slang 101 journey? You will need to get some bikkies or a cold one to enjoy these quirky, funny, and unique slang. Mate, without further ado, let’s get the slang party started!
Common Australian Slang Words
Australian slang words are commonly used by everyone living in Australia, and you’d quickly detect an Australian anywhere for their rich use of slang. Most Australian Slangs are abbreviations of the full words; for example, Mosquito is called Mozzies. However, more often than not, that is not always the case. With that being said, let’s get into the John Dory of this article.
Avo
Aussie slang word for Advocado
Arvo
Means Afternoon. ‘G’Arvo Mate’
Cakehole
Unfortunately, cakehole doesn’t have anything to do with pastries. It means Mouth. Shove that down your cake hole
Bikkie
Australian slang for biscuits. So, when an Aussie says ‘pass me some bikkies’, it means they are craving some biscuits.
Lippie
Lipstick. This is most common among ladies. You can tell a friend to pass their lippie or if they brought their cherry lippie along
Bloody oath
Yes or True. Bloody oath is used to agree with someone, and it is commonly used in daily conversations
Bloke
A typical Australian man
Brolly
Umbrella
Mozzies
Mosquitoes. Have you seen the size of those mozzies?
Maccas
McDonalds. ‘You goin’ to Maccas?
Snag
Sausages. ‘Throw some snags unto the barbie’
Barbie
Barbeque. No one calls Barbeque in oz, except visitors. So, yeah.. Barbeque means that cute cartoon animation.
Pressie
Presents. Yes, it doesn’t mean you want to take a pee. Bringing pressies means you are bringing presents. whether for your favorite rellos.
Liquid laugh
Vomit. ‘You havin’ some liquid laugh mate?’
Esky
Cooler. Usually for beer. You cannot go for a picnic without bringing an Esky!
Ankle biter
Child. ‘My nephews are adorable, but they turn to an ankle biter once their electric toy goes cactus
Bludger
A lazy person who often relies on others. ‘You bloody bludger’
Bogan
Someone of low socio-econmic status. It is an Aussie equivalent for Us’ redneck. However, it can be used as a joke amongst friends.
Bottle-0
A bottle shop, a liquor shop. Basically, where you can get alcohol. ‘That is a very boring bottle shop’
Root
Sex. It isn’t one of the most romantic phrases. ‘Have some root, mate’
Rooted
Tired or broken. ‘I am rooted man’
Chuck a sickie
Take sick leave from work. Usually used when one is not sick. ‘I’d chuck a sickie to come for the picnic tomorrow’
Cold one
A beer. ‘Pass me a cold one
Exy
Expensive. ‘Those thongs are exy’
Kindie
Kindergarten. ‘I am taking that ankle biter to kindie tmo!’
No wuckas
No worries. ‘No wuckas mate, we good’
Longneck
750ml beer bottle
Stubby holder
A stubby holder is used to hold your beer. ‘Pass me that beer bottle stubby holder’
Servo
Service station or gas station. ‘Get some gas in the servo’
Smoko
A smoke break ‘I’m goin’ for a smoko’
Stoked
Very pleased or excited ‘I am stoked!’
Sunnies
Sunglasses. What better way to say sunglasses in a very arid beef country.
Truckie
Truck driver.
Uey
It means a U-turn. When you tell an Aussie to chuck a uey or do a uey, it means he should make a U-turn.
Ute
Aussie slang for Utility vehicle, pick-up truck.
Veg out
Australian slang for relaxing. ‘You need to veg out with a cold one’
Spud
Potato
Not my bowl of rice
Australian slang for ‘not my cup of tea’
Bog standard
Basic or standard. ‘The bag was bog standard, nothing fancy’
Bog in
To eat viciously because of hunger. Remember seeing that sweet pie in oldies house and you couldn’t wait to bog in.
Cat burying shit
Extremely busy. ‘I am busy with work like a cat burying shit’
Click
Kilometer
Down under
Down under means Australia and New Zealand ‘I am heading to down under this chrissie’
Flat out like a lizard drinking
Working extremely hard.
As cross as a frog in a sock
Extremely and sometimes vocally angry ‘She got as cross as a frog in a sock what she found out her snags were gone’
Give it a burl
Try out something ‘Give the Chinese food a burl child.’
Gobsmacked
Astonished or surprised ‘I am gobsmacked at the size of the masion’
Grouse
Very good. ‘The soup is grouse’
Journo
Journalist
Frog and toad
Road ‘I have hit the frog and toad to my rellos’
Facey
Australian slang for Facebook
Kangaroos loose in the top padlock
Acting foolish, weird. ‘Brandy has kangaroos loose in the top padlock’
Milk bar
A local store. And not, they don’t sell milk bars. A milk bar is where you can get the essential stuff like glue, newspaper, etc. ‘The south Wales Milk bar is pretty stocked’
Moolah
Money. ‘ Bring some moolah with you’
Goss/John Dory
Gossip/story. ‘Any new goss about Kate?’ or ‘What is the John Dory today?’
O.S
Overseas ‘I am leaving for O.S next week’
Porky pie
a lie ‘He’s feeding you with porky pie’
Port
Suitcase/luggage ‘you forgot your port mate
Make a quid
Make a living. ‘Are you making a quid now?’
Reckon
Yes, Means they are willing. ‘Will you like to go window shopping with me?’ ‘Reckon!’
She’ll be right
It will be alright. ‘Don’t worry about the situation, and she’ll be right.’
Aussie salute
Australian Aussie Salute means to wave away flies. I was out yesterday night, and I couldn’t stop doing the Aussie salute
Sanger
Sandwich. ‘I love sangers!’
Hard yakka
Hard Work. ‘taking care of the children was hard yakka’
Spewin’
Extremely angry ‘She is spewin’ stay away from her’
Stickybeak
A nosy person ‘you are a stickybeak’
Strides
Pants. Did you see that nice blue strides
Tinnies
Australian slang for Can.
Tinny
A boat
Waggin’ school
Truancy. ‘You are waggin’ school again?!’
Have a captain cook
A glance or brief inspection. ‘We had to take a captain cook on the next servo’
Put a sock in it
Shut up. This is used for insults. Therefore, be careful when you tell someone to put a sock in it.
Crickey
An expression of surprise.
Wonky
Not stable. ‘His car was wonky that I had to pray for dear life
Wuss
Australian slang for a coward ‘you are such a wuss’
Bloody
Aussie slang phrase for very ‘That’s is bloody lit!’
Booze bus
Police vans used for catching drunk drivers. boozer
Cactus
Dead or broken ‘His car was cactus’
Coppers
Policeman
Fair dinkum
Honestly, genuine ‘you went home yesterday, fair dinkum?’ ‘Fair dinkum kate!’
Good on ya
Well done ‘good on ya on winning the marathon Beth’
Mongrel
Someone who is annoying or is being a dick ‘Rack off, Mongrel!’
Nuddy
Nuddy. ‘Don’t open the door! I am nuddy.’
Rack off
A mild way to tell someone to f*ck off.
Sheila
Woman ‘Yes, the club is full of beautiful sheilas’
Slab
A carton of beer ‘All I want to do this arvo is to sink a slab and smash a pizza.’
Stuffed
Tired
True blue
Truly Australian ‘Did you see he handled the ball? He is a true blue!’
Yous
Plura for you ‘Yous all are not going?’
It’s your shout
Quite British, but it is used as an Australian slang tool When someone says it is your shout, it means it is your turn to pay the bills.
Chuck a blocky
go through a block or when you are trying to locate a house. ‘G’day Mate, I’m tryna chuck a blocky’
Rightio
Okay
Plastered
heavily drunk ‘He is plastered’
Woop woop
Middle of nowhere ‘He lives in woop woop’
Ambo
Ambulance
Chook
Chicken
Hooroo
Goodbye
Rello
Relatives
Tradie
Tradesman
Blue
Fight. ‘He had a blue with his wife’
Fair suck/fair go
To be treated fairly.
Not the full quid
crazy or stupid
Jillaroo
a female trainee station manager
Crickey Mate! That Was A Bonzer Ride!
I wish we never come to the end of the journey! Australian Slang Words are rich, funny, and unique to Australians. I know you’ve learned one or two slang you can throw around to sound more like a native. Because you enjoyed these Australian slang words so much, there is a grouse app where you can learn the English Language and over 60+ languages. I know mate, it is bonzer!
Learn Languages With Ling App
Ling App is a language learning platform that takes you from complete novice to a fluent speaker in over 60+ languages. Unlike other learning language apps, Ling App focuses on gamified experience, interactive quizzes, grammar tips, and reading and listening skills. You can even learn about your target audience’s people and culture through their rich resources library. Yes, mate. The app is grouse!
So, take a captain cook at the app, and download it to continue your language learning journey. Available on PlayStore and AppStore.
What are you waiting for? Download the Ling App now.