Speaking the Language

Australia is unique in that there is no official language, but English is the de facto language and is spoken by nearly three-quarters of the population. Additional languages are spoken including many Australian Aboriginal languages as well as Mandarin, Arabic, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Italian to a lesser degree. If you’re a native English speaker, you might think that conversing with the locals will be easy. Not so fast! While English is most widely spoken, Australian accents can be difficult for unaccustomed ears to understand initially. Additionally, there are all kinds of language slang terms that can be confusing for first-time visitors.

Before you leave for your Australia trip, you should familiarize yourself with some common Australian slang terms you may hear:

1. G’day: A friendly Australian greeting, short for “Good day.”
2. Mate: A term of address used to refer to a friend, acquaintance, or even a stranger. Australians often call each other “mate.”
3. Arvo: Short for “afternoon.” For example, “See you this arvo!”
4. Barbie: An Australian barbecue or grill, a popular social gathering where friends and family cook and eat outdoors.
5. Bikkie: A slang term for a biscuit or cookie.
6. Chook: An informal term for a chicken. Australians often use it when talking about food, especially roast chicken.
7. Brekkie: Short for “breakfast.” Australians love their brekkie, which might include Vegemite on toast or a hearty fry-up.
8. Esky: A portable cooler or icebox used to keep drinks and food cold during picnics and outdoor events.
9. Fair dinkum: An expression used to emphasize the truth or authenticity of something. It means “genuine” or “legitimate.”
10. Goon: A bag-in-box wine, often associated with budget-friendly and student drinking culture.
11. Servo: Short for “service station” or gas station where you refuel your vehicle.
12. Sunnies: Sunglasses, used to protect your eyes from the strong Australian sun.
13. Thongs: In Australia, “thongs” refer to flip-flop sandals worn on the feet, not underwear.
14. Tinny: A can of beer or a small aluminum boat often used for fishing.
15. Ute: Short for “utility vehicle.” A pickup truck or a vehicle with a cargo bed at the back.
16. Snag: A sausage, often used in the context of a sausage sizzle (sausage barbecue).
17. Dunny: An old-fashioned term for a toilet or bathroom. You might still hear it in some rural areas.
18. Maccas: A common nickname for McDonald’s, the fast-food restaurant chain.
19. Heaps: Used to mean “a lot” or “very.” For example, “I had heaps of fun at the beach.”
20. No worries: An expression used to convey a sense of reassurance or to say “you’re welcome.”
21. Stubby: A bottle or can of beer, and “stubbies” also refer to the short shorts typically worn in Australia.
22. Chockers: Used to describe something as very full or crowded. For instance, “The beach was chockers today.”
23. Schooner: A type of glass used for serving beer, typically holding a bit more than a pint.
24. Cark it: A slang term for “to die” or “stop working.” For example, “My old car finally carked it.”
25. Mozzie: A colloquial term for a mosquito, known for being pesky during the summer months.
26. Bogan: Australian equivalent of redneck, unsophisticated person
27. Bottle-O: liquor store
28. Bush: The Outback, rural countryside
29. Bushwalk: backpack, trek
30. Good on ya: good for you, well done
31. Grommet: young surfer
32. Ripper: awesome, really great
33. Roo: kangaroo
34. Servo: gas/petrol station
35. She’ll be right: everything will be fine
36. Shout: pay for a round of drinks at a bar
37. Sickie: Sick day, taking a day off of work
38. Ta: thanks
39. Togs: swim/bathing suit
40. Yeah nah/nah yeah: either yes or no depending on the last word of the phrase

Note that this list is by no means exhaustive. Slang in any language evolves rapidly, so don’t be surprised if you hear an Australian word or phrase that isn’t on the list.