Skip to Main Content

Library Services for EAL Students: Weird Aussie Words

Even if English is your first language, coming to Australia and being confronted by the accent and the slang terms and phrases is confusing for a lot of people. Australians usually use British English in spelling and formal occasions, and our accents are similar to the British, but we have our own variations on words and phrases that come from our own unique cultural way of life.

These words and phrases are considered Aussie (Australian) slang - informal language that's used commonly across Australia.

Australian Slang

Australians often shorten common words and put '-o', -a', or '-y' on the end. Examples of this include:

  • Arvo - Afternoon
  • Breakky / Brekky - Breakfast
  • Barbie - Barbecue (BBQ)
  • Bikky - Biscuit (Cookie)
  • Brolly - Umbrella
  • Bottle-o - Bottle Shop (Liquor Store)
  • Chrissie - Christmas
  • Footy - Football (AFL, Australian Football League)
  • Maccas - McDonalds
  • Mozzie - Mosquito
  • Sickie (Take a, Chuck a) - Sick Day (To take a day off for being unwell)
  • Sunnies - Sunglasses
  • Trackies - Tracksuit pants
  • Uni - University
  • U-ey - To take a U-Turn while driving
  • Veggie - Vegetable
  • Veggo - Vegetarian

We also have some words that are unique:

  • AFL - Australian Football League (Aussie Rules football, similar to rugby)
  • Bail - Cancel plans (often suddenly)
  • Barrack - Support in sports (As in, "Who do you barrack for?" meaning "Which sports team do you support?" Usually refers to AFL)
  • Bathers / Swimmers - Swimming costume (The clothes you swim in)
  • Bloody - Very (mild swear word)
  • Bogan - Someone a bit unsophisticated, lower class
  • Chook - Chicken
  • Dag - Someone a bit dorky, a bit embarrassing (Can be said fondly)
  • Esky - An insulated tub (container) used to keep things cold when outdoors
  • G'day - Good day (Have a good day; Hello)
  • 'G / The G - The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)
  • Heaps - Lots, many
  • Iffy - Something a bit unreliable, uncertain, risky
  • Mate - Friend. This word can also be used with different tones and emphasis as a reaction to a situation or story.
  • No worries / No drama - No problem (It's ok)
  • Oval / The Oval - The sports field. (Because of AFL, our sports fields are oval-shaped)
  • Reckon - To think, to have an opinion, as in "I reckon that...", but also to agree as in "You reckon?" "I reckon."
  • Schoolies - A tradition of newly-graduated Year 12s going away (often Byron Bay in Queensland) to party and celebrate the end of High School. It's considered a right of passage, but it also can result in a lot of alcohol-related accidents.
  • Texta - Felt tip pen (Marker)
  • Thongs - Sandals (Flip flops)
  • Yarra / The Yarra - The Yarra River, which flows through Melbourne.
  • Wag - To skip class.

There are also some common phrases which are uniquely Aussie.

  • How are ya? - How are you? (Often in greeting, as Hello)
  • How you doing? - How are you? (Often in greeting, as Hello; Also can be asked specifically regarding your progress with a task)
  • How you going? / How's it going? / How's it garn? - How are you? (Often in greeting, as Hello; Also can be asked specifically regarding your progress with a task. Comes roughly from "How is life / the task / your day going for you?")
  • Good on ya - Good on you (Sometimes used sarcastically)
  • Call it a day - Decide that's enough work for the day, time to go home or switch tasks
  • Mucking around - Playing, goofing off (Misbehaving)
  • Pissed off - Very unhappy or angry.
  • Dog's breakfast - A mess (Can refer to a messy room or a situation)
  • Mates rates - Charging a cheaper fee for a friend or family
  • Yeah, nah - No
  • Nah, yeah - Yes
  • Sausage sizzle - A sale of sausage in a piece of bread, can also be free and can refer to the sausage in bread itself. Sausage is usually served with tomato sauce (ketchup) and with the option of fried onion and mustard. Bunnings (a hardware store) is known for their weekly sausage sizzles, where the funds go to a local charity.
  • Gone walkabout - Gone missing, lost (Comes from an Aboriginal peoples tradition of a young man walking into the outback as a coming of age tradition)
  • Bring a plate - A potluck meal, where every guest brings along a meal to share. You are invited to bring something to share.
  • Gold coin donation - A collection for charity wherein a donation of AUD $1 or $2 (both of which are golden coloured coins) is requested.