Australian Slang (Accent) Explained: Words, Phrases, Nicknames
If you're heading to Australia, understanding Aussie slang is key to navigating daily life without confusion.
Aussie English is more than just an accent; it's a language of unique expressions and phrases. Aussies often shorten words, making their speech distinct.
Choosing Australia for a holiday or study destination can greatly enhance your English proficiency, including grasping Aussie slang. Here are common questions about the Australian accent, featuring famous Aussie words, nicknames, slang, and acronyms.
1. What's The Most Aussie Thing To Say?
Here are the ten most Aussie sayings:
| Australian Slang | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Yeah, nah | It usually means yes, they understand what you are saying, but no, they disagree. It is a way to disagree with someone without sounding harsh. |
| Go off like a frog in a sock | Something that is vibrant and entertaining. |
| Have a quiz | To take a look at something. |
| Pull ya head in | To not overstep your boundaries. |
| Having a Barry Crocker | Putting in an inferior performance. |
| Ta | Thank-you |
| Sweet as | 'I am happy with that or 'That is very good news.' |
| Fark me dead | Conveys a sense of surprise. |
| Righto | Similar to yeah, nah. |
| Put a sock in it | Shut up. |
2. What Do Aussies Say For "Impressive"?
Some of the slang words that Aussies may use for "impressive":
| Australian Slang | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Ripper | Great |
| Beaut | Amazing |
| Crikey, blimey | Amazement, wow, surprised |
| Fully sick | Great |
| Ripsnorter | Something that is exceptionally good or someone playing a good game of sport |
3. What Are The Most Famous Australian Words?
| Australian Slang | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Aussie | Australian |
| G'day | Hello |
| Amber | Beer |
| Bathers | Swimwear |
| Battler | Hard worker |
| Bloody Ripper | Awesome |
| Bludger | Loafer |
| Bogan or Yobbo | Someone who is uncultured, vulgar, stupid, or drunk |
| Bottle-o | Bottle shop to buy alcohol |
| Boardies | Men's Board shorts |
| Big Smoke | Big city (usually Sydney and Melbourne) |
| Bubbler | Public drinking fountains |
| Budgie smuggler | Speedos (a specific type of male swimwear) |
| Tradie | A Tradesman (Chippy – Carpenter, Garbo – Garbage man, Sparky – Electrician, Brickie – Bricklayer, Truckie - Truck driver) |
| Digger | Soldier |
| Fair Dinkum | Truth, authentic or genuine |
| Dinky-di | Really |
| Drongo | Idiot |
| Dunny | Toilet |
| Esky | Cooler, drink container, and insulated food |
| Fair go | Good chance |
| Heaps | Very |
| Gander | Look at |
| Hooroo | Goodbye |
| Oz | Australia |
| Pom/Pommie | British |
| Thongs | Flipflops |
| Too easy | No problem |
| Servo | Gas station |
| Streuth | What!! (in surprise) |
| Suss | Untrustworthy |
| Stubbie | Beer in a bottle |
| Tinnie | Beer in a can |
| True Blue | For real |
| Arvo | Afternoon |
| Barbie | Barbeque |
| Chockers | Very full |
| Tags | Swimsuit |
| Sickie | Sick day |
| Slab | 24-pack of beer |
| Sook | To sulk |
| Stubbie holder | Koozie or cooler |
| Stoked | To be excited |
| Mozzie | Mosquito |
| Ute | A utility vehicle, pickup truck |
| Woop Woop | An isolated place |
| Billy | Teapot for boiling water |
| Bum nuts / Arse nuts | Eggs |
| Avos | Avocados |
| Brekky | Short for breakfast |
| Breville | A toasted sandwich. |
| Bubble and squeak | A pan-fried dish made from leftover vegetables and meat |
| Cap | Cappuccino coffee |
| Chook | Chicken |
| Cut lunch | Sandwiches |
| Damper | Bread made using flour and water |
| Deli | A small shop that sells cigarettes, food, and convenience items and opens when the rest of the shops close |
| Dog's eye | Meat pie |
| Dead Horse | Tomato sauce |
| Banger / Snagger / Snag / Mystery bag | A sausage |
| Spud | Potato |
| Sanger | A sandwich |
| Tucker | Food |
4. What Are Some Australian Catchphrases?
| Australian Slang | Meaning |
|---|---|
| No worries, mate, she'll be right | There is no real point in worrying about anything. |
| What's the John Dory? | People use this phrase when they want to know what is going on or request the "goss" (gossip). |
| A few sandwiches short of a picnic | Crazy or stupid. |
| Tell him he is dreaming | When you advise a person involved in a business transaction to tell their counterpart that he is "dreaming." It means that the other person isn't offering a fair deal. |
| Dog's breakfast | Parents use this phrase to describe their kids' messy and chaotic lives. |
| Pull the wool over your eyes | Someone who is being dishonest is trying to "pull the wool over your eyes." |
| Throw a shrimp on the Barbie | Invite someone to your house for lunch. |
| Do the Harry | Anyone doing a disappearing act. |
| Six of one, half a dozen of the other | When it's 50-50 chance that whatever decision you form won't likely impact the outcome of the situation. |
| Bushman's handkerchief | Using hands to drain the snot from your nose delicately. |
| Onya bike. Tell your story walkin' | When you do not have anything to do with someone, tell them to get "onya bike." It suggests they leave. |
| Have a go, you mug | It refers to a person who isn't taking risks or putting in a total effort. |
| One for the road | A last drink before going home. |
| Hit the frog and toad | When you hit the road. |
| Few stubbies short of a six-pack | A little stupid. |
| Give it a burl | Try it. |
| No worries | Everything is ok. |
| Spit the dummy | Tantrum. |
5. What Phrase Makes You Sound Australian?
Here are some of the phrases that most Australians grow up hearing them:
| Australian Slang | Meaning |
|---|---|
| G'day | "Hello" or "How are you?". To pronounce this word, cut the "g" sound short and put stress on the "day." Ensure "day" is drawn out and sounds like "daaey." Mastering this word guarantees that you will make several friends! |
| Mate | Friend. G'day mate or "Hello, friend" is a simple and casual greeting to acknowledge your friends. |
| How ya going? | How are you? You can use it like "G'day mate! How ya' going?" |
| Crikey or Streuth | Used as an exclamation of bewilderment or surprise. |
| Fair dinkum | The word is used when you want to state a truth or fact. |
| Heaps good | "Very good." You use it to show something you have achieved, done, or eaten is very, very, very good. |
| Fully sick | "This is great" or "very good quality." |
| She will be right | Here, "she" doesn't mean a person but "everything." This casual expression means that everything will be alright (in response to negative news or situations) |
| True Blue | Means "the real thing," genuine, honest, and authentic. |
| To have a few kangaroos loose in the top paddock | To denote someone not very bright or unusual. |
6. Words Used to Express Yourself
| TERMS/PHRASES | MEANING |
| Jelly | Jealous |
| Aggro | Angry |
| Totes | Totally |
| Heaps | A lot/ very |
| Full on | Wild/ Intense |
| Play it by ear | Decide as you go |
| No worries | It’s OK/ Don’t worry about it |
| ______ as | Here you can use words like Tired as, Busy as or Awesome as. To understand the speaker, you can cut the word ‘as’ and replace it with ‘very’ in the front. This will help you to get what the speaker means to say. |
| Average/Ordinary | You need to be careful when using these words as they can sound like an insult, signifying that something is of poor quality. |
| Try hard | Someone who tries too hard to please others or is annoyingly enthusiastic. |
| She’ll be right | It’ll be fine |
7. What Is a Funny Aussie Nickname?
Aussies enjoy teasing their friends, and that's why the name-calling culture is popular in Australia.
Here are a few hilarious nicknames that Aussie use daily:
| Slang Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Bludger | A lazy person who shies away from working hard. |
| Dipstick/Dickhead/Drongo/Dropkick | A person who is an idiot or a fool. |
| Cobber | An excellent friend. |
| Bogan | An uneducated, uncultured, and unsophisticated person. |
| Dag | A geeky, nerdy, or socially awkward person. |
| Wuss | A soft-hearted or cowardly person. |
| Galah | An unintelligent person. |
| Larrikin | A trickster or a man who always has a good time. |
| Feral | An unattractive person. |
| Sook | An overly emotional person. |
| Sunshine | An emotionally weak person. |
| Sticky-beak | A nosy person. |
| Bizzo | An expression that says mind their own business. |
| Can't be Stuffed | When a person can't be bothered. |
8. Words Used when Eating or Going Out
| TERMS/PHRASES | MEANING |
| Kiwi | A New Zealander (but also a bird or a fruit) |
| Cuppa | A hot beverage |
| Flat white | Coffee with cream or milk |
| Macca’s | Mcdonald's |
| Sanga | Sandwich |
| Jell-O | Jelly |
| Stubbie | A bottle of beer |
| Durry | Cigarette |
| Vegies | Vegetables |
| Spud | A potato |
| Snag | Sausage |
| Goon | Cheap wine in a bag |
| Avo | Avocado |
| Barbie | BBQ |
| Brekkie | Breakfast |
| Bikkie | A biscuit |
| Chemist | Pharmacy/Drug store |
| Dunny | Toilet |
| Bucks | Dollars |
| Bottle-o | Liquor store |
| Grog run | A trip to go and buy alcohol |
| Esky | Ice cooler |
| Petrol | Gas |
| Knock | To criticise something |
| Arvo | The afternoon |
| Straya | Australia |
| Footy | Football |
| Mate | Friend |
| Pokies | Poker Machine |
| Budgie Smuggler | A pair of speedos |
| Mozzie | Mosquito |
| Skull | To drink something quickly in one go |
| Servo | Gas station/Service station |
| Hungry Jacks/HJs | Burger King |
| Woop Woop | Used to indicate a place far away |
| Shout | A round of drinks paid for by a particular person |
| EFTPOS | Machine for electronic payments. Its full form is- Electronic Funds Transfer at Point Of Sale |
| ATM | Electronic Banking Outlet/ Teller Machine. Its full form is- Automatic Teller Machine |
9. Words Used at School
| TERMS/PHRASES | MEANING |
| Rubber | Eraser |
| Uni | University |
| Pacer | Refillable/Mechanical pencil |
| Wag | To skip class |
| Biro | Pen |
| Mobile/Mobes | Cell phone |
| Zed | The letter ‘Z’ |
| Reckon | Figure/Think/Assume |
| Dodgy | Suspicious/Poor quality/ Not reliable |
| How good is that? | That’s good |
| How’s it going/How ya going | How are you? |
10. Words Used at The Workplace
| TERMS/PHRASES | MEANING |
| Lift | Elevator |
| Reach out | Get into contact with |
| Bludger | A lazy person |
| FYI | For Your Information |
| ASAP | As Soon As Possible |
| Fair go | A fair chance |
| Moving forward | Moving on to the next thing/Thinking about the future |
| Whinger | Someone who complains a lot |
| Sickie | A day off work due to illness |
| Call it a day | To complete what you’re doing |
| Give someone a holler/ a bell | To call someone on the phone |
| Ta | Thank you |
11. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Australian Accent
What Makes an Australian (Aussie) Accent?
The Australian accent stands out for its numerous vowel sounds, making it globally distinctive in English. Aussies elongate vowels at the end of words, like "daaey" for day.
In Australian English, the 'R' is often dropped at the end of words, a feature that sets it apart. T's are pronounced differently, starting with emphasis but flapping in the middle, as in 'caddle' for cattle.
Most Australians, especially in urban areas, speak a general Aussie English with softened T's and dropped R's. The unique intonation often makes statements sound like questions, adding to the distinctiveness of Australian English.
What is The Australian Accent Closest To?
Generally, the Australian accent is closest to the Welsh accent due to similar vocabulary choices and pronunciation.
Australians and Welsh (people of Wales country, a part of Britain) tend to end words with a 'v' sound instead of an 'r' sound like other English speakers.
What Are Famous Australian Greetings?
These are the different phrases/words Australians use to say hello:
-
Hey, how are you?"
-
How's it going?
-
How are you going?
-
How are you doing?
-
How are you going?
-
'How's it going, mate?'
-
How are you doing?
-
'Hey mate'
-
"G' day" or "G'day mate"
What Are The 5 Most Popular Aussie Slang Words?
The five commonly used slang words or phrases that Australians use are:
-
Barbie – barbecue
-
Bikkie – a biscuit
-
Chrissie – Christmas
-
Sunnies – sunglasses
-
Exy – a short version of "expensive."
What Do Aussies Call Friends?
Mate, Cobber, Buddy, or Pal are common Australian slang used to call friends.
What is Australian Slang for Girls?
Australians often use the slang "Sheila" to denote a chick, woman, female, or lady.
What Is Australian Slang for Kids?
Kindie (0-5 years old kids), Shark Biscuit (Kids at the Beach), Ankle Biter, and Billy Lid are popular nicknames for a child.
What is The Australian Phrase for Happy?
The Australian slang for happy is "Stoked" and "Rapt" for very happy.
What is Aussie Slang For Relaxing?
The Aussie slang for relaxing is "Veg Out" (possibly in front of Television).
How Do You Greet In an Australian Accent?
Greetings are generally informal in social settings. Most Aussies use first names during initial introductions.
The standard verbal greetings are a simple "Hi," "Hey," or "Hello." Though less common in cities, some use Australian slang and say "G'day" or "G'day mate."
Most Australians greet by saying, "Hey, how are you?". It is generally a simple greeting, not an enquiry about one's well-being. The standard response to this greeting is, "I'm good, thanks. How are you?".
A handshake is a standard greeting between strangers. A firm handshake with eye contact shows confidence.
Is The Australian Accent a British Accent?
Australia has no official language. Since European settlement, British English has been used as a de-facto official language in Australia.
It is the first language of 72% of the population. Australian English is a set of variations of the English language native to Australia.
How To Do an Australian Accent Fast?
If you want to sound like an Australian, here are seven easy steps to help you speak an Australian accent.
- Step 1: Replace the R sound from the end of words with an "ah." For example, instead of "forever," say "forev-ah."
- Step 2: Keep your intonation quick, soft, and steady. Try speaking a long and constant stream of words (a sentence) as if it is a whole word. Try not to move your tongue a lot when practising speaking this way.
- Step 3: Soften the T at the end of words. For example, say the word "right" as "r-eye."
- Step 4: Cut off the G from words that end with "-ing." For example, try saying "catching," and You would say "cat-chn."
- Step 5: Raise your voice towards the end of the sentence as if you were asking a question. It is called the "Australian Question Inflection," and Australians use it often in their day-to-day speech.
- Step 6: To use Australian slang, shorten the word and add an "-ie" at the end. For example:
-
Barbie (for barbeque)
-
Pressie (for Present)
-
Brekkie (for Breakfast)
-
Mozzie (for Mosquito)
-
Sunnies (for Sunglasses)
- Step 7: Use "as" as a suffix to sentences to add more weight. For example, "That movie was sweet as, mate!"
These were the essential tips for beginners familiarising themselves with the Australian accent. Consider joining a training institute to train in an Australian accent fast.
Australian English Institute and Berlitz are famous institutes that teach simplified shortcut methods to use Australian accents and sound like native speakers for living and working in Australia.
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