When you move to Australia, you’ll be confronted by a whole new language.

That’s because despite people speaking English, Aussies love to shorten everything and they have probably some of the most slang I’ve ever heard!

If you thought we had tons of slang in South Africa, just wait until you hear the Aussies talk!

So I thought it would be useful to share this with you!

A Guide To Aussie Slang For New Migrants

Ambo – ambulance

Arvo – afternoon

Back of Bourke – very far away

Bathers – swimming costume/shorts

Barbie – braai (BBQ)

Bludger – lazy person

Bogan – unsophisticated person, usually of low socio-economic status

Booze Bus – police bus that tests at the road side for drunk drivers

Bottle-O –  bottle shop

Chook – chicken

Crack the shits – have a tantrum

Dag – quirky person

Daks – long pants (trousers not undies!)

Doco – documentary

Dob – inform/tell on someone (a dobber)

Esky – cooler box

Exy – expensive

Feral – badly behaved/wild person

Firebug – arsonist

Flake – sharkmeat (often seen in fish and chip shops)

Flick – get rid of someone/something (give them the flick)

Footy – Australian Rules football

Galah – silly person (also the bird)

Garbo – rubbish collector

Heaps – lots

Hoon – crazy driver (short for hooligan)

Icy pole – ice popsicle/water based ice treat

Journo – journalist

Kelpie – Australian sheepdog

Kindy – first year of school

Lollies – sweets

Maccas – McDonalds

Nipper – young child (also young surf lifesavers)

Op Shop – second hard shop/charity shop

Pash – kiss

Pav – pavlova

Plate (bring a plate) – bring a plate of food to share (not just a plate!)

Polly – politician

Postie – postman

Rapt – pleased

Rego – car registration

Rellies – relatives

Ripper – fantastic

Root – have sex with (so don’t ever ask an Aussie what team they root for!)

Rort – cheat

Salvos – Salvation Army

Sandgroper – someone from WA

Sanger  – sandwich

Scratchy – scratchcard

Servo – petrol station

She’ll be right – everything will be OK

Sickie – sick day from work

Slab – carton of beer

Smoko – smoke break

Snag – sausage

Spruiker – someone trying to get you to do something

Stickybeak – someone who is nosy

Sunnies – sunglasses

Thongs – flip flops

Tinny – can of beer or small tin boat

Trackie Daks – tracksuit pants

Tucker – food

Ute – bakkie/pick up truck

Vego – vegetarian

Vinnies – St Vincent’s (a charity)

Wog – person of Mediterranean origin (mild insult)

Yabber – someone who talks a lot

Yewy – U turn

Yobbo – rude person

 

And there you have it – a guide to Aussie slang for new migrants with some of the most common slang terms you’ll come across when you move to Australia.

What would you add to this list? Let me know in the comments!

 

Enjoyed this? Check out some of my other blogs like 8 common misconceptions about moving to Australia and 50 things you need to know before you migrate to Australia.