How To Speak Australian Slang

G'day mate! Now if you don't want to look like a bit of a galah when you visit Australia you'd better take a Captain's Cook at this guide to Australian slang. A lot of the lingo that we used to speak is starting to die out but you still need to be prepared. Some of the more common slang words and phrases are listed below.

So if you go walkabout and end up out the back of Bourke when all you wanted was to find the dunny, don't blame me! And just so ya know, fishing for a brown eyed mullet would not be a good thing, but in some places it's ok to eat a floater. Read on and she'll be right mate, Donyer!

I'm not sure what's going on with this blokes face but he does a good job of demonstrating Australian language.

Aerial pingpong : Australian Football, A derogatory comment made by rugby players.

Ambo : Ambulance, ambulance driver

Ankle biter : Small child

Apples : It'll be all right, "She'll be apples"

Apple Islander : A Tasmanian

Arvo : Afternoon

Arsey : Lucky

Aussie : An Australian, pronounced "Ozzie", not "Ossie"

Aussie salute : Brushing away flies with the hand

Avos : avocados

Back of Bourke : a very long way away

Banana bender : a person from Queensland

Barbie : barbecue

Barrack : to cheer on

Bastard : term of endearment, or an insult. "You're a clever bastard!" "You dirty little bastard!"

Battler : someone working hard and only just making a living

Beaut, beauty : great, fantastic

Big-note oneself : brag, boast

Billabong : watering hole

Billy : teapot. Container for boiling water.

Bingle : motor vehicle accident

Bitzer : mongrel dog (bits of this and bits of that)

Black Stump, beyond the : a long way away

Bloke : man, guy

Bloody : very (bloody hard yakka)

Bloody oath! : that's certainly true

Blue : A fight, or to make a mistake. "They were in a blue" "I made a blue"

Bluey : A traffic ticket, a redhead, a cattle dog, a type of jellyfish

Bodgy : of inferior quality

Bog in : commence eating, to attack food with enthusiasm

Bog standard : basic, unadorned, without accessories (a bog standard car, telephone etc.)

Bondi cigar : see "brown-eyed mullet"

Bonzer : great, ripper

Boomer : a large male kangaroo

Bored shitless : very bored

Bottle-o : liquor shop

Bottler : something excellent

Brekkie : breakfast

Brick shit house : large and strong, "He's built like a brick shit house"

Brown-eyed mullet : faeces floating in the sea

Brumby : a wild horse

Buckley's, Buckley's chance : no chance "New Zealand stands Buckley's of beating Australia at football"

Budgie smugglers : men's bathing costume

Bull bar : stout bar fixed to the front of a vehicle to protect it against hitting kangaroos, also a roo bar

Bundy : short for Bundaberg, Queensland, and the brand of rum that's made there

Bush : the Outback, anywhere that isn't in town

Bush oyster : nasal mucus

Bushman's hanky : Emitting nasal mucus by placing one index finger on the outside of the nose (thus blocking one nostril) and blowing.

Bushranger : highwayman, outlaw

Butcher's, Butcher's hook : rhyming slang for look "Take a butcher's at that!"

Cactus : dead, not functioning "This bloody washing machine is cactus"

Cane toad : a person from Queensland

Captain Cook : ryhming slang for look "Let's have a Captain Cook"

Cark it : to die, cease functioning

Cat burying shit, as busy as a : to be very busy

Chook : a chicken

Chunder : vomit

Clacker : anus

Clayton's : fake, substitute

Clucky : feeling broody or maternal

Coathanger : Sydney Harbour bridge

Cobber : friend

Cockie : farmer (Farmers were called cockies in the early days of settlement because, like the birds of the same name, they made their homes on the edges of permanent waterholes)

Cockie : cockatoo

Cockroach : a person from New South Wales

Coldie : a beer

Come a gutser : make a bad mistake, have an accident

Cooee, not within : figuratively a long way away, far off "England weren't within cooee of beating Australia at cricket"

Cooee, within : nearby "I was within cooee of landing a big fish when the line broke." "He lives within cooee of Sydney."

Corroboree : an aboriginal dance

Cozzie : swimming costume

Crack a fat : get an erection

Crack onto : to hit on someone, pursue someone romantically, to try to get a root

Cranky : in a bad mood, angry

Crook : sick, or badly made

Crow eater : a person from South Australia

Cut lunch : sandwiches

Cut snake, mad as a : very angry

Dag : a funny person, nerd, goof

Date : anus "get off your fat date"

Dead dingo's donger, as dry as a : very dry

Dead horse : ryhming slang for tomato sauce

Deadset : true, the truth

Digger : a soldier

Dingo's breakfast : a yawn, a leak and a good look round (i.e. no breakfast)

Dinkum, fair dinkum : true, real, genuine "I'm a dinkum Aussie" "is he fair dinkum?"

Dinky-di : the real thing, genuine

Dog's balls, sticks out like : obvious

Donger : penis

Donyer : Good on you, also "G'donya", "Donya"

Doodle : penis

Drongo : a dope, stupid person

Dummy, spit the : get very upset at something

Dunny : outside lavatory

Dunny rat, cunning as a : very cunning

Earbashing : nagging, non-stop chatter

Esky : large insulated food/drink container for picnics, barbecues etc.

Face, off one's : drunk "He was off his face by 9pm"

Fair dinkum : true, genuine

Fair go : a chance "give a bloke a fair go"

Fair suck of the sav! : exclamation of wonder, awe, disbelief

Fairy floss : cotton candy

Feral : a hippie, a person with poor personal hygiene

Flat out like a lizard drinking : flat out, busy

Flick : to give something or somebody the flick is to get rid of it or him/her

Floater : Meat pie served floating in pea soup

Footy : Australian Rules football

Franger : condom

Freckle : anus

Fruit loop : fool

Full : drunk

Furphy : false or unreliable rumour, an argument or fight

G'Day : hello!

Gabba : Wooloongabba - the Brisbane cricket ground

Galah : fool, silly person. Named after the bird of the same name because of its antics and the noise it makes.

Gander : look "have a gander at this"

Garbo, garbologist : municipal garbage collector

Give it a burl : try it, have a go

Gobful, give a : to abuse, usually justifiably "The neighbours were having a noisy party so I went and gave them a gobful"

Gobsmacked : surprised, astounded

Going off : used of a night spot or party that is a lot of fun - "the place was really going off"

Good oil : useful information, a good idea, the truth

Good onya : good for you, well done

Goog, as full as a : drunk. "Goog" is a variation of the northern English slangword "googgie" meaning an egg.

Greenie : environmentalist

Grog : liquor, beer "bring your own grog, you bludger"

Grouse : great, terrific, very good

Grundies : undies, underwear

Gutful of piss : drunk, "he's got a gutful of piss"

Gyno : gynaecologist

Harold Holt, to do the : Rhyming slang for "do the bolt", meaning to leave in a hurry. Also "to do the Harold"

Heaps : a lot, e.g. "thanks heaps", "he earned heaps of money" etc.

Hoon : hooligan

Hooroo : goodbye

Jackaroo : a male station hand (a station is a big farm/grazing property)

Jillaroo : a female station hand

Joe Blake :Rhyming slang for snake

Joey : baby kangaroo

Journo : journalist

Jumbuck : sheep

Kangaroos loose in the top paddock : Intellectually inadequate "he's got kangaroos loose in the top paddock"

Kero : kerosene

Kindie : kindergarten

Knock : to criticise

Knock back : refusal, refuse "He tried to crack on to her but he only got a knock back"

Knocker : somebody who criticises

Knockers : female breasts

Lair : a flashily dressed young man of brash and vulgar behaviour, to dress up in flashy clothes, to renovate or dress up something in bad taste

Lair it up, Lairise : to behave in a brash and vulgar manner

Larrikin : a bloke who is always enjoying himself, harmless prankster

Lend of, to have a : to take advantage of somebody's gullibility, to have someone on "he's having a lend of you"

Liquid laugh : vomit

Lizard drinking, flat out like a : flat out, busy

Lob, lob in : drop in to see someone "the rellies have lobbed"

Lollies : sweets, candy

Long paddock : the side of the road where livestock is grazed during droughts

Longneck : large bottle of beer

Lunch, who opened their? : OK, who farted?

Lurk : illegal or underhanded racket

Mallee bull, as fit as a : very fit and strong.

Mappa Tassie : map of Tasmania - a woman's pubic area

Mate : buddy, friend

Matilda : swagman's bedding, sleeping roll

Mexican : a person from south of the Queensland or New South Wales border

Mickey Mouse : excellent, very good. Rhyming slang for Grouse. Beware though - in some parts of Australia it means inconsequential, frivolous or not very good!

Mob : group of people, or a group of kangaroos

Mongrel : despicable person

Moolah : money

Mozzie : mosquito

Muddy : mud crab (a great delicacy)

Mug : friendly insult "have a go, yer mug", gullible person

Mulga : the bush

Muster : round up sheep or cattle

Mystery bag : a sausage

Naughty, have a : have sex

Never Never : the remote outback, centre of Australia

No-hoper : somebody who'll never do well

Not the full quid : not bright intellectually

Nuddy, in the : naked

Nun's nasty, as dry as a : very dry

Nut out : work out an agreement

Ocker : an unsophisticated person

Offsider : an assistant, helper

Old fella : penis

Oldies : parents - "I'll have to ask my oldies"

Op shop : opportunity shop, thrift store, place where second hand goods are sold.

Outback : interior of Australia

Paddock : a field, a fenced in rural area, as in "top paddock, sheep paddock, wheat paddock"

Pash : a long passionate kiss; hence "pashing on"

Pav : Pavlova - a rich, creamy Australian dessert

Piece of piss : easy task

Pig's arse! : I don't agree with you

Piker : Someone who doesn't want to fit in with others socially, leaves parties early

Piss : urine, also beer. Don't get the two confused. "Have a piss", "Hit the piss", "Sink some piss"

Piss up : A party where much alcohol is consumed

Plonk : cheap wine

Pokies : poker machines, fruit machines, gambling slot machines

Polly : politician

Pom, pommy, pommie : an Englishman

Porky : Lie, untruth, rhyming slang for lie = pork pie

Port : suitcase (portmanteau)

Pozzy : position - get a good pozzy at the football stadium

Prezzy : present, gift

Quid : refers to pre-decimal currency, a pound. "Are you earning a quid?" "I wouldn't give it up for quids?"

Rack off : push off! get lost! get out of here!

Rage : party

Rage on : to continue partying - "we raged on until 3am"

Ratbag : mild insult

Raw prawn, to come the : to bullshit, to be generally disagreeable

Rellie or relo : family relative

Ridgy-didge : original, genuine

Ripper : great, fantastic - "it was a ripper party"

Ripper, you little! : Exclamation of delight or as a reaction to good news

Road train : big truck with many trailers

Rock up : to turn up, to arrive - "we rocked up at their house at 8pm"

Rollie : a cigarette that you roll yourself

Root : synonym for f*ck in nearly all its senses: "I feel rooted" "this washing machine is rooted"; "(s)he's a good root". A very useful word in fairly polite company.

Root rat : somebody who is constantly looking for sex.

Ropeable : very angry

Rotten : drunk - "I went out last night and got rotten"

Rubbish : to criticize

Sandgroper : a person from Western Australia

Sanger : a sandwich

Sav : saveloy

Servo : petrol station

Shag on a rock, stands out like a : very obvious

Shark biscuit : somebody new to surfing

She'll be right : it'll turn out okay

Sheepshagger : A New Zealander

Sheila : a woman

Shit house : a toilet, or of poor quality, unenjoyable "this car is shit house", "the movie was shit house"

Shonky : dubious, underhanded. E.g. a shonky practice, shonky business etc.

Shoot through : to leave

Shout : turn to buy - a round of drinks usually "it's your shout"

Skite : boast, brag

Skull/Skoll : to drink a beer in a single draught without taking a breath

Slab : a carton of 24 bottles or cans of beer

Sleepout : house verandah converted to a bedroom

Snag : a sausage

Spit the dummy : get very upset at something

Sprung : caught doing something wrong

Spunk : a good looking person (of either sex)

Squizz : look - "take a squizz at this"

Station : a big farm/grazing property

Stickybeak : nosy person

Stoked : very pleased

Strewth : exclamation, mild oath "Strewth, that Chris is a bonzer bloke"

Strides : trousers

Stubby : a 375ml. beer bottle

Stuffed, I feel : I'm tired

Stuffed, I'll be : expression of surprise

Swag : rolled up bedding etc. carried by a swagman

Swaggie : swagman

Swagman : tramp, hobo

Tall poppies : successful people

Technicolor yawn : vomit

Tee-up : to set up (an appointment)

Thongs : cheap rubber backless sandals, flip flops

Throw-down : small bottle of beer which you can throw down quickly.

Tickets, to have on oneself : to have a high opinion of oneself

Tinny : can of beer

Tinny : small aluminium boat

Togs : swim suit

Top End : far north of Australia

Trackies : track suit

Troppo, gone : to have escaped to a state of tropical madness; to have lost the veneer of civilisation after spending too long in the tropics.

True blue : patriotic

Tucker : food

Tucker-bag : food bag

Turps : turpentine, alcoholic drink

Turps, hit the : go on a drinking binge

Two up : gambling game played by spinning two coins simultaneously

Uni : university

Unit : flat, apartment

Up oneself : have a high opinion of oneself - "he's really up himself"

Up somebody, get : to rebuke somebody - "the boss got up me for being late"

Useful as tits on a bull : unhelpful or incompetent person or thing - "he, she or it is about as useful as tits on a bull" etc. etc.

Ute : utility vehicle, pickup truck

Vedgies : vegetables

Vee dub : Volkswagen

Veg out : relax in front of the TV (like a vegetable)

Vejjo : vegetarian

Vinnie's : St. Vincent De Paul's (charity thrift stores and hostels)

WACA (pron. whacker) : Western Australian Cricket Association and the Perth cricket ground

Walkabout : a walk in the outback that lasts for an indefinite amount of time

Walkabout, it's gone : it's lost, can't be found

Weekend warrior : army reservist

Wacker, whacka : Idiot; somebody who talks drivel; somebody with whom you have little patience; a dickhead

White pointers : topless female sunbathers

Wobbly : excitable behaviour "I complained about the food and the waiter threw a wobbly"

Wobbly boot on, he's got the : drunk

Wog : flu or trivial illness

Wog : person of Mediterranean origin. More accpetable than in other parts of the world

Wombat : somebody who eats, roots and leaves (see also root)

Woop Woop : invented name for any small unimportant town - "he lives in Woop Woop"

Wowser : straight-laced person, prude, puritan, spoilsport

Wuss : coward; nervous person or animal

Yabber : talk (a lot)

Yabby : inland freshwater crayfish found in Australia (Cherax destructor)

Yakka : work

Yewy : u-turn in traffic "Chuck a yewy at the next traffic lights"

Yobbo : an uncouth person

Zack : sixpence from pre-decimal currency, equivalent to 5 cents. "It isn't worth a zack", "He hasn't got a zack"