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Having grown up in Australia, I sometimes take our weird and wonderful lingo for granted. Sure, every culture develops its own unique slang; I thought I had learned Spanish until I turned up in Spain to discover that people have a 'language within a language,' countless funny and often rude idioms and phrases that they just don't teach you at school.
Australia is the same. You haven't truly experienced Australia until you've had a chat with a random bogan in a bluey, durry in hand while smashing down a tinny in his stubbies and thongs. If you're lucky, he might let you help yourself to the contents of his esky, chuck a snag or two on the barbie and discuss whether he reckons the pies have got a chance of winning the flag this year. (Pro tip: the pies are a bunch of sooks and sheilas, catters all the way mate).
Needless to say, when foreigners come into contact with all this nonsensical Australian slang, it can be a bit of a head-scratcher. The internet is providing tons of opportunities for a bit of cross-cultural education, and it's always fun trying to help the uninitiated try to decode our unique way of using English words. Need proof? Scroll down below to check out some Tumblr users who were just fair dinkum stumped by it the Aussie slang, and needed an explanation. What do ya reckon? Let us know what you think in the comments!
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#1
Greatest Phrase In The English Language
In order to help you with the short intro above, here are a few funny words to say:
Bogan: An uncouth or unsophisticated person regarded as being of low social status, similar to your American redneck, but used in a slightly more good-natured way.
"Check out that fella with the mullet. What a bogan!"
RELATED:
#2
Melting Thongs
Durry: A cigarette, usually of the Winny Gold or PJ 30s variety. But never menthols. That shit'll give you cancer.
Tinny: A can of ice-cold beer, often a VB, Tooheys, Swan Lager or XXXX, depends on what state you're in. But never, ever a Fosters.
"Hey Macca, ya got a spare durry mate? I'm fangin' for one over here." "Yeah righto Robbo, hold me tinny and I'll grab ya one, ya bloody scab."
#3
Everything Is Chips
Bluey: A blue singlet, traditionally made by the brand Bonds, that you can wear to just about any occasion in the summer months. Often also referred to with a slang word 'wife-beater,' but this term has become increasingly frowned upon.
"Bloody hell Charlene, I'm down to my last 6 blueys! Grab us a pack next time you're in town will ya?"
#4
Meaning Of Mate
#5
Aussie Slang
Stubbies and Thongs: Completing the bogan uniform are a pair of short, tight shorts, perfect for showing off those chicken legs and accentuating the beer gut. And no, not a G-string (G-banga), thongs are footwear that are otherwise known as flip-flops or, hilariously, 'jandals' if you're a kiwi (New Zealander).
"I've busted a plug on me thongs again, anyone got any gaffa tape?"
#6
Trakky-Dacks
Esky: A portable, hard-plastic cooler that comes in a variety of colours and sizes, and is most useful for chocking up with ice and beer. Also makes a great makeshift chair at the cricket or footy.
Snag: A sausage. A staple at any normal BBQ (barbie), often wrapped diagonal-wise on a single piece of white bread and smothered in tomato sauce. A few grilled onions thrown on top if you're feeling particularly gourmet. Other barbie favourites include: rissoles, which are basically burger patties with a few breadcrumbs mixed in; steak, T-bone is a favorite cut, and a bit of salad on the side. Contrary to the popularized saying 'chuck another shrimp on the barbie,' that must be happening in another part of Australia coz I never saw a shrimp at a barbie in my life.
#7
Australian Slang
Pies and Catters: Collingwood and Geelong football clubs. Australian football is the national sport, one that has to be watched to be understood. It's physical, fast-paced and full of action, and the players wear basically blueys and stubbies (see above) in true bogan style. Teams fight it out each season to win the championship (flag), culminating in Grand Final Day (think superbowl) which stops the nation as two teams go toe-to-toe in front of 100,000 people at the magnificent MCG, an iconic stadium in Melbourne. The Pies (Collingwood) are a historically successful team that everyone loves to hate, kind of like the Dallas Cowboys or Manchester United of the AFL.
#8
Macca's
Jaz Jensen 6 years ago
I'm Australian and it's always Maccas. Never ever hear micky d's here. Sign is always McDonald's
the Lemon Queen 6 years ago
*laughs ominously* mate, you don't have a clue. Now hand me some grog, and I mean the stuff from that fair-dinkum bottle-o over there near the macca's. Never mind, actually, just macca's for now. Grog later in the arvo. >:)
Mrs Spencer 6 years ago
Macky D’s in the U.K. I’m from the South of U.K. and have also heard Micky D’s. However I like to call it Manky D’s
Long Joan Silver 6 years ago
BAHAHAHAHA! This is probably the most Aussiest post I have ever seen!
Ian Schafer 6 years ago
Grog is Booze .. Alcohol ... Beer mainly, Drongo is an idiot, Servo is a service Station commonly know as a Garage by Americans, Bottlo is a Bottle shop that sells Alcohol ... Americans call them Drug stores ... Why ??? Can you buy drugs there ???
Shirley Phillips 6 years ago
A drug store has/ is a pharmacy, so, yes to 'They sell drugs there", usually over the counter or by prescription.
Load More Replies...
Sandra Llewelyn 6 years ago
Grog was a mix of rum and water that used to be given to sailors inthe RN many many years ago
Антон Христов(Anton Hristoff) 6 years ago
Just Mac Donalds. In my language there is a lexical rule that you can't translate or change foreign name.
Spike Greenland 6 years ago
In Germany it's "Mäkkes" (which sounds like "Macca's"). Most people here will understand if you say "I'm going to Mäkkes. Would you like to have a Juniortüte?".
David Williams 6 years ago
Aussies shorten everything: ‘Garna Tessier fuChrissie, takin presides futhu rellies’ (Translation) ‘I’m going to Tasmania at Christmas and taking presents for the relatives’
Vicky Zar 6 years ago
Gosh just google it. ;) It is Rum with hot water and maybe sugar. At least in germany it is.
Load More Replies...
Tamerah Long 6 years ago
A liquor store. We can't by alcohol at supermarkets etc. It has to be bought at a pub/hotel or a liquor store.
Load More Replies... #9
Confusing Aussie Slang
Withnail 6 years ago
I was recently taken aback to learn that we South African's apparently mispronounce litchi, according to my Aussie friend. Well, firstly I spell it litchi, instead of lychee. And we pronounce it lee-chee, whereas he pronounces it lie-chee... Who knew that I could have a massive argument about a tiny fruit?!
Fair Dinkum: or 'fair dinks' for short (we love to shorten everything at every opportunity), this versatile phrase is used for emphasis, surprise, or confirming that something is true. I would use it most often in the same way you would say "seriously?"
"Did ya hear Jonno got busted rootin Daryl's missus?!"
"Whaaat. Fair dinkum?"
#11
The Most Australian Sentence
Jaz Jensen 6 years ago
Australian here, C**t is friend Mate is someone I call when I don't remember their name.
#12
Perfect Slang Example
Silverfish_13 6 years ago (edited)
Love this, a beautiful slang message to his love Edit: yes, I am Australian
#13
Australian To English Translation
#15
Australian Time
#16
Aussie Traffic Reports
Rosie Hamilton 6 years ago
I know chockers - in the UK that would be an abbreviation of chock-a-block meaning crammed full.
#17
Confusing Aussie Slang
Sasy 6 years ago
The more I read of this list, I wonder what the hell has happened in the past ten years that I have somehow missed in my own country, for a start if anyone called a blow job a Gobbie on the other side of the 90's I do not think anyone would have ever gotten one, how gross sounding. I know we say Gob for Mouth but seriously Gobbie, is this another state thing ?
#18
Australian 'I Love You'
#19
Funny Aussie Slang
#20
Aussie Slang
#21
Swagman
#22
Heaps
Random Panda 6 years ago (edited)
But what is a heap? Edit: I know it means many. Thought it might be something different, because this use of the word isn't exclusive to Australia (to the best of my knowledge).
#23
Sunrise Rhonda
Add New Image
What do you think ?
Silverfish_13 6 years ago
As an Australian, I can vouch that these are accurate, especially when dealing with non-australians.
Bored Phoenix 6 years ago
This is me right now (I’m American) 250B74F3-8...82fe7.jpeg 
Valentina Cupido 6 years ago
Oh I so hope someone finds time/patience to do the same post for South African English! I grew up in Pretoria and moved back to Italy at 13, at a certain point in my education I found myself in a class with a boy from UK, another from Texas, another from Australia and another from Switzerland. We literally drove our English teacher crazy being they we were all way better speakers than her and we would constantly make fun of each other for our accents and slang! Laughed their heads off the first time I called my new Nike's "takkies"!
HoffLensMetalHedLovesAnimalsUK 6 years ago
Neighbours taught me everything i know about Aussie slang, and being a Brit probably helps.
Sasy 6 years ago
Some of these made me cringe, and some are just orchestrated silliness, but I will admit that the longer I spend talking to people from other countries over the years, you come to realise that Australia is a very mixed bag when it comes to language and experiences. One of my biggest realisations was that people do not say BLOODY like Australians do, we rarely if ever say the word to actually mean anything to do with blood. The other one that almost caused an argument with some Americans was when I referred to a ladies night out as a SHOCKER and her reaction was to try and rip my head off (as much as you can online) I had no idea what I had said to offend, but apparently saying someone had a shocker may mean they performed a rather daring sexual act, whereas down here it just means you had such a big night that the next morning you really cannot function.
Maria Campbell 6 years ago
Oh my gawd! being an Aussie I can tell you, I go to USA regularly and I ALWAYS have to tone down my Aussieness just so the Yanks (Americans) can understand me! One of my dearest American friends told me to stop being American and keep our slang (shortened language) You call a tap a faucet, I was like, "Why would I force it?" You call a front porch a stoop, I was like, "Stoop? Surely I can just walk in?" So much of language even when it is English is often difficult to understand due to cultural issues. But bloody heck, chuck me a vino and shut your gob and get stood on! ( translation; Pour me a glass of wine, stop talking and stop being disrespectful!) Oh, I hope we never lose our Aussieness....which sadly here we seem to be doing. Youth do not understand an Aussie slang even in general basic slang.
PR 6 years ago (edited)
Just for the record, "stoop" is regional and in my region (Midwest) we say "front porch". Also, stoop technically refers to the top of the steps, so if someone doesn't have an actual wide porch, then stoop is correct. So, there you go... Also, I think a lot of times the rudeness sadly reflects on education level. Lately, though, I've noticed that people that are not good with language, i.e. visual vs. auditory, have a hard time and may feel inadequate because they truly can't understand.
Load More Replies...
Vincent Jay 6 years ago
I spent a couple of days in Geraldton, Austalia in 1980. I can't remember hearing any of this. Perhaps I wasn't there long enough.
Agnes Jekyll 6 years ago
I worked for an australian, and I noticed how many things end in -y or -ie. Dunny for outhouse; lolly for all candy, moggy for cat; kitty for house change (I'm forgetting tons)--then the clothing: Singlet for undershirt, jumper for sweater; then shithouse for a bad day
Sasy 6 years ago
Jumper is another one I had no idea was weird until saying you have to grab one off the line, and they think you mean something crazy is happening, like person jumping off of something.
Load More Replies...
Master Markus 6 years ago
Some of these sound so goofy that I'm not sure how to feel about it. Also, I don't want to call my friends c***s - come on, I need to keep up my supply of quick genital insults.
Sasy 6 years ago
Thank you, I am appalled that this is being said as a truth, in some groups maybe, but not overall an Aussie thing to do, I cannot even fathom the fights that would come from this or the misunderstandings of someone feeling they were closer to someone than they were and greeting them this way.
Load More Replies...
Jennifer C. 6 years ago
I am crying with laughter and booking my tix to Australia...this is the best! XD
Tim Eacott 5 years ago
Yep as an Australian, these are all 100% correct. And made total sense to me. :) Nah, Yeah... Good luck ay! Heaps good! Happy Aus Day :)
Tim Eacott 5 years ago
Yep... Aussie here. I understood all of them totally fine. No issues here. :)
Tahani 6 years ago
Most annoying thing to me is calling candy 'lollies' a lolly is ONE type of candy, not the combined name for all of them...
Sasy 6 years ago
@chillchillpill the durex one caused a big stir for a friend of my Mums on first moving to Oz from the UK. Her elderly boss asked her to go get him some durex, she was shocked and called him a pervert, him and his wife once they worked out what was going on had a great laugh.
Load More Replies...
Silverfish_13 6 years ago
As an Australian, I can vouch that these are accurate, especially when dealing with non-australians.
Bored Phoenix 6 years ago
This is me right now (I’m American) 250B74F3-8...82fe7.jpeg
Valentina Cupido 6 years ago
Oh I so hope someone finds time/patience to do the same post for South African English! I grew up in Pretoria and moved back to Italy at 13, at a certain point in my education I found myself in a class with a boy from UK, another from Texas, another from Australia and another from Switzerland. We literally drove our English teacher crazy being they we were all way better speakers than her and we would constantly make fun of each other for our accents and slang! Laughed their heads off the first time I called my new Nike's "takkies"!
HoffLensMetalHedLovesAnimalsUK 6 years ago
Neighbours taught me everything i know about Aussie slang, and being a Brit probably helps.
Sasy 6 years ago
Some of these made me cringe, and some are just orchestrated silliness, but I will admit that the longer I spend talking to people from other countries over the years, you come to realise that Australia is a very mixed bag when it comes to language and experiences. One of my biggest realisations was that people do not say BLOODY like Australians do, we rarely if ever say the word to actually mean anything to do with blood. The other one that almost caused an argument with some Americans was when I referred to a ladies night out as a SHOCKER and her reaction was to try and rip my head off (as much as you can online) I had no idea what I had said to offend, but apparently saying someone had a shocker may mean they performed a rather daring sexual act, whereas down here it just means you had such a big night that the next morning you really cannot function.
Maria Campbell 6 years ago
Oh my gawd! being an Aussie I can tell you, I go to USA regularly and I ALWAYS have to tone down my Aussieness just so the Yanks (Americans) can understand me! One of my dearest American friends told me to stop being American and keep our slang (shortened language) You call a tap a faucet, I was like, "Why would I force it?" You call a front porch a stoop, I was like, "Stoop? Surely I can just walk in?" So much of language even when it is English is often difficult to understand due to cultural issues. But bloody heck, chuck me a vino and shut your gob and get stood on! ( translation; Pour me a glass of wine, stop talking and stop being disrespectful!) Oh, I hope we never lose our Aussieness....which sadly here we seem to be doing. Youth do not understand an Aussie slang even in general basic slang.
PR 6 years ago (edited)
Just for the record, "stoop" is regional and in my region (Midwest) we say "front porch". Also, stoop technically refers to the top of the steps, so if someone doesn't have an actual wide porch, then stoop is correct. So, there you go... Also, I think a lot of times the rudeness sadly reflects on education level. Lately, though, I've noticed that people that are not good with language, i.e. visual vs. auditory, have a hard time and may feel inadequate because they truly can't understand.
Load More Replies... Vincent Jay 6 years ago
I spent a couple of days in Geraldton, Austalia in 1980. I can't remember hearing any of this. Perhaps I wasn't there long enough.
Agnes Jekyll 6 years ago
I worked for an australian, and I noticed how many things end in -y or -ie. Dunny for outhouse; lolly for all candy, moggy for cat; kitty for house change (I'm forgetting tons)--then the clothing: Singlet for undershirt, jumper for sweater; then shithouse for a bad day
Sasy 6 years ago
Jumper is another one I had no idea was weird until saying you have to grab one off the line, and they think you mean something crazy is happening, like person jumping off of something.
Load More Replies... Master Markus 6 years ago
Some of these sound so goofy that I'm not sure how to feel about it. Also, I don't want to call my friends c***s - come on, I need to keep up my supply of quick genital insults.
Sasy 6 years ago
Thank you, I am appalled that this is being said as a truth, in some groups maybe, but not overall an Aussie thing to do, I cannot even fathom the fights that would come from this or the misunderstandings of someone feeling they were closer to someone than they were and greeting them this way.
Load More Replies... Jennifer C. 6 years ago
I am crying with laughter and booking my tix to Australia...this is the best! XD
Tim Eacott 5 years ago
Yep as an Australian, these are all 100% correct. And made total sense to me. :) Nah, Yeah... Good luck ay! Heaps good! Happy Aus Day :)
Tim Eacott 5 years ago
Yep... Aussie here. I understood all of them totally fine. No issues here. :)
Tahani 6 years ago
Most annoying thing to me is calling candy 'lollies' a lolly is ONE type of candy, not the combined name for all of them...
Sasy 6 years ago
@chillchillpill the durex one caused a big stir for a friend of my Mums on first moving to Oz from the UK. Her elderly boss asked her to go get him some durex, she was shocked and called him a pervert, him and his wife once they worked out what was going on had a great laugh.
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