Aussie Slang – A Beginner’s Guide

We are taught to speak and to write ‘proper’ English when we’re young. It’s only when we travel out with our own hometowns and countries that we discover that there are so many variations in terms of language. Yes, a Scotsman may be able to converse with an Australian perfectly well. However, when it comes to slang terms, that’s something else entirely!

Before you come over to visit us here, it’s a good idea to learn a few popular Australian phrases to help you understand us. It’s also worth bearing in mind that we tend to shorten many words in the English vocabulary! So, if you’re a tourist hoping to blend in with the locals or if you’re Australian born and bred but need a little reminder of some well-used terms, read on for more!

• Arvo- afternoon
• Mate – friend
• Bogan – redneck
• Thongs – flipflops
• She’ll be right – it will be okay
• A cold one – a beer
• Avo- avocado
• Budgie smugglers – Speedos
• Cactus – dead, broken
• Drongo – a fool
• Hard yakka – hard work
• Lollies – sweets
• Woop woop – middle of nowhere

Of course, not all these slang terms are commonly used by all generations. But it’s worth having some knowledge of at least some of them to help you on your way!

At Eagle Wools we are all about having a bit of harmless fun. This information has been sourced online and we can’t verify the accuracy of any of it so don’t go referencing us on your school essays.