On the afternoon of July 22, 2005, I flew into Sydney’s coastal winter for the first time, having left behind a European summer. I was moving to Australia to study for a master of international relations at Macquarie University, and one of the things that had attracted me — besides the obvious perks of living in Sydney and MQ’s solid academic program, of course! — was the ability to study in English. I’d been living for a couple of years in the non English-speaking world and I was keen to study in my mother tongue again. After a few memorable, unintentionally offensive, and head-scratching moments, I realized: the mother tongue has gone in such delightfully different directions over the last few hundred years.
During my master’s program, and now back here as a diplomat, I have tried to familiarize myself with Aussie slang and expressions. It’s important to know what they mean; it’s embarrassing to ask someone to repeat themselves and to keep missing the subtext or point of what’s being said. And I love the straightforward Australian way of speaking that doesn’t pull any punches. Although I don’t necessarily use all their slang, I have re-adopted a lot of their phrasing. Put some of this slang together with the vowel-bending Aussie accent, and I reckon it can be confusing for Yanks down under!
Sailing in Sydney, November 2005
I’m not an expert, but here’s a non-exhaustive list of common Aussie words and expressions I know and have personally encountered so far during my time in Oz.
In Part II, I’ll talk about foods. Enjoy!
Common Words and Expressions
| Australian English | American English equivalent |
| arvo | afternoon |
| biffo | fistfight |
| biro | ballpoint pen |
| bloke | guy |
| bludger | someone living off welfare |
| bogan | redneck |
| bollocks up | mess up |
| booking | reservation |
| buggered | exhausted |
| bum bag | fanny pack |
| bush | countryside, out of the city |
| chemist | pharmacy/drugstore |
| clothes peg | clothespin |
| cot | baby crib |
| crook | feeling unwell |
| dobber | snitch |
| docket | receipt |
| doctor’s rooms | doctor’s office |
| dunnie | outhouse |
| fete | carnival |
| fortnightly | biweekly |
| garbo | garbage man |
| give it a miss | not interested |
| globe | light bulb |
| ground floor | first floor |
| have a go | take a turn |
| how ya goin’? | how’re you doing? |
| in good nick | in good shape |
| I reckon | I suppose |
| it’s all down to (something) | it’s because of/depends on (something) |
| knock back | refuse |
| knock up | wake up |
| lift | elevator |
| loo | toilet |
| lounge suit | business suit |
| mate | friend (even someone you don’t know) |
| matron | head nurse |
| milko | milkman |
| mozzies | mosquitos |
| my shout | my turn to buy a round |
| naught | zero |
| no dramas | no problem |
| pissed | drunk |
| poll | election |
| postie | postman |
| power point | electrical outlet |
| queue | line |
| ring someone | call someone |
| rubber | eraser |
| rubbish bin | garbage can |
| sacked | fired |
| serviette | paper napkin |
| she’ll be right | it will be OK |
| skivvy | turtleneck |
| stubbie | beer |
| sunnies | sunglasses |
| swimmers, cossie, bathers | swim suit |
| ta | thanks |
| thongs | flip flops |
| tick the box | check it off the list |
| tip | garbage dump |
| torch | flashlight |
| touch wood | knock on wood |
| tucker | food |
| well alight | engulfed in flames |
| what’s on in CBR | what’s happening/going on in Canberra |
| whinging | complaining/whining |
| wonky | unstable |
| wouldn’t be in it | not interested |
| year | grade in school |
| zed | the letter “z” |
And here’s a little bonus of vocabulary related to driving…
Behind the Wheel
| Australian English | American English equivalent |
| bitumen | asphalt |
| bonnet | car hood |
| boot | car trunk |
| carpark | parking lot |
| footpath | sidewalk |
| mudguard | fender |
| panel beater | automotive body shop |
| parkbrake | emergency brake |
| petrol | gas |
| petrol station | gas station |
| prang | fender bender |
| rego | registration |
| tyre | tire |
| ute | pickup truck |
| windscreen | windshield |
Collecting Postcards 
Loved the post! Just to add to your list of translations – “knocked up” can often refer to getting someone/being pregnant 🙂
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Interesting! That’s how it’s used in American colloquial English too. I thought here it was just used as “to wake up”, but maybe that’s one phrase that’s more similar than different!
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When I was still in Korea, some friends and I formed a “fortnightly” brunch squad, and I always worried I was using the word in the wrong way. But I guess it really does mean biweekly! They weren’t making shit up!
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