Heading To Australia? Let Us Set You Up With Some Local Lingo So You Can Vibe With The Aussies
Familiarise yourself with the lingo from the Land Down Under when you enjoy limited-time discounts till 10 March 2023 on fares, flights, hotels and more to travel to Australia.
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Thinking of taking a vacation to the Land Down Under? Well, you can’t be saying “jom”, “alamak”, and “lah” over there.
Australians have their own slang and lingo too and thanks to Tourism Australia, here are some tips to help you mingle with the locals there.
So if you’re trying to impress some Aussie lads or chicks over there, try remembering all these terms and go start a conversation as confidently as you can! Even if you don’t sound that fluent, confidence is key. 😌
Here are some examples for you to get familiar with before going on that trip Down Under.
The Classic Must-Know Lingos
- Arvo (IPA: /ˈɐː.vəʉ/) – Afternoon.
The best time to go for a coastal walk is in the arvo. As a country surrounded by ocean, Australia is home to a never-ending list of coastal strolls, but one not to miss if you head to Tasmania is the Wineglass Bay track on the island’s east coast. - Barbie – Barbecue or BBQ.
Let’s fire up the beach barbie and cook up some snags (sausages) at Tamarama – Sydney/Warrane’s small surf cove just round the corner from the famous Bondi Beach – to cook a feast right on the beach.
- Beaut (IPA: /bjuːt/) – Beautiful.
Catch a beaut west coast sunset from the water with a Water Wanderers kayak tour in Perth/Boorloo. - Brekkie (IPA: /ˈbɹɛki/) – Breakfast.
Don’t miss out on Australia’s best avo toast at The Little Hideout cafe in Balmoral, Brisbane/Meeanjin. - Budgie Smugglers (IPA: /ˈbʌdʒi/ smə́gləz) – Men’s swimming briefs.
Don your budgies and go for a sunrise swim at Port Stephens Bennetts Beach, you might even spot some local dolphins while you’re there! - Chock-a-Block or Chockers (IPA: /tʃɒkəˈblɒk/) – Extremely full.
Canberra’s National Gallery of Australia is chock-a-block with over 155,000 works of art, from classics to Indigenous masterpieces.
- Coldie or Cold One (IPA: /ˈkəʊldɪ/) – An ice-cold beer.
Escape the heat and crack a cold one at a Brisbane beer garden, try Southbeach Brisbane/Meeanjin for views out to SouthBank and the Brissy river. - Crikey (IPA: /krɑ́jkɪj/) – An expression of surprise, usually followed by ‘mate’ for the full Aussie experience.
Crikey mate! You don’t want to miss spotting a huge croc in the wild in the Northern Territory. Join a cruise on the Adelaide River to see these mighty creatures jump with Spectacular Jumping Crocodiles Cruises, an hour outside of Darwin/Gulumerrdgen. - Deadset – Being serious or determined to do something.
Deadset mate, these are the best times to see whales along the coast of Australia. - Esky (IPA: /ɛsˈkiː/) – A portable insulated container for keeping food or drink cool. ie. a must for any beach picnic or backyard barbie.
Load up your esky with local cheese and a bottle of wine and head to one of Australia’s city parks for lunch in the sun. We love First Fleet Park in The Rocks for unparalleled views of the Sydney Opera House and harbour.
- Far Out – When something is shocking or unbelievable.
Far out, that view is stunning! Try a once in a lifetime helicopter tour of Western Australia’s Kimberley region with Kimberley Helicopter Tours and experience the Aussie outback in all its glory. - G’day (IPA: /ɡəˈdeɪ/) – Good day. A friendly way of saying hello Down Under.
Say G’day to the wild kangaroos at Lucky Bay, an incredible 5km (3 mile) stretch of long, white sandy beach just near Esperance, part of the Cape Le Grande National Park in Western Australia’s south. - Mate (IPA: /meɪt/) – Friend.
Mate really captures the true essence of Aussie culture and how they value friendship is what makes them so welcoming. In Oz for Christmas? Swap the snow for sand and join a game of beach cricket with a mate! Noosa main beach in Queensland is one the best spots to see in this festive holiday.
- No Worries or No Wokkas (IPA: /noʊ ˈwɒkə/) – No problem. Aussies are all about that ‘no worries’ attitude, putting aside stress to find the good things in life.
Needing a moment of calm? No worries, mate, we’ve got that zen covered at a beach yoga class. Head on a ferry trip from Brisbane to North Stradbroke Island and book a class with Beach Yoga Straddie. - Ripper (IPA: /ˈrɪp ər /) – Very good, fantastic, excellent.
That Sunday sesh was a ripper, mate! Try one of Australia’s best rooftop bars for a drink in the Sunday sunshine, like Adelaide’s 2KW Bar & Restaurant – a great spot to look out across the River Torrens and beyond to the Adelaide Hills with a few mates. - Schnitty or schnitzel (IPA: /ʃnɪ́tsəl/) – Chicken schnitzel. A delicious breadcrumbed piece of chicken that’s found in pretty much every Aussie pub.
Order a schnitty and chips from one of Melbourne’s favourite beach pubs, The Local Taphouse in St Kilda East. - Schooner (IPA: /sgʉ́wnə/) – A measure of beer.
In all Aussie states other than South Australia, a schooner is 425ml and the most common order at any pub. Check out one of Australia’s most iconic outback pubs, order a schooner and chat with a friendly local at Daly Waters Pub, Daly Waters, Northern Territory.
- She’ll be right – It’ll be ok. The Aussie belief that whatever is wrong will right itself with time.
Stressful day? Get yourself a coffee and she’ll be right, mate. You can’t really go wrong with a flat white order anywhere in Australia, but one of our favourite spots is Henley Breeze Cafe, in one of Adelaide/Tarndanya’s beach suburbs of Henley. - Thongs (IPA: /θɒŋ/) – Flip flops or beach shoes that Aussies tend to wear all year round – rain, hail or shine.
Pack your togs (swimming costume) and thongs, and book a free volleyball pitch for the day on one of the Gold Coast’s most stunning beaches, Coolangatta in Queensland. - True Blue – Very genuine and loyal. Often used to describe someone that expresses Aussie values.
Catch an Australian Rules Football (AFL) game and sit next to a true blue fan at Melbourne/Narrm’s mighty MCG – the best stadium to experience this local sport. - Yarn – To chat. Coming from an Indigenous word, having a yarn means to chat or tell a story.
Learn about First Nations culture and stories with one of the many tours around the country or book one of YARN Australia’s online storytelling workshops.
The Latest Slangs From Around The Block
- Bail – To cancel plans.
Trust me, you don’t want to bail on this! For an unmissable experience, visit one of Australia’s best wineries for a day of wine tasting and regional food, set to a stunning backdrop, like Taylor’s Wines in Clare Valley, one of South Australia’s best wine regions. - Chooooon (IPA: /tjuːn/) – Tune. Often said in a drawn-out way by young Aussies when a song is really good – chooooon!
Don’t miss out on some epic choons at an Aussie music festival. For international bands and local acts, book Falls Festival for NYE in the New South Wales beach town of Byron Bay. - Deadly – Excellent, amazing, really good.
Bro, that tube ride was deadly! Check out deadly surf tricks at one of Australia’s epic surf competitions and watch from the beach with your mates. There’s two major Australian events in the calendar around April – the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach in Victoria and the Margaret River Pro in Western Australia. - Gammon (IPA: /gámən/) – Pretend, fake. Widely used by Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians, particularly in the Northern Territory, to mean joking.
Spotted a drop bear in the Tasmanian wilderness? Nah, that’s gammon.
- Heaps Good – Very good, really or excellent.
Yum, these fish and chips are heaps good. Try some of Tassie’s best fish and chips at Fish Frenzy in Hobart. - Naur (IPA: /naʊə/) – No – just in a classic Aussie accent.
Oh naur I forgot to pack my sunnies for our paddleboard! Remember your sunglasses and book a stand-up paddle board tour around the stunning national park of Sydney’s Northern Beaches with Eco Treasures. - Sick – Good or amazing. Not to be confused with crook or feeling unwell.
Mate that gig was sick! For a truly epic sound, book one of the many comedy gigs, theatre shows or music performances at Sydney Opera House for a fully sick experience. - Spewing – Really annoyed.
I’ll be absolutely spewing if there’s no table at Little Creatures Brewery. Make sure this doesn’t happen by booking a spot at Perth/Boorloo’s favourite brewery in the artsy suburb of Fremantle and try one of their beer paddle tastings.
With this guide, you’ll be able to order that schnitty, schooner or sanga like a true blue local in no time.
Tourism Australia Is Offering Discounts To Travel To Their Country
Heading to Australia soon? This couldn’t be a better time to go as fares for flights, hotel, tours, car rentals and experiences are now being offered at a discount!
This is the fourth edition of the highly anticipated travel sale and deals fair called “Great Australian Deals” from the “Come and Say G’day” campaign, available only until 10 March 2023.
Tourism Australia has teamed up with five major airlines – Malaysia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Qantas, AirAsia X, and Scoot to offer fares starting from just RM858.
Tourism products range from hotels to adventure and leisure experiences. Some of them include discounts up to RM2,000 per couple for group departures and 20% off for 2nd passenger on tour packages.
Deals can be booked online, offline, and over the phone with Tourism Australia’s key distribution partners (CIT, Sedunia, Apple Vacations, Forever Travel Service), online travel agencies (Klook, Traveloka), accommodation providers (TFE Hotels, Hyatt, The Ovolo Group) and other partners (THL Online).
For more info on the discounts, visit their website here.
For more inspiration on breathtaking places to visit there, visit their Instagram.
READ MORE: Did You Know There’s A Malay Community On This Australian Island?
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