150 Common Australian Slang Expressions to Advance Your Knowledge of Aussie Slang Phrases

Q: What are Aussie slang words?

Common Aussie slang words include “arvo” (afternoon), “mate” (friend), “barbie” (barbecue), and “servo” (service station).

Q: What is the most Aussie thing to say?

Popular phrases include “no worries” and “no drama,” which are used to express reassurance or that everything is fine.

Q: What is Aussie slang for awesome?

Common Australian slang terms for ‘awesome’ include “bonzer,” “ripper,” “beauty,” “sweet as,” and “cracker.”

Q: What is woop woop in Australia?

“Woop woop” is used to describe a remote or hard-to-reach place, similar to saying “the middle of nowhere.”

Q: What is a bogan slang?

“Bogan” is a slang term used in Australia and New Zealand to describe someone with speech, clothing, or behavior considered unsophisticated or lacking refinement.

Khushboo Kumari

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15 min read

Post Contents

130 Australian Slang Words Every Visitor Must Know
20 Aussie Idiomatic Slangs to Sound Like a Local
Wrapping Up!
FAQs

With a variety of dialects and a tinge of global multiculturalism, Australian slang is the most vibrant, funniest, and craziest expression that you’ll come across in English. They are unique, jolly, and amusing, just like the people of the gigantic island.

Hence, decoding the Aussie slang phrases can be a little tricky even for well-spoken English people.

To make Aussie slang vocabulary a little less intimidating, I bring to you this Australian slang words guide that will help you confidently engage with the locals.

130 Australian Slang Words Every Visitor Must Know

These are some essential Australian slang words to effortlessly navigate the tricky Aussie slang phrases.

S. No.	Slang	Meaning	Example
01.	Ankle-Biter	A small child who is usually playful or humorous.	The ankle-biters were running around the backyard.
02.	Bikkie	Acronym for biscuit. Sometimes it also means money when used as big bikkies.	Grab a coffee and a bikkie.
03.	Brekkie	Breakfast.	Let’s grab some brekkie before office.
04.	Barbie	Australian slang for barbecue.	We are having a barbie this weekend. Want to come over?
05.	Bogan	An uncultured, rough, and unfashionable person.	He rocked up in a mullet, what a bogan?
06.	Cake Hole	Mouth.	Shut your cake hole and listen quietly.
07.	Bush Telly	A campfire.	We sat around the bush telly all night.
08.	Mate	It means ‘Friend’ and is a casual way of addressing someone.	Cheers, mate!
09.	Ta	Thanks.	Here’s your drink. Ta!
10.	Crikey	Expression of surprise and shock.	Crikey! Look at the size of the snake, Joey.
11.	Ace	Great or excellent.	Your surfing lesson was ace.
12.	Agro	Angry or aggressive.	Don’t get agro with me for being late.
13.	Bities	Biting insects like mosquitoes or sandflies.	Watch out for bities near the river.
14.	Bonzer	Fantastic or really good.	That was a bonzer meal.
15.	Arvo	Afternoon.	See you this arvo.
16.	Avo	Abbreviation for avocado.	Add some avo to my toast.
17.	Aussie Salute	Waving your hand around to swat flies away.	I’ll be doing the Aussie salute all this summer.
18.	Billy	A metal pot used for boiling water over a campfire.	Throw the billy on! I want some tea.
19.	Bizzo	Business or something that you are doing.	It’s none of your bizzo, mate.
20.	Billabong	It’s a waterhole or pond formed when a river changes course.	We cooled off in the billabong.
21.	Bathers	Swimsuit.	Don’t forget your bathers.
22.	Bloody	It’s an intensifier that means ‘very’ and is used for emphasizing something.	It’s bloody hot today.
23.	Booze Bus	A police vehicle used for a roadside breath test.	I got pulled over by a booze bus last night.
24.	Bloke	Used for a ‘man’ or a ‘guy.’	He is a good bloke.
25.	Bouncy Mouse	Humorous nickname for a kangaroo.	I just saw a bouncy mouse hopping around the block.
26.	Bruce	Often used jokingly to refer to a stereotypical Australian man.	Even bruce in the pub knows how to fish.
27.	Bottle-O	Liquor store or bottle shop.	Let’s stop by the bottle-o for some wine.
28.	Chewie	Chewing gum.	Got any chewie?
29.	Chuck a Darkie	To sulk, pout, or get upset.	Don’t chuck a darkie—it’s not a big deal.
30.	Bludger	A lazy person or someone who avoids work.	Stop being a bludger and help out.
31.	Brolly	Umbrella.	Take a brolly! It’s raining cats and dogs.
32.	Cactus	Something broken or dead that is not working.	My laptop is cactus; it won’t even turn on.
33.	Chrissie	Acronym for Christmas.	We are heading to Grandma for this Chrissie.
34.	Convo	Abbreviation for conversation.	Dude, join the convo. We are planning the trip.
35.	Dag	A socially awkward, goofy, and unfashionable person.	You’re such a dag and still make everyone laugh.
36.	Daks	Pants or trousers.	Don’t forget your daks before leaving.
37.	Devo	Devastated or very upset.	I was devo when my team lost.
38.	Dingo’s Breakfast	It means having no breakfast at all.	Had a dingo’s breakfast and ran out the door.
39.	Chokkie	Abbreviation for chocolate.	Get a piece of chookkie from the fridge.
40.	Buckley’s Chance	Having no chance or being almost impossible.	You’ve got buckley’s chance of winning that bet.
41.	Cobber	Old-fashioned way of saying ‘friend’ or ‘mate.’	Good day, cobber!
42.	Crikey Mikey	It’s an Australian slang expression of surprise and a strong version of crikey.	Crikey mikey, the storm came out of the blue.
43.	Dog’s Breakfast	A complete mess or something that is poorly done.	My room looks like a dog’s breakfast.
44.	In the Nuddy	It means being naked.	The kids ran through the sprinklers in the nuddy.
45.	Esky	Portable cooler or icebox.	Grab the drinks from the esky.
46.	Furphy	A rumor or tall tale that is not true.	That’s just a furphy; don’t believe it.
47.	Dinkum	Genuinely honest or real.	Is that dinkum or are you joking?
48.	Joey	A baby kangaroo.	We saw a joey peeking out of its mom’s pouch.
49.	Lippie	Quick abbreviation for lipstick.	Hang on, I’m just putting on some lippie.
50.	Liquid Laugh	Vomit that usually happens from overdrinking.	He had a bit too much and ended up doing a liquid laugh.
51.	Outback	Remote and rural inland areas of Australia.	They live way out in the outback.
52.	Mozzie	Acronym for mosquitoes.	Close the door! Mozzies are getting in.
53.	Lappy	Abbreviation for laptop.	My lappy battery is almost flat.
54.	Lollies	Candy or sweets.	The kids grabbed the bag of lollies from the shop.
55.	Oldies	Parents or old people.	The oldies are coming over for the dinner.
56.	Pash	A passionate kiss.	They shared a pash at the party.
57.	Roadie	A drink taken on the road.	Grab a roadie for the drive to the beach.
58.	Rightio	Alright then, it’s okay.	Rightio, let’s get going.
59.	Sheila	An old-fashioned woman.	There’s a new sheila working at the café.
60.	Smoko	A short break, usually taken for smoking or resting.	Let’s take a smoko before lunch.
61.	Roo	Kangaroo.	Watch out, there’s roo on the road.
62.	Servo	Service station or gas station.	Stop at the servo for fuel.
63.	She’ll be Right	Informal way of saying everything will be fine or no worries.	Don’t stress! She’ll be right.
64.	Strewth!	An Australian slang expression of surprise, shock, or disbelief.	Strewth! That’s a huge wave.
65.	Woop Woop	A remote or far-away place.	They live out in woop woop.
66.	Sunbake	Causal phrase for sunbathe.	Let’s head to the beach and sunbake.
67.	Thongs	flip-flops.	Put your thongs on; we are going outside.
68.	u-ey	A U-turn while driving.	Chuck an u-ey here.
69.	Yonks	A long time.	Haven’t seen you in yonks.
70.	You Beauty!	An Australian slang expression of excitement or joy.	We won, you beauty!
71.	Choc-a-Bloc	Completely full or packed.	The fridge is choc-a-bloc with all the food.
72.	Cab Sav	Abbreviation for Cabernet Sauvignon wine.	Grab a bottle of Cab Sav for dinner tonight.
73.	Choco Biccy	Quick Australian slang for a chocolate biscuit.	I’m craving a choco biccy with my tea.
74.	Clucky	Feeling maternal or broody.	She’s getting clucky and wants a baby soon.
75.	Crack the Shits	Losing temper or getting angry.	He cracked the shits when his car got scratched.
76.	Crook	It means bad, sick, or unwell.	I’ve been feeling crook all week.
77.	Flanni/Flanno	Flannel shirt or casual checkered shirt.	Throw on your flannel; it’s cold outside.
78.	Heaps	Lots or very much.	Thanks heaps for your help.
79.	Iffy	Casual Australian slang word for something uncertain or risky, which is not ideal.	The weather looks iffy for the picnic.
80.	Legless	Someone who is extremely drunk.	He was legless after the party.
81.	Maccas	Casual Aussie slang phrase for McDonald’s.	Let’s grab lunch at Maccas.
82.	No Wucka’s	No worries, everything is fine.	Can you help me move this? No wucka’s!
83.	Piece of Piss	A very easy and simple task.	Don’t worry about the test. It’s a piece of piss!
84.	Piss Off	Go away and leave me alone.	Piss off! I’m busy.
85.	Piss Up	A drinking session or party.	We are having a piss-up at the pub tonight.
86.	Pissed	Traditionally it means ‘drunk’ in Australian slang words and in America it means ‘angry’ or ‘annoyed.’	He got completely pissed at the wedding.
87.	Rack Off	Casual way of saying, leave me alone.	Rack off! I don’t want to talk right now.
88.	Reckon	Think or believe.	I reckon it’s going to rain tomorrow.
89.	Shark Biscuit	Coward or someone who chickens out.	Don’t be a shark biscuit; just jump in the water.
90.	She’ll be Apples	It means everything will be fine and there’s nothing to worry about.	Forgot the tickets? She’ll be apples.
91.	Shoot Through	Quickly leave or go away.	Let’s shoot through before it rains.
92.	Skull	To drink quickly or go down in one go.	Skull your drink before it gets cold.
93.	Tea	Can mean tea or dinner.	What’s for tea tonight?
94.	Tinny	It means a can of beer or an aluminum boat.	Grab a tinny from the fridge.
95.	True Blue	Someone who is genuinely Australian or loyal.	She’s a true-blue Aussie.
96.	Yous	Plural of you.	Are yous coming to the party?
97.	Aboriginal	Used for an indigenous Australian person.	The aboriginal culture is very rich and diverse.
98.	BYO	Acronym for ‘bring your own’ and is typically used for drinks.	The party is BYO, so bring some beer.
99.	Chuck a Sikkie	Have a cigarette.	Going outside to chuck a sikkie.
100.	Cordial	A sweet fruit drink that is concentrated and mixed with water.	Pour me a glass of cordial.
101.	Cozzie	Swimsuit or bathing suit.	Don’t forget your cozzie for the beach.
102.	Cuppa	Casual Australian slang expression for a cup of tea or coffee.	Fancy a cuppa before we head out?
103.	Granny Flat	A compact, self-contained apartment on someone else’s property.	They rent out the granny flat to a student.
104.	Good on Ya	It’s a compliment and casual way of saying ‘well done’ and ‘good job.’	You finished the project early? Good on ya!!
105.	How Ya Going?	Informal way of saying ‘how are you?’ or ‘how’s it going?’	Hey mate! How ya going?
106.	Jumper	Sweater.	It’s chill today; put on a jumper.
107.	Kiwi	A person from New Zealand.	That kiwi over there loves surfing.
108.	Mate’s Rates	A discount given to a friend.	I’ll fix your car for mate’s rates.
109.	Pom	British person.	That Pom over there is visiting Sydney.
110.	Rug Up	Dress warmly.	It’s cold outside, so rug up!
111.	Stoked	Someone who is very pleased or excited.	I’m stoked about the concert tickets.
112.	Surfies	People who surf.	The surfies are heading to the beach early.
113.	Whinge	Australian slang word for a complaint or moan.	Stop whinging about the weather.
114.	Trolley	Shopping cart.	Grab a trolley at the supermarket.
115.	Yank	American person.	That yank over there loves roo.
116.	Yobbo	A loutish, uncultured, or noisy person.	Some yobbo was shouting outside the club.
117.	Grouse	Excellent or awesome.	That was a grouse game of footy.
118.	Have a Gander	Have a look.	Come on, have a gander at this.
119.	Dipstick	A fool or silly person.	Don’t be a dipstick and read the instructions.
120.	Cut Lunch	A packed lunch that is usually brought from home.	Don’t forget your cut lunch for school.
121.	Av a Go	Give it a try.	Don’t be shy—av a go!
122.	Have a Yarn	It means having a chat or talk.	We sat down to have a yarn about old times.
123.	Yeah, nah	A polite way of saying no.	Don’t you want more cake? Yeah, nah, I’m full.
124.	Far Out	Expression of surprise or disbelief.	Far out, I didn’t expect that storm.
125.	Put a Sock in it	Casual Australian slang for saying ‘be quiet’ or ‘stop talking.’	Hey, put a sock in it, will you?
126.	A Battler	Someone who works hard but struggles financially or socially.	He’s a real battler, doing three jobs at a time.
127.	Give a Bell	Make a phone call.	Give me a bell when you get home.
128.	Have a Blue	Having a fight or argument.	They had a blue over football match.
129.	Knock Something	Criticize or find fault.	Don’t knock his cooking; it’s actually good.
130.	Wuss	A weak or cowardly person.	Stop being a wuss; jump in the pool.

20 Aussie Idiomatic Slangs to Sound Like a Local

Using classic Australian idiomatic sayings will help you seamlessly blend into the Aussie culture. Therefore, take a close look at the following Aussie sayings and sound like a natural.

A couple of sandwiches short of a picnic: Someone who is not very bright and is acting a little odd.

Example: He tried microwaving his toast; poor Blake, he’s a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic.

Mad as a cut snake: Being furious or behaving wildly, just like a snake that has been provoked.

Example: Andrew was mad as a cut snake when he saw the mess in the kitchen.

Flat out like a lizard drinking: A person who is extremely busy or working nonstop.

Example: Can’t talk right now! I feel like a flat-out lizard drinking at work today.

Going off like a frog in a sock: Someone who is acting energetically, chaotically, or overly excited.

Example: The crowd was going off like a frog in a sock when the band came on stage.

As useful as an ashtray on a motorbike: Something that is completely useless and serves no purpose at all.

Example: This old phone charger is as useful as an ashtray on a motorbike.

Built like a brick shithouse: A person who is very muscular and strong with a heavy build.

Example: Hey, have you seen Tom lately? He’s built like a brick shithouse.

Couldn’t organize a piss-up in a brewery: Someone who is extremely disorganized or incompetent, even at very easy tasks.

Example: Rachel forgot the invites and the food. She couldn’t organize a piss-up in a brewery.

About as welcome as a fart in an elevator: Something that is very unwelcome or awkward.

Example: Turning up late in the meeting. You’d be about as welcome as a fart in an elevator.

Sharp as a bowling ball: Not very intelligent or very slow-witted.

Example: Joey thought kiwi fruit came from New Zealand birds. He’s as sharp as a bowling ball.

Not the full quid: Someone who is slightly strange and is not entirely mentally sharp.

Example: He wears sunglasses at night. I reckon he’s not the full quid.

Doesn’t know whether to scratch his watch or wind his arse: A person who is extremely confused or clueless about his surroundings.

Example: The new guy is completely lost. He doesn’t know whether to scratch his watch or wind his arse.

As dry as a dead dingo’s donger: Extremely thirsty and is used to describe a very dry place.

Example: Get me a drink. I’m as dry as a dead dingo’s donger.

Carrying on like a pork chop: Someone who is acting silly, dramatic, and over-the-top.

Example: Stop carrying on like a pork chop—it’s just a scratch.

Could talk the leg off a chair: A person who is incredibly talkative and never stops chatting.

Example: Be careful asking him a question. He could talk the leg off a chair.

A few kangaroos loose in the top paddock: Someone acting weird, eccentric, or not mentally sound.

Example: She thinks the moon controls her Wi-Fi. A few kangaroos loose in the top paddock.

As busy as a one-armed bricklayer in Baghdad: An extremely busy person and overwhelmed with work.

Example: Can’t catch up today—I’m as busy as a one-armed bricklayer in Baghdad.

Pull your socks up: Improve your behavior or performance.

Example: Your grades are slipping. Time to pull your socks up.

Spit the dummy: Throwing a tantrum or losing your temper over small things.

Example: The kid spat the dummy when he couldn’t have another chocolate.

Hard yakka: Hard work or physically demanding work.

Example: That landscaping job was hard yakka.

Going to see a man about a dog: Leaving without properly explaining where you are going or giving vague excuses.

Example: Back in a bit—going to see a man about a dog.

Wrapping Up!

These 150 Australian slang expressions will help you be better equipped to engage in everyday Aussie conversations. So, whether you are gearing up for a trip to Terra Australia or simply want to learn the colorful Aussie slang words, these phrases will give you a solid head start.

To keep exploring new phrases and getting a good hold of modern teen slang words, don’t forget to check out the text slang dictionary.

Tossing a few slang phrases into daily conversation will make you sound a little more Aussie every day.

FAQs

What are Aussie slang words?

Aussie slang words include some popular American phrases like “arvo” (afternoon), “mate” (friend), “barbie” (barbecue), “servo” (service station), etc.

What is the most Aussie thing to say?

Some of the classic Aussie slang words that you’ll hear from locals are “no worries” and “no drama,” which mean ‘that’s alright’ and are used to reassure someone that it was not trouble.

What is Aussie slang for awesome?

‘Bonzer,’ ‘ripper,’ ‘beauty,’ ‘sweet as,’ and ‘cracker’ are some common Australian expressions for ‘awesome.’

What is woop woop in Australia?

In Australian slang, the expression ‘woop woop’ is used to refer to a place in the middle of nowhere and is generally used by locals to signify that a location is far away or difficult to reach.

What is a bogan slang?

“Bogan” is Australian and New Zealand slang that is used for a person whose speech, attitude, clothing, and behavior are considered unsophisticated or unrefined.

Khushboo Kumari