When you travel to Australia, you’re going to realize that sometimes Australian people can say some peculiar things, and Sydney is no different. However, if you study Australian slang before you arrive, you may be able to avoid getting confused! Knowing these common phrases will also help you a lot to avoid getting lost in translation, especially when you move to the Land Down Under. If you already know "mate", the Aussie slang for friend, you're off to a good start.
Here's a list of some commonly used words and phrases:
This is a way to say “hello!” and it literally means “good day”. You will find that older people may use this phrase. “G’day mate, how’s it going?”
Now this Aussie slang word is used quite a lot. It literally means “a lot”, “many” or “very”, so it can be used in different ways. For example: “Wow! There are heaps of people at this concert!” and “That concert was heaps good!”
A common Australian expression, this means “that’s okay!” It is usually used as a response to something that someone has said. “No worries! You can do it later.”
This is used when you agree with something someone has said. It can also be used to express your opinion on something: “I reckon that Japan has the best electronics in the world!”
This funny phrase is said when something has gone missing or is lost. “My iPhone has gone walkabout.”
You may hear this inside of a store or from your teacher. It means, “Can I help you?”
This is a strange phrase, but it means “thanks.” You usually use it after receiving something from somebody.
This means “I’ll pay this time.” This is usually heard inside of a bar. “No worries, this time it’s my shout!”
If you are interested in learning some more Australian phrases, you can go to a website such as Australian Explorer.
I wish you ‘heaps’ of luck!
Contributed by Patrick Davey, Student Services & Activities Co-ordinator, ILSC-Sydney. Originally published on May 30, 2011.