Ever heard the phrase “Shrimp on the Barbie”?

We have compiled the ultimate Australian language interpretation guide. Below are popular words and phrases that might not be found in a dictionary, but are commonly used by Australian natives. Study this guide before arriving to Australia and you will fit right in when you arrive.

 Ace!: Nice. Good one!

Ankle Biter: A toddler or young child. Taken from the idea the child is so small he or she could bite your ankles.

Apples (she'll be): It'll be okay.

Aussie: anyone born in Australia.

Aussie Salute: Brush away flies with the hand.


Barbie: A barbecue. (n.)
Bathers: Swimwear

Bail Out: leave, angrily. "Right, I'm gonna bail out!"

Beaut(y): Nice, lovely.

Bingle: A bad vehicle accident.

Bitzer: A mongrel dog. (it's bits of this breed, and that breed...)

Bloke: dude, male.

Bloody Oath!: That's right!, For Sure!

Bodgy: Of bad quality, second-rate.

Bonzer: Ripper, awesome!

Boomer: A large male kangaroo.

Boozer: A pub.



Cactus: Dead, used up, not working.

Cheers: Thank You.

Chunder: Puke, hurl. Also called "Liquid Laugh".

Click: kilometer.

Coldie: A beer.

Conch (conchy): A person who prefers to study or work rather than going out and having fun. Short for conscientious.

Cooee: Close. (originally used by indigineous Australians to find people or attract attention) "Within Cooee" means close, and "Not Within Cooee" means not even close.


Date: Butt, usually used with "Get off your"

Dinkum, fair Dinkum: The real deal, authentic.

Dipstick/Dropkick: really stupid.

Dole: Unemployment.

Down Under: Anywhere in Australia or New Zealand

Dux: #1 in the class (n) -- to be #1 in your class (v.)


Earbashing: Never-ending chit-chat.

Exy: Pricey (expensive)


Face, off one: drunk, intoxicated beyond recognition

Fair go: A chance. "Give 'er a fair go!"

Flick: Ditch, lose, refers to a person when you "give him the flick".

Footy/Football: Aussie Rules Football. Soccer is called Soccer and American Football is called Gridiron.


G'day: Hi!

Going Off: A place that's very exciting or fun "This nightclub is really going off!"

Good on ya!: Nicely done!

Greenie: Hippie, environmentalist.


Holy Dooley!: Same as "Holy Cow", an expression of surprise.

Hooroo: Bye-bye!

Hotel: A pub.

Hottie: A hot water bottle.

Jackaroo/Jillaroo: A station manager or hand (Jackaroo refers to male, Jillaroo to female)

Jug: electric kettle. (Also 1.14L of beer.)


Kelpie: An Aussie Sheepdog. Initially bred from a Scottish collie.

knock back: Reject (n.), rejection (v.)


Lair it up: To behave badly.

Longneck, also Tallie: 750mL bottle of beer.

 Lucky Country, The: Australia!

Mate: Buddy, friend.

Mate's rate: A discounted rate for a friend.

Mickey Mouse: Very good! (in some parts though it means inconsequential)

Moolah: Cash, dough.


Nipper: A young surf lifesaver.

No Worries/ No Drama: Forget about it. It's okay.

No-Hoper: Someone who's hopeless, will never do anything right.


Ocker: a crude or unsophisticated person.

Oldies: Parents.

Outback: Australia's interior.

Oz: Australia


Piker: Disassociative.

Pint: 20 ounces/570mL of beer.

Plate, bring a: Bring your own food.

Porky: misstatement, falsehood.

Prezzy: A present.


Reckon: Certainly!

Ripper: The Best! "That ride was ripper! Can we do it again?"

Rock up: Arrive.

Root: A polite way to say a not nice word.


She'll be right: It'll be alright.

Sheila: any woman (not just one named Sheila)

Shark biscuit: An inexperienced surfer.

Shonky: Of questionable morality, shady. "This place is shonky. I don't think we should be here."

Skite: Boast, brag.

Station: A big farm or grazing property.

Sunnies: Shades.


Tall Poppies: Successful people.

Too Right!: Absolutely!

Tucker: Food.

Two Up: Gambling Game -- you spin two coins at the same time.


Ugg Boots: Sheepskin boots worn by surfers. Known for being ugly.

Uni: University.

Unit: Apartment, Flat.


Waggin' School: Truant.

Whacker: A jerk, someone you've had just about enough of.

Wobbly: Testy, easy to set off.

Woop Woop: Some small town of no significance.


Yabber: Talk (a lot)

Yakka: Work

Yewy: A U-turn in traffic.