Use Australian Slang Like a Local

Use Australian Slang Like a Local

A guide for Americans traveling to Australia on how to understand local slang and speech patterns without attempting to mimic them.

So you are an American thinking of going to Australia. You have packed your things and left your place. Suddenly, you remembered something that your friends warned you about regarding Australia. They told you never to attempt speaking Australian slang, as the “Aussies” will just laugh at you and call you a “wanker.” Well, they have a point. It is very hard to learn Strine (the unique dialect spoken by Australians).

Strine is another word for Australian slang, and it is something you should avoid trying to use if you don't want Australians to make fun of you. The best thing you can do is simply understand their dialect and respond in your normal English. Since Australians also speak English, you will not have any problems communicating. However, here are some basics to keep in mind if you overhear an Australian conversation or if someone strikes up a chat with you:

• Keep in mind that Aussies (pronounced like "ozzies," not "aw-zies") love making fun of themselves and everybody around them, and yes, even you.
• Aussies tend to drop the letter “g” when saying words that end with “-ing.”
• They often omit the word “the.”
• They talk fast, so make sure what you are hearing is correct; you can always say “pardon?”
• Another common term is “gunna,” which is derived from “going to.” When they use this, they will often shorten the rest of the sentence, focusing only on completing the core thought. For example, they are more likely to ask you, “Gunna watch?” instead of, “Are you going to watch?”
• For the days of the week, they drop the letter “a” in pronunciation, making words sound like “Saturdy” or “Wednesdy.”
• They tend to shorten greetings, using “g'day” instead of saying “good morning” or "good day."
• “Arm arm” is a signal for help often used by children, and it can be used whenever you are pleading for assistance.
• Example: “Arm arm! I was bim-bye that lil guy over there!”
• “Bim-bye” means to be attacked, more like “attacked by” or “hit by.”
• “Sheila” is a generic term for a female.
• If a word becomes too long, they will shorten it. For instance, the kookaburra bird is simply called a “kooka.”
• Barbecues are popular in Australia, but locals call them a “barbie.”
• They also love creating nicknames and shortening names. Surnames with Scottish heritage like “McIntyre” become “Macca,” while “Bluey” is a common term for redheads.

With that said, you can now have a conversation with an Australian and pick up on key points when they talk to you. They are not really hard to understand at all once you grasp the core meaning of their sentences.