By Rachael Funk
So you’re headed for Australia. Good onya! People in Straya have a knack for nicknames, abbreviations, and euphemisms when they speak. Before you slide on your sunnies and pack up the trackie dacks, check out this guide to some popular Aussie terms so you can keep up!
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Straya
Meaning: Australia
Welcome to Straya!
Gold
Meaning: awesome, very cool
That AC/DC show was gold, mate.
Stickybeak
Meaning: an inquisitive, prying person.
Mind your own business, stickybeak!
She’ll be right
Meaning: everything will be ok
No worries about the match, mate. She’ll be right.
Arvo
Meaning: Afternoon
I’ll be back this arvo!
Trackie dacks
Meaning: sweatpants
Please don’t wear your trackie dacks on our date.
Face like a dropped pie
Meaning: ugly
His dog has a face like a dropped pie.
Blower
Meaning: the phone
I'm on the blower, could you see who's at the door?
Ripper
Meaning: really good
It was a ripper of a party.
Bludger
Meaning: someone who’s lazy
That bludger didn’t even lock the door behind himself.
Sunnies
Meaning: Sunglasses
Don’t forget your sunnies.
Crack onto
Meaning: hitting on someone, flirting
Couldn’t tell if he was cracking onto me or if he was just friendly.
Pash
Meaning: a passionate kiss
Take Jack’s seat, he’s outside having a pash with the bartender.
Chuck a sickie
Meaning: calling in sick
Chuck a sickie and come to the beach with us.
Brekkie
Meaning: breakfast
I like to take a swim before brekkie.
Servo
Meaning: gas station
Grab some chips while you’re at the servo.
Whinge
Meaning: whining
Don’t mind him, he’s just having a whinge about missing his flight.
Dunny
Meaning: a toilet
Kate’s run to the dunny before we go.
Chockers
Meaning: a crowded space, something that is very full
The pub was chockers today.
Fair dinkum
Meaning: unquestionably good or genuine. Also used to express approval
This beer’s fair dinkum!
Togs
Meaning: a swimsuit
Hope you’re in your togs because we’re going swimming in Sydney harbor!
Stubbie
Meaning: a bottle of beer
We’re out of stubbies, but there’s still a slab of tinnies.
Sweet as
Meaning: awesome
That movie was sweet as!
Ta
Meaning: thank you
“Snagged you some Tim Tams.”
“Ta!”
Woop woop
Meaning: somewhere far away from everything, middle of nowhere
The car park is chockers so we had to park in woop woop.