Australian Dictionary

EDIT: To see what I’ve added, hit ctrl+F and search “Added”. You can also look them up by the dates I’ve added words. So far, I’ve added only words on April 5, 2012.

While I was in Australia, I realized that I had no idea what anyone was saying. There’s a huge difference between US English and Australian English, and while I was in the UK for a few weeks last year, I had very little trouble understanding the vocabulary there. They have a habit of shortening names and words then adding random vowels to the end — Steven is Steve-O, Mark Pace is Pacey, Kevin is Kev-o… Yes. It’s quite interesting.

I’ll be updating this as I find more words that confuse me, but here’s what I have so far:

4 wheel drive – An SUV

AJ – Army jerk

Acca Dacca – Slang for AC/DC

Affluence of Inkahol – How alcohol affects thinking

Aggers/aggro – Aggressive

Alko – alcoholic

Ankle biter – Young child

Arvo – Afternoon

Aye – Sometimes a question, also the first letter of the alphabet. No idea why it’s used so frequently but it’s a nice sound, so whatever.

Bloody – Mostly used for emphasis.

Bogan – White trash people who wear too many singlets, are unintelligible, and don’t bathe. They also tend to smell bad, drink too much, and are just… not the classiest people. Their shorts are too short.

Bonnet – The hood of a car

Boot – The trunk of a car

BYO – Bring your own (alcohol). There were several restaurants that were BYO. It’s an odd concept for me.

Centrelink – A government-run social services organization. Includes youth allowance.

Choice as – Awesome. It can also be “Sweet as” or a few other adjectives as. It’s a neverending sentence of goodness.

Click – Kilometer

Coldie – A beer

Coppers – Police

Dag – A stupid or silly person (usually used affectionately)

Divvy van – Bretho bus (Random DUI testing stops)

Dole – Unemployment payments

Doona – A comforter/duvet

Doughies – A doughnut, but not the food. The thing you do in your car on gravel.

Duffer – A stupid or silly person (usually used affectionately)

Esky – A cooler, like for beer or soda.

Fads – Disgusting cigarette-looking candies that used to be called “fags”.

Fair dinkum – “Oh, yeah?”/”Really?”/”Are you being serious?”

Fairy floss – cotton candy

Flake – Some types of fish or sharks

Flat – If your phone is dead, it’s flat.

Footy – Australian football/AFL. I still have no idea what goes on in this sport. It’s apparently un-Australian to not like it. Oops.

Gasbag – Someone who talks too much

Get it in ya – Just do it, or just take it. Like with horrible milkshakes.

Grog – alcohol

Grouse – Very good

Jumper – A hoodie/sweatshirt. Not a dress. Unless it’s Bryce’s jumper on me.

Keen – interested in. Like “I’m keen to play that game”

Lemonade – Not fresh squeezed. Lemonade in Australia is like Sprite.

Lollies – Candies

Loo – Bathroom

Maccas – McDonalds.

Manchester – linens

Mates/cunts – Friends

Meat pies – Kind of like chicken pot pies, but filled with beef, and beef, and more beef. Or curry, or veggies… But I’ve only had them with beef.

Milkbar – A small store, like an independently run, miniature 7 Eleven, mostly for essential items.

Mozzies – mosquitoes

Nrrrr – “No.” Like in this video.

Op shop – Secondhand store

Petrol – Gasoline

Pissed – Drunk.

Pokies – Poker machines

Pom – British person

Pot – A glass

Pram – A stroller

Pub – A hotel. The one Bryce and I go to somewhat frequently has a restaurant in it, with a little gambling area.

Ripper – Something good. This is Bryce’s definition:

Runners – Sneakers

Sausage rolls – Hot pocket shaped pastries filled with spam-ish sausage. Flaky outside, surprisingly delicious.

Schooner – A big glass

Servo – A gas station

Sheila – a girl

Spider – Sprite or coke with ice cream

Stickybeak – To pay too much attention to someone else’s business. Think… Petunia Dursley.

Stuffed – Broken

Stupid – Silly. Not unintelligent.

Swag – Something used for camping, like a roll-up mattress thing.

Ta – Thank you (people kept saying this to me at work and I had no idea what it was for a month or two <.<) (added April 5, 2012)

Take away – Carry out/take out. Instead of “Is that for here or to go?” it’s “Is that for here or take away?”

Trainers – Kind of like sneakers, too

Ute – A strange hybrid vehicle — the front of a sedan with a lowered truck bed attached to the back of it. They’re freaking hideous.

Walkabout – Just going for a walk to wander

Whilst – I know people use this in the US, too, but no one says “while” in Australia. Whilst is everywhere.

Whinge – whine

Wog – People who have migrated from the Mediterranean. It can apparently be offensive. I’m not going to use it, so whether or not it’s offensive doesn’t affect me. (Added April 5, 2012)