Australian Slang Vocab 1

An informal Australian word for 'afternoon'

We're having a barbecue this arvo, would you like to come?

An informal and often mildly rude Australian term for a person considered to be unsophisticated or poorly educated

He turned up to the fancy restaurant in a singlet, so everyone thought he was a bit of a bogan.

a store that sells alcoholic drinks (liquor store)

Can you swing by the bottle-o and grab some drinks for the party tonight?

An informal Australian expression meaning to pretend to be sick in order to avoid going to work

The weather was so beautiful that he decided to chuck a sickie and go to the beach instead.

An informal Australian word meaning sick, unwell, or not feeling well

I won't be coming to work today because I'm feeling really crook.

A thick, soft blanket filled with feathers or synthetic material used on a bed; a duvet

It was so cold last night that I wrapped myself up in the doona.

An informal Australian word for a toilet or bathroom

Excuse me, could you tell me where the dunny is?

A portable insulated container used to keep food and drinks cold; a cooler

Pack the sandwiches and drinks into the esky before we head to the beach.

An informal Australian expression meaning genuine, true, or honest

Is that fair dinkum? I can't believe he actually swam across the whole river!

An informal Australian word for cheap wine sold in a foil bag inside a cardboard box

They bought a bag of goon to share at the student party because it was very cheap.

An informal Australian expression meaning very hard or tiring physical work

Building that stone wall in the heat was hard yakka, but the result looked amazing.

An informal Australian word for the McDonald's fast food restaurant

I'm too tired to cook tonight — let's just grab something from Maccas.

An informal and sometimes offensive Australian term for a person with red hair, coming from the word 'orangutan'

His friends always called him ranga because of his bright red hair.

a petrol station (gas station)

I need to stop at the servo to fill up the car before our road trip.

sunglasses

Don't forget your sunnies — it's going to be really bright at the cricket today.

In Australia, simple open sandals with a strap between the toes; flip-flops

Don't forget to pack your thongs for walking around on the hot sand.

An informal Australian word for a person who works in a skilled trade, such as a plumber, electrician, or carpenter

We need to call a tradie to fix the leaking pipes in the bathroom.

A utility vehicle; a pickup truck with an open tray at the back for carrying loads

He loaded all the timber onto the back of his ute to take to the building site.

An informal Australian expression referring to a place that is very far away from cities or towns; the middle of nowhere

Their farm is out in woop woop, so it takes hours to drive there.

An informal Australian expression used to politely disagree or decline something, meaning 'I see what you mean, but no'

Do you want to go skydiving with us? Yeah nah, I think I'll stay on the ground thanks.