Your Aussie slang dictionary: Talk like a local

Studying abroad gives you the chance to immerse yourself in a different culture, and, for many international students, another language!

While English is the native language of Australia, our ‘slang’ is very different from that of other English-speaking countries. ‘Slang’ refers to informal words or phrases used by people from a specific social group—in this case, Australians! 

Learning some slang isn’t just fun; it could even help you build new friendships and feel more at home. To get you started, we’ve put together some common slang you’re likely to hear while living in Australia! 

State vs state 

Like in many countries, Australian accents can differ depending on where you live. For example, people from Queensland tend to be recognised for their elongated vowels, particularly with words featuring the double-O sound, such as ‘pool’, ‘school’ or ‘cool’. 

Similarly, you’ll find some slang differs across the country. For instance, ‘togs’, ‘cossies’ and ‘swimmers’ are all terms used for swimwear. Alternatively, ‘potato scallop’, ‘potato cake’ and ‘potato fritters’ are each used to describe a popular thinly sliced deep-fried potato snack, depending on where you are. 

Queenslanders also have their own slang. Terms like ‘Brissie’, short for Brisbane, ‘the brown snake’, which means the Brisbane River, or ‘tallie’, which refers to a 750ml bottle of beer, are all popular in Queensland. 

Aussie slang 101: At university 

While at university, which is often shortened to ‘uni’, you might hear slang like:

• Tute - Short for tutorial. “My biology tute is on Wednesday morning.”
• Sesh - Short for session. “I’m going to the library for a study sesh.” It can also be used in other contexts, like a ‘gym sesh’.
• Bail - Refers to skipping something. “I have to bail on soccer training to study,” or “I’m not bailing on my group assignment.” 
• Bludge - To put in little or no effort. “There’s a guy in my class who is always bludging,” or “Stop being a bludger.”

Out on the town

Whether you’re at your local pub, a bar at Howard Smith Wharves or a nightclub, you might hear slang like: 

• Flat white/mac/long black - Aussies are serious about their coffee, and these are all common orders. A flat white is a shot of espresso with milk and a little bit of foam (versus a latte, which has more foam). ‘Mac’ is short for macchiato, and a long black is a shot of espresso in hot water. “Can I get a flat white with oat milk, please?”
• Parmi - A classic pub meal made of breaded fried chicken topped with tomato or parmigiana sauce, melted cheese and ham. Queenslanders call this a ‘parmi’, while many other states call it a ‘parma’. “I’m going to get a chicken parmi for lunch.” 
• Maccas - McDonald’s. Yes, Aussies even have slang for their fast food chains. “Let’s head to Maccas after the lecture for some hot chips.”
• Hot chips - French fries. 
• Sanga - Sandwich. “I’ve got a ham and cheese sanga for lunch.”
• Servo - Service/gas/petrol station. “I just need to stop at the servo on the way to fill up the car.”

With friends (or ‘mates’ in Australia) 

When hanging out with friends, you might hear slang like: 

• Reckon - To think or believe something to be true. “I reckon the cafe in my street is the best place to study,” or “He reckons the beaches on the Gold Coast are the best in Australia.”
• Arvo - Short for afternoon. “Come over to my apartment this arvo, and we’ll study together.”
• Brekkie - Breakfast. “I had brekkie at a great cafe this morning.”
• Cuppa - Short for ‘cup of tea’, but used for the context of sharing a tea, coffee or even just a relaxed catch-up. “Come over to my house for a cuppa.”

At work 

Whether you’re at a corporate job or a part-time cafe gig, you’ll probably encounter terms such as: 

• RDO - Short for rostered day off. “Jimmy isn’t working today because he has an RDO.”
• Fortnight - A period of two weeks. “It’s only a fortnight until I go on leave!”
• Chuck a sickie - Missing work due to sickness, but often used when someone is pretending to be ill to take a day off. “Georgia is chucking a sickie.”
• Ute - A truck or utility vehicle that has a flat platform in the back. “Darcy is going to pick us up in his ute.”
• Flat out - Busy or overwhelmed. “I was flat out this week at work.” 
• Hard yakka - Hard work. “That presentation was hard yakka!”

While this guide is a helpful start, you’ll undoubtedly hear much more slang during your time in Australia. If you’re unsure what something means, don’t be afraid to ask, as Aussies love to share their unique culture with visitors!