Classic Aussie Sayings
Australians are famous for their distinctive lingo. From “G’day” to “barbie”, you will soon notice how much they love shortening words and putting their own spin on everyday expressions.
Slow down, and you’ll hear the real Australia
Some of the best Australian sayings are the ones you pick up naturally as you travel. Spend time chatting with a local host over breakfast, stop for a drink in a country pub or head out with a guide who has lived in the area for years, and you will soon hear phrases that rarely make it into the guidebooks.
That is one of the reasons we encourage you to slow down when you travel. Rather than rushing between the major cities and sights, spending longer in each place gives you more opportunities to meet the people who live there and experience the culture behind the scenery.
What slang is commonly used in Australia?
We have ‘had a gander’ - Which means ‘had a look.’ And found some of our favourite classic Aussie sayings and phrases.
Dunny roll - Toilet paper
You don’t need to be a long neck to be a goose - You don’t need to look stupid to be stupid
Smoko - An informal lunch break taken at work
She’ll be right - Everything will be okay!
Useless as a chocolate teapot - It is totally useless
Fairdinkum - An expression to say something is good and/or genuine
Spend like a sailor on leave - To spend an extravagant amount of money
Chuck a wobbly - To throw a tantrum
Bob’s your uncle - You’re all set
He’s going off like a frog in a sock - That person is going crazy
Dog’s breakfast - A big mess
A coldie - A beer
Bottle-o - Liquor store
Drink with the flies - To drink alone
Drongo - Silly person
Gobsmacked - astounded/ surprised
Good on ya - Good work
Every Tom, Dick and Harry - Everyone/ All the people
A lot of HOO-HA - A discussion that is not important
They’re all pelicans - Often referring to the opposing (sports) team
Larrikin - Someone who is always up for a laugh
Strewth - An expression of surprise
True Blue - Genuinely Australian
Youse - A plural of you
Whoop whoop - In the middle of nowhere
Tucker - Food
Straya - Australia
Swag - A bed you can roll up and sleep in, almost like a sleeping bag but upgraded
Snag - Sausage
Rello(s) - Relative(s)
Cobber - A good friend
There is a big difference between seeing Australia and getting to know it.
If you move quickly between Sydney, Melbourne, Cairns and the next big sight, it is easy to experience plenty of Australia without spending very much time with Australians. We prefer to leave a little more room in the journey.
Staying several nights in one place gives you time to talk to your hosts, follow their recommendations and discover places that do not always appear on a standard itinerary. You might end up at a favourite local café, hear about a walking trail you would otherwise have missed, or simply spend an evening swapping stories.
That is often when the sayings on this list start to make more sense, because you are hearing them in the places and conversations they belong to.
Frequently asked questions
“She’ll be right” captures the easy-going Aussie spirit and means everything will be okay. You might hear it if a plan changes, the weather turns, or something small does not go quite as expected.
“Fair dinkum” usually means genuine, honest or true. Australians might use it to say something is authentic, or as a surprised response when someone tells them something unexpected.
Australians often shorten words because informal speech is a strong part of the country’s culture. “Barbie” for barbecue, “bottle-o” for bottle shop and “rellos” for relatives are good examples. Once you notice the pattern, local conversations become easy to follow
