To "apologise" in Australian English, you use the spelling "apologise" (with an 's'), consistent with British English, but in casual talk, Aussies often just say "Sorry!" or "My bad, mate," sometimes with phrases like "Don't mention it" or "No worries" as a response when someone else apologises. Formally and in writing, "apologise" (s-spelling) is standard, but in speech, it's all about sincerity and context.
In Australian English, the correct spelling for the verb is apologise (with an 's'), following British spelling conventions, not the American 'apologize' (with a 'z'), though the 'z' spelling might be accepted in some contexts, 'apologise' is preferred for formal and official use, aligning with words like 'organise' and 'colour'.
Good on ya = Great job or well done.
Reckon: To think/agree; 'yeah, I reckon so! ' Rubber: Eraser. Sickie: A sick day off work or class. If you 'pull/chuck a sickie', you're taking a day off when you're not actually sick.
Informal ways to say “sorry”
Funny Ways to Say “Sorry” to Your Partner
“Please forgive me for having the attention span of a squirrel on caffeine.” “I'm sorry for making such a big mistake. And I'm sorry for all the little mistakes the big one made you remember.” “Please forgive me for being more clueless than a goldfish in a maze.”
"CYA" in slang has two main meanings: a casual, spoken-aloud way to say "see ya" (as in goodbye) in texts, and more commonly as an acronym for "cover your ass," meaning to protect oneself from blame or trouble, often used in business or professional settings (e.g., "I sent that email to CYA"). The latter is a euphemism for the more vulgar "cover your ass," sometimes replaced by "cover your butt" or "cover your back".
Galah. (Noun) A stupid or idiotic person; often accompanied by the adjective 'flaming'. Inspired by our very own native bird, known for flying into windows. “Nah mate, Johnno's a flamin' galah.”
"Ozzy Ozzy Ozzy, Oi Oi Oi" (often written as "Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi") is a patriotic Australian sports chant, a rallying cry of national pride, originating from older British cheers like "Oggy Oggy Oggy," with "Aussie" being slang for Australian, and "Oi" functioning as an emphatic interjection, similar to "Hey!" or "Go!". It's used at sporting events, sometimes considered a bit cheesy or "cringey" by some Australians, but generally seen as an inclusive way to support national teams.
The most Australian thing to say often involves casual abbreviations, laid-back optimism like "She'll be right" or "No worries," and unique slang for everyday items, such as "Arvo" (afternoon) or "Barbie" (barbecue), often delivered with "mate," making phrases like "G'day, mate, chuck us a coldie at the barbie this arvo?" quintessentially Aussie.
“I got you” is a slang phrase that means you heard and understood something someone told you. Saying “I got you” can also mean you are willing to help, support, or comfort someone. “I got you” can also mean you tricked or surprised someone.
A 'banger', on the other hand, has meant a few things in English: someone who tells a lie, a violent kiss, a firework, an old motor vehicle, a sausage. The Australian National Dictionary has one entry for 'banger', meaning a morning coat, from the 1880s. Musically, 'headbangers' start to turn up in the 1980s.
In slang, OTT primarily means "over the top," describing something excessive, exaggerated, or outrageous, but it also refers to cannabis (especially in German youth culture) and, in tech, streaming services delivered directly via the Internet (like Netflix). The context dictates the meaning, but "over the top" (exaggerated) and cannabis are common slang uses.
Australians typically say "sorry" as "sorry" itself, without any significant variation in slang.
In Australia, the preferred spelling is cosy, following British English conventions, while cozy is the American English spelling; both mean comfortable and warm, but "cosy" is standard for Australian English, used by local media like the ABC, and seen in Australian brands like shop cosy.
A notable exponent of the term is Cockney flower girl Eliza Doolittle from George Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion; "I ain't done nothing wrong by speaking to the gentleman". Ain't is a non-standard feature commonly found in mainstream Australian English and in New Zealand, ain't is a feature of Māori-influenced English.
Another classic case of Australians shortening everything. Meaning 'thank you', ta is usually used for the times when you are in a rush or want to send a quick text to show your appreciation for something.
White Australian
Chewing open-mouthed (including chewing gum), slurping loudly, burping and talking with a full mouth are considered very rude. If you do any of these things accidentally, say "pardon me" or "excuse me." It is considered bad manners to pick one's teeth with the fingers or a toothpick in public.
So in Australia this is commonly referred to as Toilet or Slang is Dunny or Loo , sometimes people may say bathroom But here in the USA its always the restroom.
In our recent survey on classic Australian slang terms bloody featured in 2.28 per cent of the 4523 responses. Elsewhere, we found that it occurs in about 0.2 per cent of sentences Aussies use. So yes, it's used a lot.
“I guess” in shorthand is usually used in text messages.
abbreviation. see you: used as a farewell in text messages, emails, etc.
ttyl – Talk to you later. tweet – Twitter post. txt – Text. ty – Thank you.