Women generally tend to be more physically affectionate during greetings. The most common verbal greeting is a simple “Hey”, “Hello”, or “Hi”. Some people may use Australian slang and say “G'day” or “G'day mate”.
A simple “Hello” or “Hey” is always a great place to start. If you're greeting a girl who is more like one of your guy friends, bump fists with her or give her a playful nudge. If you two are close enough give her a hug, as physical touch can strengthen relationships.
“Mate” is a popular word for friend. And while it's used in other English-speaking countries around the world, it has a special connection to Australia. In the past, mate has been used to address men, but it can be gender-neutral. In Australia, you'll also hear mate used in an ironic sense.
It surely sounds strange to those who are familiar with American or British English, but it is a very common expression in Australia. G'day is a shortened form of 'Good Day' and it is the equivalent of 'Hello. ' Mate means friend or buddy and it can be used to address your friend or a total stranger.
While some Australian speakers would pronounce “no” as a diphthong, starting on “oh” as in dog and ending on “oo” as in put, others begin with an unstressed “a” (the sound at the end of the word “sofa”), then move to the “oh” and then “oo”.
Here are some great topics to chat to Aussies about: How are you? You will often hear Australians use the phrases “How are you?” or “How are ya?” as a greeting. Usually you are expected to respond to the question and to follow up by asking how they are.
Certainly if you're in the US, your mother is your “mom” – short for “mommy” and in the UK, Australia and New Zealand it's “mum” – shortened from “mummy”.
Since no explanation came my way, I realised it was one of those unique Australian slang terms that I needed time to get my head around. Sweet as: awesome or good, is used to intensify the phrase.
Yeah, nah – 'yes, no' - became popular in Australia in the 90s and has continued to grow in use, both in Australia and overseas. Like all good things, the Kiwis claim it as theirs too, even using it for a major drink driving campaign.
Avoid using gender-specific salutations. Salutations such as "Hey, guys" or "Hi, ladies" can be portrayed as offensive. Instead, opt for "Greetings, everyone" or "Hi, everyone," depending on the tone you're fostering.
“Hey” is more informal. It's thrown around casually with close friends, family, someone you know, or as a flirt. Most people use this a daily basis. It goes well with 'what's up' or 'how's it hanging?
