In Australia, "Barbie" is common slang for a barbecue, referring to both the cooking appliance and the social gathering/event where food is grilled outdoors, a popular pastime for casual get-togethers with friends and family, often involving snags (sausages) and steaks. It's a quintessential part of Aussie culture, particularly in warm weather, but Aussies actually say "prawns on the barbie," not "shrimp," thanks to famous tourism ads.
In Australian slang, "barbie" means barbecue, referring to the cooking event or the grill itself, often shortened from the full word like many Aussie terms (e.g., brekkie for breakfast). While the famous "shrimp on the barbie" phrase comes from a tourism ad, Aussies actually say "prawns" and often invite people to a "barbie" for a casual cook-up with "tucker" (food).
: a conventionally attractive young woman typically perceived as lacking substance, character, or intelligence.
or mozzie (ˈmɒzɪ ) noun. Australian and New Zealand an informal name for mosquito.
unrefined or unsophisticated person (Australian slang) The term bogan (/ˈboʊɡən/) is an Australian and New Zealander slang word. It can be used to describe a person with a working class background.
Common Australian slang for a girl includes "Sheila" (older, sometimes dated or slightly derogatory), "chick," or just using general terms like "mate," "gal," or "lass," with context and tone being important, but "girl" is still widely used; some slang, like "moll," can refer to a girlfriend or a promiscuous woman, while "bogan" describes an unsophisticated person.
"Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy, Oi, Oi, Oi!" is a popular Australian sports chant, a variation of the British "Oggy, Oggy, Oggy" cheer, used to express national pride and support for Australian teams, with "Ozzy" being slang for "Australian" and "Oi, Oi, Oi" a general interjection for enthusiasm or attention, much like "USA!". The chant involves one group shouting "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie!" and the crowd responding "Oi, Oi, Oi!".
In the US fanny is a commonly used word for backside; in Australia the equivalent word is bum, as in "he kicked him in the bum". Fanny is not an acceptable word in Australia or New Zealand - it refers to the same general region of the female body, at the top end of the legs, but at the front, not the back!
Woop Woop is used to refer to a place in the middle of nowhere. People use it to signify that a location is far away, unfamiliar to them, and difficult to get to.
A drongo is a slow-witted or stupid person: a fool. This great Australian insult was originally an RAAF term for a raw recruit. It first appeared in the early 1940s, but its origin reaches back to the name of the racehorse Drongo, who ran around in the early 1920s.
Also called Barbie doll. a person, especially a young woman, perceived as blandly attractive and vacuous.
Here are 5 common Aussie slang words/phrases: G'day (hello), Mate (friend), Arvo (afternoon), No worries (no problem/you're welcome), and Barbie (barbecue), with many Aussies shortening words (like Brekkie for breakfast, Servo for gas station) and using colourful terms for everyday things.
Arvo. (Noun) Abbreviation of 'afternoon'. See also: devo (devastated), servo (service station), avo (avocado), ambo (ambulance personnel) etc. “I bumped into Johnno at the servo this arvo.”
Australians call flip-flops "thongs," a term referring to the strap between the toes, which can be confusing for visitors as "thong" also means G-string underwear in other countries, but Aussies understand the context. They wear them everywhere, from beaches to casual outings, making them a very common item in Australian footwear, often just called "thongs".
Chook comes from British dialect chuck(y) 'a chicken; a fowl' which is a variant of chick. Chook is the common term for the live bird, although chook raffles, held in Australian clubs and pubs, have ready-to-cook chooks as prizes.
A generous portion of shrimp seasoned with a special blend of herbs and spices then flame grilled. Served with a classic rémoulade sauce and your choice of two freshly made sides.
The birds have also come to be regarded as a problem species in Victoria as a result of their scavenging activities, scattering rubbish from tips and bins in the process, and earning the widespread nickname "bin chicken". They are even known to snatch sandwiches from picnickers.
In this mini episode of Aussie English I explain the expressing “Far Out” which is often used as a way of expression surprise or that you are impressed by something. Improve your listening skills today – listen, play, & pause this episode – and start speaking like a native English speaker!
"Hoo-ha" (or hoo-hah) slang means a noisy fuss, commotion, or excitement, often over something trivial, but it can also euphemistically refer to female genitalia. It's an informal term for a "brouhaha," "hullabaloo," or general to-do, signifying uproar or fuss, but sometimes used to describe a state of arousal or, less commonly, male anatomy, though its primary use is for commotion or female anatomy.
Sexual intercourse. Root. Sexual intercourse, similar to the British word 'Shag'. Can also be used as a verb.
"Oy oy oy" in Australia is most famously part of the patriotic chant "Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi!" used at sporting events to show national pride, but "Oi" also functions as a general Australian informal interjection, like "hey" or "excuse me," to get someone's attention. The chant itself comes from the British "Oggy Oggy Oggy" cheer for Cornish pasties and became popular in Australia after the 2000 Olympics.
Interjection. my aunt Fanny. (slang) nonsense; rubbish (as a scornful dismissal of someone else's remark)
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.
Tin-miners' wives or pasty sellers supposedly shouted "Oggy Oggy Oggy" – the response from any hungry miner or labourer would be Oi!, Oi!, Oi!. The chant is also the chorus of a folk song and has always been heard at Cornish rugby matches so this seem another possible origin.
The most Australian thing to say often involves casual slang like "G'day, mate!" or "No worries, she'll be right," reflecting a laid-back, friendly culture that shortens words (arvo for afternoon, brekkie for breakfast) and uses unique phrases like "Fair dinkum" (really/truly) or "Bloody oath!" (yes, absolutely) for emphasis. It's about being informal, positive, and using unique terms for everyday things like a "barbie" (BBQ) or "sunnies" (sunglasses).