Australians spell words differently by following British conventions, using "-our" (colour) instead of "-or" (color), "-ise" (analyse, realise) instead of "-ize" (analyze, realize), and "-re" (centre, theatre) instead of "-er" (center, theater), while also adopting unique terms like "footpath" (sidewalk) and "lollies" (candy) alongside specific shortened slang like "arvo" (afternoon) or "brekky" (breakfast).
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.
Examples include Aussie spellings like honour, flavour and colour, while the US spells these words as honor, flavor and color. An interesting exception to this rule is the Australian political party Labor's name, which takes an American approach.
For now however, “ageing” remains slightly more favoured. Q: So for an Australian audience, you'd suggest going with “ageing”? A: We would. But “aging” isn't incorrect (Macquarie Dictionary lists both) – so if you want to use that, just be consistent.
In Australia, "pyjamas" (with a 'y') is the standard and most common spelling, following British English conventions, while "pajamas" (with an 'a') is the American spelling; both terms refer to sleepwear but "pyjamas" is preferred Down Under, as seen in local retailers like Peter Alexander and Lorna Jane.
septuagenarian. A septuagenarian is someone in their 70s (70 to 79 years old), or someone who is 70 years old. Some of the words we highlighted above are rarely used, but what's interesting is that septuagenarian and octogenarian (coming next) are actually more commonly used.
"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.
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.
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.
Minimizing is predominantly used in 🇺🇸 American (US) English ( en-US ) while minimising is predominantly used in 🇬🇧 British English (used in UK/AU/NZ) ( en-GB ).
In Australia, both "aeroplane" (British English) and "airplane" (American English) are understood and used, but "aeroplane" is traditionally preferred, especially in formal contexts and government, though "airplane" is gaining ground, with "plane" being the most common informal term. The Australian Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) uses "aeroplane," reflecting its Commonwealth roots, but the influence of American media means "airplane" is also common, particularly among younger people, notes Quora users, ABC Education, and Sapling.
Flavor is predominantly used in 🇺🇸 American (US) English ( en-US ) while flavour is predominantly used in 🇬🇧 British English (used in UK/AU/NZ) ( en-GB ).
Australians typically say "sorry" as "sorry" itself, without any significant variation in slang.
A "bogan" in Australia (and New Zealand) is slang for an uncouth, unsophisticated, or unrefined person, often from a working-class background, characterized by specific tastes, fashion (like mullets, flannelette shirts), speech, and behavior, though the term can be derogatory, humorous, or even self-adopted, depending on context and intent, referring to a laid-back, anti-establishment attitude rather than just poverty.
"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.
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!
inferior in character or quality; seedy; sleazy.
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.
"Oi oi oi baka" is a viral TikTok trend where someone (usually a high school student) gets up on a chair, desk, or table and shouts "Oi oi oi baka!" at school or in public. It may be inspired by a character named Bakugou from an anime called My Hero Academia. In Japanese, the phrase means, "Hey, hey, hey, idiot!"
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.
Massive biomolecular shifts occur in our 40s and 60s, Stanford Medicine researchers find. We undergo two periods of rapid change, averaging around age 44 and age 60, according to a Stanford Medicine study.
A person between 30 and 39 is called a tricenarian. A person between 40 and 49 is called a quadragenarian. A person between 50 and 59 is called a quinquagenarian.
“If you want to group me by my birth date, then you can say I'm a Sagittarius.” Say this instead: The terms older adults and seniors are preferred when speaking of people over 60 years old. These terms are more inclusive and respectful, and they do not have the same negative connotations as the term elderly.