Ay. "Ay" - also spelt "eh" - is a particle that Kiwis love to tack on to the end of a sentence. It can mean anything from "could you repeat that?", to "what do you think?". It's most often used in the same way you would say "right" or "you know".
4. Aye / Eh – Aye is probably one of the most frequently used words in the Kiwi dictionary. It is pronounced as it looks and often used to turn a statement into a question.
This simple expression is a big cultural export, featuring frequently in our movies, memes, and shows. It's as much an essential part of the New Zealand vocabulary as 'choice', 'she'll be right', and 'yeah, nah', but the off-hand, often subconscious 'eh' has always been something of a mystery.
Chur – “Here's a drink” “Chur”
Sometimes it's attached to another word or used by itself. It can mean sweet, awesome, yeah, good, cool, cheers.
Although the term "bogan" is understood across Australia and New Zealand, certain regions have their own slang terms for the same group of people. These terms include: "Bevan" or "Bev" in Queensland.
Durrie: Cigarette. “Hey bro, lend us a durrie!” Sweet as: Cool, awesome or no problem.
Cuz or cuzzie is short for cousin and is used in a similar way to bro or as an alternative. Can be used to describe males and females.
Kia ora – hello, goodbye, thank you.
Stubbie holder:koozie or cooler. A stubbie holder is a polystyrene insulated holder for a stubbie, which is a 375ml bottle of beer.
"Eh?" used to solicit agreement or confirmation is also heard regularly amongst speakers in Australia, Trinidad and Tobago and the United Kingdom (where it is sometimes spelled "ay" on the assumption that "eh" would rhyme with "heh" or "meh").
'Gumboots' And 'Jandals'
Both are colloquial, loveable Kiwi icons. The Gumboot is not some type of gummy candy, it's simply your wellies or Wellington Boots to use the proper term. A Jandal is your equivalent of a flip-flop or thong (ask the Aussie's for their answer on thongs!).
“Tēnā koe” is a formal greeting to one person, “Tēnā kōrua” is used for two people, and “Tēnā koutou” is used to greet three or more people in formal settings. If you are non-Māori, handshakes are generally the most appropriate way to greet Māori in a casual setting.
It absolutely is ok to call a New Zealander a Kiwi. Though in some countries a nickname like this would be considered offensive, it is anything but in New Zealand. So go ahead and call us Kiwis!
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.
"Calling a New Zealander a 'Kiwi' is not of itself offensive. 'Kiwi' is not an insult," said Judge Leonie Farrell. She added that the word was often viewed as a "term of endearment". It is derived from the name of a flightless bird native to the country.
New Zealand and Australia share many words. Dunny, a colloquial word for a toilet, is one of them. The public toilets in Ōtorohanga are graced with various words meaning toilet, including dunny, and the Māori term wharepaku.
Use kia ora to wish someone well as a greeting or farewell, to say thank you, to affirm support, or to say a friendly 'cheers'. You can also use kia ora to answer the phone or start an email. It's really important to acknowledge a person.
As well as being used as a greeting, kia ora is also a general expression of appreciation. Tēnā koe (to one person), tēnā kōrua (to two people), or tēnā koutou (to three or more people) also means thank you in Māori.
(good day): Used interchangeably with hello and hi, but more characteristically Australian/New Zealand, and perhaps the most informal of these options.
Vowel Play In The New Zealand Accent
While an Australian will claim their “feesh and cheeps” are tops, New Zealanders will tell you their “fush and chups” takes the cake. You see, we Kiwis turn our short I-sounds into U's, so “fish” becomes fush and “chips” sounds more like chups.
In England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Australia, India, Canada (usually), and New Zealand, Z is pronounced as zed. It's derived from the Greek letter zeta.
Here in New Zealand, a biscuit is a cookie. Chips – French fries. Potato chips are referred to as “crisps”, Kiwis will also call a snack like Doritos a “corn chip”.
Chur. The meaning of chur is essentially thank you. You can use this classic Kiwi slang to show gratitude or appreciation. As explained above, it can also mean "sweet as" or "that's awesome".