AUSTRALIAN SLANG
From arvo to hard yakka
Everyday abbreviations, classic expressions and modern Australian slang—clearly explained.
A sandwich.
A fundraiser or event selling sausages in bread.
A celebration period for students finishing Year 12, or the school-leavers attending it.
Australian slang for a service station or petrol station.
A meat pie bought from a service station, often as a convenient snack.
A quick trip to a service station for fuel, food or drinks.
Extremely tired or deeply disappointed, depending on context.
A woman; now often old-fashioned and potentially patronising.
A person's turn to buy a round of drinks or pay for something shared.
Leave quickly or run away, an older playful word revived in younger online speech.
Verbal taunting intended to distract or unsettle an opponent, especially in cricket.
A short work break, whether or not anyone smokes.
A sausage, especially one cooked on a barbecue.
The Australian men's national soccer team.
A person who complains, sulks or is seen as overly sensitive.
An electrician.
Very disappointed, annoyed or upset.
Lose one's temper or react childishly.
A quick look.
The annual interstate rugby league series between Queensland and New South Wales.
A nosy person or someone who looks into other people's business.
Very pleased or excited.
A humorous informal pronunciation and spelling of Australia.
Exhausted, full after eating, broken or in trouble depending on context.
Sunglasses.
The Sunshine Coast in Queensland.
A portable bedroll used for camping in Australia; internationally it can also mean style or promotional goods.
A travelling worker who carried a swag, especially in historical Australia.
Thank you.
Technical and Further Education, often used informally for an Australian vocational college.
A successful person criticised or cut down for standing out.
Tasmania.
Alice Springs.
Wollongong.
Open footwear held by a strap between the toes; called flip-flops in the United States.
A swimming costume, especially in Queensland.