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Newcastle International College

Aussie Slang

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Speak to one of the Marketing Team directly

You can also connect with the NIC student community before arriving via the NIC Facebook page.

Phone: +61 2 4921 8888


As an International student you might find that some Aussie slang is a bit difficult to understand.

We have compiled a list that will help you along the way!

Aggro: Describes someone or something aggressive or aggression
Arvo: Afternoon
Banger/Snag: Sausage
Barbie: Grill or Barbecue grill
Bikie: Someone who rides a motorbike in a bikie gang
Bickie: Cookie (short for biscuit)
Bloody oath: An expression used to stress a point or an opinion
Blow in: Someone who is uninvited
Boardies: Slang for board shorts, worn by surfers
Bonnet: Hood or engine end of a car
Boot: Trunk end of a car
Bottle-o: A liquor store
Breaky: Breakfast
Brolly: Umbrella
Budgie smuggler: Nickname for Speedo swimming trunks for men
Chewy: Chewing gum
Crook: Ill or sick
Cuppa: A hot beverage
Dag: Someone who doesn’t dress well and/or has unrefined manners
Dead horse: Tomato sauce
Docket: Receipt or bill
Dog’s breakfast: A mess
Fair dinkum: True or genuine
Flat out: Busy
Footy: Football (rugby or AFL)
Fortnight: Once every two weeks; a period of consecutive 14 days
Good on ya: Great job or well done
Heaps: A lot. “Thanks heaps!”
How ya going?: How are you doing
Hungry Jack’s: Burger King
Jumper: A pullover sweater
Keen: Excited to do something
Knackered: Pooped, Tired, Exhausted
Loose cannon: Someone who is behaving out of control
Maccas: Nickname for McDonald’s
Mate: Friend/Buddy. Mate’s rates is a discounted price for work services, from a friend
Mozzies: Mosquitoes
No worries: Don’t worry about it or no problem
Petrol: Gasoline; Fuel
Postie: Postal worker
Prezzy: A gift or a present
Ripper: Great
Ropeable: Very angry
Rubbish: Garbage. Also used to describe when something is bad or ridiculous
Rug up: Bundle up to keep warm when it’s cold outside
Sanger: Sandwich
Servo: Service/gas station
She’ll be right: Everything’s going to be ok
Shout: Someone’s turn to buy a round of drinks
Sook: Someone who is tame or unoffending
Spewin’: Very angry
Spit the dummy: To throw a fit or get upset about something
Stubbie: Bottle of beer. A beer cosy/holder is called a stubbie holder
Sunnies: Sunglasses
Suss: Size up or study something. Or if someone seems a bit suspicious, you can call them suss
Swimmers/Togs Bathing suit
Ta: Thanks a lot
The Lot: Everything
The Mrs: Someone’s wife or girlfriend
Thongs: Flip-flops
Tinny: Small aluminium boat or a can of beer
Tracky: Tracksuit or sweats/sweat pants
Tradie: Tradesman/woman
Whinge: Persistently and annoying complaining (somebody who does this would be a “whinger”)
Woolies: Woolworths or woollen clothing
Whoop Whoop: Made up name for a tiny town in the middle of nowhere
Yewy: U-turn