Aussie -> English Translator

To celebrate the halfway point of my adventures here, I have finally published my translator though it is still a work in progress.

Aussies are notorious for their use of slang, only some of which makes sense. While there is a lot more slang to be found on the internet, I have only recorded the words I have seen or heard in my time here. Feel free to add anything you've heard or you think I may have missed!

***Note: much slang is produced using this formula
          word - all but the first syllable + a or o = slang version
examples:
     pedophile -> ped -> pedo
     ambulance -> amb -> ambo
     garbage man -> garb -> garbo

***Note: much slang is produced using nonsensical rhymes

examples:

     frog and toad -> hit the road
     pork pie -> lie


Here is a format key to this translator:
when Aussies say this word or phrase - it really means this American word or phrase
     Here is a sample sentence with the correct usage of said Aussie word or phrase, with the term of question printed in bold.

A

ambo - ambulence

    Call the ambo now!!!

arvo - afternoon
     call u in the arvo :)


Aussie (also spelled Ozzie) - Australian
    I love Aussie girls, but Aussie guys tend to be really forward.

B

barbie - BBQ
    Throw some prawns on the barbie.


barrack for - cheer for
     You can't sit with me at the footy match unless you barrack for Carlton.


bathers - swimsuit
     Don't forget your sunblock and bathers!


biscuit - cookie
     Who stole the biscuit from the biscuit jar?


bloody - very
     He's a bloody good drinker!


bogan - trailer trash
     You're as sunburned as a bogan!


brekkie - breakfast
     Running late - no time for brekkie.


budgie smuggler (a budgie is a type of small bird) - man's tight speedo-like bathing suit
     Check out that fat man in the budgie smuggler!

bush - Australian flora
     Watch out for snakes in the bush!


bushwalk - hike through the Australian flora
     It's a lovely day for a bushwalk.


bushbash - off trail hike through the Australian flora, usually running or racing
     I don't know if I'm brave enough to go bushbashing.


bring a plate - potluck
    When you are told to bring a plate, it really means to bring a plate with food to share on it.


BYO - bring your own (refers to anything, not just drinks)
     This hostel description says that towels are BYO.

C

chemist - pharmacist
     I like my drugs fresh from the chemist.

chips - fries or chips
     The other night, my roommate fried up some great chips!

click - snap 

     If you can't dance, just click your fingers to the beat and pretend you're really into the music.

college - on campus houses, very much like Harry Potter
     I frequently hit up Ormond College for free meals.


course - major/degree of study
     People in the engineering course party hard.


crisps - American chips 
     I'll take a bag of chicken salt crisps to go with my sandwich.

D

dinkum (sometimes "fair dinkum") - genuine, true
     He's a dinkum Aussie if I ever saw one.


dirties - dirty looks
    He's been giving me dirties all night.


docket - bill, receipt
     Excuse me, you forgot your docket!


down under - Australia and New Zealand
     As a kid, I loved The Rescuers Down Under.


dropbear - fictional bush predator that Australians use to scare tourists
    Check the trees for dropbears before turning your back... :evil laugh:

dry as a dead dingo's donger - dry, arid
    It used to be a lake, but now it's dry as a dead dingo's donger.

E

esky - cooler

     I bought a new esky for the picnic. 

F

fairy floss - cotton candy
     I haven't had any fairy floss here yet, but I see it at all of the markets and fairs.

flake - shark

     Most Melbourne fish and chips is made with flake.


flat white - latte coffee hybrid
     I can't believe how expensive a small flat white is.

footy - Australian Rules Football

     Footy is far superior to American Football.


fringe - bangs
     I can't decide if I want a side fringe or a blunt fringe.


frog and toad - hit the road
   Let's pack up and frog and toad.

G

garbo - garbage man
     Garbos get paid more here than I ever will.


G'day - hello
     G'day, mate!


give it a go - take a shot
     I've never done this before, but I'll give it a go.


goon - cheap boxed wine with unreasonably high alcohol content
     The last thing I remember was the goon.

H

handle - beer glass with a handle (not the same as a handle of hard alcohol)
     In Australia I can drink a whole handle by myself without coming close to dying.


heaps - a large quantity, used like the American 'tons'

     I stretched heaps, but I still pulled a muscle.

hammys - hamstrings

     The doctor told me if I loosen up my hammys my back will feel better.

hook turn - when driving, a turn in which you need to get to the furthest left lane in order to turn right
    I don't plan on attempting a hook turn while I'm here.

hot chips - fries
     I could go for a burger and hot chips any day any time.


how are you going? - how are you doing?

     How are you going?

J

jug - pitcher
     Want to split a jug of Bulmers?

jumper - sweater (usually a light sweater)
     Don't forget to bring a jumper; it gets chilly at night.

L

lolly - candy
     Can I pleeeeaaaase get the bag of lollies????


love - babe

     Hey love, let me buy you a drink.

M

Maccas (sometimes spelled Mackers) - McDonalds

     Let's hit up Maccas for 50 cent ice cream and free wifi.

mate - friend, buddy

    I have a good mate who drives me to school.

mob - large group of kangaroos

    Want to grab a photo of the mob in the field?

mozzie - mosquito

    I'm getting eaten alive by the mozzies!

N

no drama (sometimes "no dramas") - no problem

     Thanks for the ride. No dramas.

note - bill

     Can you break a $50 note?

no worries - you're welcome

     Thanks for your help. No worries.

no wuckas - no fucking problem

     Thanks for the beer. No wuckas.

O

Outback - center arid Australia

     I'm going to the Outback at the end of May.

Oz - Australia

   What type of Oz phone did you get?

P

parma - parmigiana

     Union house has cheap parma specials once a week.

pedo - pedophile

    Back away from the pedo. 

pint - size large beer or cider

     I'll take a pint of Red.

pork pie - lie

    That's a pork pie.

pot - size small beer or cider

     You guys can take shots all you want, I'm happy with a pot of Boags.

R

rage - party

     He can rage all night and still make it to class in the morning.

ranga (derived from orangutan) - redhead (offensive)

     She'd be pretty if she weren't a ranga.

reffo - refugee

     Australia treats reffos horribly.

roo - kangaroo meat

    Roo is great for you because it's so lean, but be careful not to overcook it or it gets tough.

root - to fuck (in all definitions)

    (1) Buy a new ball, this one is rooted. (2) She's a mediocre root.

rubber - eraser
     I asked my mom to buy me a couple of rubbers but she said I'll only need one.


rubbish bin - garbage can

     Your essay belongs in the rubbish bin.

runners - sneakers

    You'll need runners for this hike.

S

Seppo - an American

     You're acting like a Seppo.

sheila - a girl 

    To my understanding, nobody uses the term 'sheila' anymore unless they're a loser or a bogan.

skull - chug

    Skull the rest of your goon and let's go to Turf.

snag - sausage

     Free snags on South Lawn at 1pm!

smoko - smoke break (sometimes used to mean coffee break also)

    She stepped out for smoko, but I can take a message.

strine - Aussie slang/pronunciation (sometimes refers to accent)

    Some tourists can't tell the difference between Aussie strine and a British accent.

sunnies - sunglasses

    Cute sunnies!

swag - roll up camping bedding, like a big sleeping bag

   You can rent a swag for camping in the Outback.

T

Ta - Thanks

     Ta.

Tassie - Tasmania, resident or product of Tasmania

     I had an INCREDIBLE time in Tassie.   

Tea - supper 

    When someone asks you to tea, come ready to eat a meal.

that's alright - you're welcome

     Thanks for breaking my $5 note. That's alright.

thongs - flip flops

    Please stop leaving your thongs in the middle of the floor.

toastie - grilled cheese (often with tomato and/or ham)

    I'll take a toastie and hot chips.

trackies - literally track suit, but has been used to mean sportswear

    This rehearsal will require you to wear trackies.

true blue - genuine Australian, almost patriotic

     I know a true blue meat pie when I taste one.

tutes - tutorials

   I have to leave now or I'll be late for tute.

U

Ugg boots - generic brand non-waterproof boots made of sheepskin to keep warm (American "Fuggs")

     Here Ugg is not a brand, it is a style of shoe.

uni - university

    I study Arts at Melbourne Uni.

ute - utility or pickup truck

   Look out for the ute coming into your lane!

V

vego - vegetarian

     I know this great vego restaurant on Swanston that's owned by the Hare Krishnas.

W

walkabout - an Aboriginal walk, usually for spiritual purpose, that lasts an indefinite amount of time

     I haven't seen him in weeks, ever since he left on that walkabout in the Outback.

whinge - complain

    I have a friend here who made a resolution to whinge less. Good for her.

no wuckas - no fucking problem

     Thanks for the beer. No wuckas.

X

XXXX - pronounced 4X, a beer made in Queensland which is supposed to have four Xs because of it's superior quality

     If beer has to prove that it's good by writing XXXX on it, it probably isn't.

Y

yakka - work

     I can't go out, I've got heaps of yakka to do.

Z

zed - the way Aussies pronounce the letter 'z' when spelling things out

     My last name is Zipkin: zed-ay-pee-kay-ay-en