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What's your Favourite Aussie Slang Word or Phrase?

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by Jenny Pickett (subscribe)
I enjoy making the most of life's experiences, exploring what Adelaide has to offer and sharing my experiences and discoveries with others via WeekendNotes!
Published September 16th 2013
Bogan, yuppie, dag, drongo are just some of the Aussie slang words used to demystify Australian culture and class. Derogatory as they sound, this slang can also be used in terms of endearment!

In Australia, nobody's the same. I'm really enjoying the viewing on ABC at the moment. In my eyes, It's A Date, Upper Middle Bogan ,and The Time Of Our Lives eloquently capture the myriad people, culture and lifestyle that exists throughout Australia.

ABC iview, Upper Middle Bogan, Bogan, Aussie Slang, Australia
Upper Middle Bogan is superb viewing on Thursday nights at 8.30pm. Image courtesy of ABC

Episode 5: No Angel of Upper Middle Bogan's first series is a classic, with Edwina (Lara Robinson) conducting her prestigious private school choir through a classical remake of a true blue Aussie classic of The Angels Am I ever Gonna See your Face Again? Replacing the response "no way get f****ed, f***k off" is the bassoon playing Edwina.

[ADVERT]In our workplace, we currently employ a number of agency staff, many of whom have come from the United Kingdom.

The majority of expats have settled along the coast to experience and reinvent themselves in the casual, friendly culture and lifestyles of Australia as witnessed on their televisions through series such as BBC's Wanted Down Under and the best way of all, through word of mouth.

One particular expat is hooked on Arnott's bikkies and just adores Burger Rings. Lunch time's fun and entertaining at the moment as we continue to educate him on Aussie slang. Even a simple phrase as fair dinkum requires a translation.

What's your favourite Aussie slang word or phrase? If you're an expat, I'd love to hear from you re: your first impressions of Australia and your favourite food and customs.
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Cadbury.
by Carly Ogborne (score: 3|4644) 3532 days ago
Im flat out like a lizard drinking!
See ya!
Ugh.... the collective word>>>>>> ' Youz' <<< so bogan!
Yobbo and 'ya dag' lol
Worse than a dead dogs dinger!
So up himself/herself that she/he's inside out!
..... is a bit of a nervous Nellie.
Wow! Have a quick perve at that!! :-o or :-)
It runs on the smell of an oily rag... referring to running a car and it not costing you much to run.
Stiff Cheddar..............tough luck!
lol.... an oldie but a goodie.... ' have been up before Sparrows fart'
meaning... got up too early and before the birds.
A sandwich short of a picnic is a goodie
Raining Cats n Dogs
lol......'' Dont get ya knickers in a knot!'' or ' Dont get into a twist!'
What an absolute bucket of Cods..... or you can add Codswallop. Or being an Aussie you can eliminate all those words b/c we love short hand speaking and just say with an inflection........ CODS! with the latter you might smile, or chuckle or look serious ...
' Ha! Got YOU by the short n curlies...didn(t) I.... dont sound the T.

I could add more but they could be a bit rude or over the top.

then there is G'day! I dont hear it much here but hearing a female friend of mine she says it all the time....she's a Sandgroper!
by summer (score: 2|473) 3522 days ago
couple of roos short in the paddock - screw lose upstairs
john howards - long eyebrows
dog's eye - meat pie
fugly , sorry but we use it
by Anne Dignam (score: 2|870) 3544 days ago
Drongo
by Jmbis (score: 1|10) 3550 days ago
A sandwich short of a picnic.
Shoot through like a Bondi tram.
It's like Pitt Street (busy).
by readingroxie99 (score: 1|22) 3543 days ago
Chuck a ewey
by banab (score: 1|38) 3553 days ago
I'm as flat out as a lizard drinking.

Going to shoot thru like a Bondi

He's got a face like a dropped pie.
by judiron (score: 1|53) 2964 days ago
Fair Dinkum
by Kerry (score: 0|8) 3528 days ago
On ya
by Dugga (score: 0|8) 3554 days ago
STRUTH !!! have a gander at that shella
by Bru (score: 0|7) 2756 days ago
He's so "quiche"
Thanks Ja'mie
by Elcde (score: 1|15) 3437 days ago
mind
by niloo (score: 0|6) 3517 days ago
Most versatile word - bugger.
by hbee (score: 0|6) 2571 days ago
Straaylya = Australia
by ahcro (score: 0|6) 2753 days ago
fair dinkum you'd have to be a boofhead not to think that this was a dropdead bonza article
by glenop (score: 2|827) 3549 days ago
Dry as a dead dingo's donger
by readingroxie99 (score: 1|22) 3552 days ago
terms picked up over here in 'the old country' -Strap me, maite, but I'm as dry as a wallaby's pouch
Fair dinkum
Chunder off yer (pommie or other perjorative) drongo
Only a dingo walks out on his mates.
Strap me, Sheila, but I could do with a beer.......
by j2jda (score: 0|5) 2964 days ago
I am so hungry I could eat the horse and chase the jockey
by Happy Mom (score: 2|548) 3515 days ago
many of these are old cockney sayings being claimed as Aussie........or a derivitive....
by sally (score: 1|26) 2964 days ago
Apart form my previous one, which was "stick that in ya pipe and smoke it", I also love the use of "Doin the Harry Holt".

I remember as a kid, my dad's friends referring to the days of the week as:

Mundi
Tuesdi
Wensdi
Thursdi
Fridi
Sad-di
Sundi
by Mina. (score: 1|36) 2999 days ago
get a dog up ya!
by mwnes (score: 0|5) 3077 days ago
It's a dog's breakfast.
by matil (score: 1|21) 3460 days ago
Spat the dummy is one of my favourites - and my husband had to explain to me what a 'snag in a bag' was!
by Annie Waddington-Feather (score: 2|186) 3502 days ago
sheila
by Caesar (score: 0|6) 3390 days ago
thank's mate
by bobbh (score: 0|7) 3452 days ago
A face like a robbers dog
by eyreh (score: 0|6) 3382 days ago
Yeah-nah always brings explosions of mirth, indeed, the occasional expelling of one's drink through the nose...
by Max Flynn (score: 1|61) 3375 days ago
Geepers Creepers.
by nanet (score: 0|7) 3501 days ago
Struth no worries J
by glenop (score: 2|827) 3548 days ago
Crook as Rookwood
by readingroxie99 (score: 1|22) 3548 days ago

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