Common English Words and Phrases Used By Young Australians

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G’day mate! Welcome to Sydney, Australia. We’ve compiled a few common phrases and words commonly used by young Australians, just in case you’re a little confused the next time an Australian asks to hang out in the “arvo”.

Below are 10 common phrases to add to your vocabulary before beginning your student journey in Australia:

1. “Mate”

In Australia, a “mate” is simply a friend. It’s also a friendly way to greet anyone you come across. Australians often call everyone mate, and you’ll most likely hear this word in everyday conversation, in phrases such as “How are you, mate?

2. “Arvo”

“I’ll see you later this arvo” is a pretty common phrase. Arvo is an abbreviation for afternoon.

3.”Heaps good”

This one is a little more self-explanatory. If an Australian thinks something is really good, they will often use the word “heaps good”.

4. “Brekky”

This next one is also used almost everyday. If you’re “going out for brekky” or “having some brekky”, it’s just short for breakfast. You’ll notice a trend here… Australians love to shorten words!

5. “Barbie”

In Australia, barbie means barbecue. So the next time your Australian friend invites you to a barbie at their house in the arvo, you’ll know exactly what they mean.

6. “No worries”

Very similar to “no problem” or “that’s all good”. No worries is the Australian version!

7. “Servo”

In Australia, if someone says they are going to the “servo”, they mean the petrol station (also known as the gas station, service station, or fuel station).

8. “Thongs”

You may hear this one and get the wrong idea! Australians call sandals and flip flops “thongs”. For example, “I’m heading to the beach in my thongs.”

9. “Deadset”

This one is common especially among the younger generation. If someone says “deadset”, they typically mean “that’s very true”.

10. “How ya going?”

Last, but definitely not least, and possibly the most common one of them all… this is the Australian version of “how are you?” While living in Australia, it is almost guaranteed that you will hear this phrase a lot!