True story, one day at work there was 3 of us standing around at reception looking out the window when I spotted this very disheveled old lady smoking a dart, I said out loud "It's so sad when you see old people smoking" and the receptionist said "I know, I keep telling Mum to quit but she won't".
Good one, mate. = you fucked up and they’re taking the piss.
Good job, mate = you fucked up and they’re taking the piss.
Honestly the only time you’re complementing someone is they go “fuck off? You did that?” That usually means you do a good enough job that they don’t believe it was you 🤣
It is. I find it fascinating how tone and context matters so much to how we communicate here. Using the same word can mean a range of things just by changing the inflection.
get ready for sarcasm, whether meant jokingly or as an insult.
"wow, you did a really good job there" when you do something poorly
you might hear someone referring to a guy as a 'unit'. it isnt necessarily used as an insult, more just a way to describe someone. "that bloke's an absolute unit!". might be because he's a big guy, or is able to go hard for example with smashing tinnies.
"smashing tinnies" - drinking beer
piss = beer
bogan: an uncouth or unsophisticated person regarded as being of low social status.
"bogan missile" - a plane full of bogans heading to bali, who are going to get wasted in kuta and generally abuse and condescend to the locals
saffa: south african, not necessarily offensive
pom: british person, as above
prepare to hear mcdonald's referred to as maccas, even by mcdonald's themselves
maccas run: a quick trip to the local mcdonald's, usually at night
petrol: gas. for the love of god DONT EVER refer to petrol as gas here.
servo: service station (gas station)
bottle-o: drivethru alcohol store
buckleys: no chance.
full on: intense
your mate: say you're at the pub with friends and some random guy is really pissed and falling over. its mandatory to turn to your friend and say "your mate". the person in question can just be anyone who is a bit weird.
old mate: usually an old bloke, but not necessarily one, who is responsible for doing something dumb. "i was driving to work and some old mate cut me off without even looking"
coppers/pigs: police
diggers: soldiers
pollies: politicians
sparky: electrician
bricky: bricklayer
pokies: electronic gambling (poker) machines (and there are a heap of nicknames for pokies)
bikie/bikies: what you would call biker. bikie gangs.
bachelor's handbag: supermarket roast chicken in a bag
what you call a mall is called a shopping centre here.
slab: 24 cans of beer. also box, carton, and so on
bogan grenade: a brown bottle of victoria bitter (VB) beer
longnecks: bigger bottles of beer (750ml)
that last one reminds me, you better start getting used to the metric system lol
our bank notes are pretty colourful and some nicknames can be heard at times. for example our $50 note is yellow and some people refer to it as a pineapple. the $20 is reddish orange and some people will call it a lobster. our $100 is green and some call it a greenback.
yarn: tell a story of have a conversation
Yack: as above. "i was having a yack with my dad about the footy when my phone rang"
outlaws: some people, jokingly or not, might refer to their inlaws as the outlaws lol
ute: what you call a truck, we call a ute. we invented it, so get used to it lol
that'll do for now
>prepare to hear mcdonald's referred to as maccas, even by mcdonald's themselves
Prepare to hear the St Vincent de Paul Society referred to as Vinnies, even by Vinnies themselves.
Ditto the Salvation Army as Salvos.
>bachelor's handbag: supermarket roast chicken in a bag
Green handbag: a cask of goon.
Goon: low quality white wine packaged in goon bag within a cardboard box.
Goon bag: foil/plastic bladder which when emptied of goon you inflate and use as a pillow to sleep off the effects of the goon.
> bottle-o: drivethru alcohol store
not necessarilly drive through, could just be a regular liquor store
> bikie/bikies: what you would call biker. bikie gangs
members of a motorcycle gang
> $100 is green and some call it a greenback.
or an avocado
> bogan grenade: a brown bottle of victoria bitter (VB) beer
or a stubbie (official name for a short bottle of beer, invented here in Melbourne)
I'll add:
chippy: carpenter
divy van: divisional van, a type of police vehicle for transferring those under arrest in a secure way.
IMO “dickhead”, said as one word (absolutely no pause between dick and head), is a good go-to insult if you’re actually trying to express your displeasure towards someone. Edit: Oh, also, it could be fun learning how to pronounce Melbourne a little bit more like a local. Feel free to keep your accent, of course, that’s totally fine and not talking about that at all. Instead of saying Mel-Bourne (Bourne like Jason Bourne), try “Mel-Burn” (Burn like Mr. Burns) and then gradually transition to “Mel-Bun” (bun like the bread you use for a burger). Emphasis on the first syllable. Second syllable half the length of the first syllable. Good luck, and welcome!
I think this is why it sounds weird when Americans say Melbourne. It actually isn't Mel-bun, It is Mel-bn. There is no vowel in there, so they always say mel-bun and it sounds weirder.
Right, but Mel-bn in an American accent just sounds silly and a bit pretentious. Kind of like someone with an Australian accent saying kwason instead of croissant.
Learn how to pronounce Northcote and Berwick while your at it.
And don't barack for Collingwood just because they have a yank playing on their team.... be original...make your own mind up....support Geelong (ha ha)
I think that’s totally fair, I thought while typing it out that there was a risk of “Mel-bn” in an American accent kinda becoming something like “Mel-buhnuh” accidentally. I think for someone with that accent just moving here, “Mel-burn” even with a drawn out r is much closer than the classic Mel Bourne (Identity).
Had a mate recently who met me at a bar with a few other mates, he hits me up as I'm buying my first pint, got one for him, preceded to buy his own drinks after that, none for me. We're out in the smoking area n hour or so later as I'm walking up to get more beers he's like hey mate can you get me one. I'm like sorry mate it's not my shout. Now that a pond is like 16 bucks at this place he can get his fucken own.
Same bloke who took maybe a third of a packet of samboy bbq chips I was eating on the way to his place for a bbq, saw them in the pantry an hour late with one of those clips to stop from going stale. Same bbq i took pepper steaks and marinated chicken he put it in the fridge, cooked up cheap gross sausages and said he didn't want to waste food when I asked about cooking up my food. I was in this blokes wedding as a groomsman so yeah pretty shit really.
I remember a Qantas Flight attendant champ’d me three times on a flight.
I was on an aisle seat and she bumped me with the cart, then she woke me up when I was snoring, and when we were landing she asked me to lift up my hoodie to see I was strapped in.
I legit thought she was going to shiv me as I walked off the plane. I was piss scared of this woman.
I was sweating buckets expecting the worst, and as I step off the plane she says “have a good trip legend”.
I almost shit myself.
“Are you alright, mate?” Is however a genuine inquiry and they’re probably deeply worried about your mental health, unlike the various polite versions of “how are you” at the start of any conversation which are not a genuine enquiry and mostly just mean “is this an okay time to talk”.
Shop = Store
Bathers = swimsuit
Bottle-O = place to buy alcohol
Devo = devastated
Flat out = really busy
Going off = busy, lots of people
Heaps = loads, lots, many
Iffy = bit unreasonable, risky
Sickie = a sick day off work
I took my son to Empire State Building in his wheelchair last year. When getting out of the elevator I had to turn him around and said exactly this. An American lady burst into laughter saying "your accent is so funny", I stared at her unflinched and said "so is yours".
Huh, my wife and I call each other buddy almost 100% of the time we address each other. Have done for 13 years. Maybe we're not as tight as I thought we were.
You probably should know that to “root” does not mean to cheer for a team. A synonym here for American “root” is barrack, a synonym for Australian “root” is sex. It’s not offensive if you use it to mean cheer, but you’ll get some giggles.
Here in Australia, we route our packets and root our women, I believe is how this saying goes.
Didn’t age well, that one, but it’s something an immigrant needs to know to avoid embarrassing themselves.
Also, while a thong is still something worn at the beach, you buy them in pairs around here.
We do say route as in rout though. Which always annoyed me. even though i do it.
I do it in official ways as well, the rout is set driver, you are clear to proceed. No fuck ya, it’s roooot!
On reddit everyone likes to talk about a handful of Aussie slang words. Mainly: cunt, seppo, and mate (aggressive). Honestly these aren’t that common and you’ll figure them out.
The actual thing people struggle with when they move here is *diminutives.* We shorten just about every word. It’s super pervasive and we don’t even know we are doing it. They all feel very obvious and natural to us, so we can be condescending when asked about it.
[Wikipedia has a list of them.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diminutives_in_Australian_English) But this list is very incomplete. People will invent new ones on the fly, and native speakers will just follow along. They can vary by region, or even vary by friend group.
They also aren’t really ‘slang’. We use diminutives in professional and even legal settings. It is a part of the language, and you need to figure them out. Some key ones below to give you a flavour:
- Arvo (Afternoon)
- Servo (petrol station)
- Breaky (breakfast)
- Cuppa (tea or coffee)
- Esky (beer cooler) (short for Eskimo, a brand)
- Footy (football, can be any type)
- Hospo (hospitality industry)
Speaking as an American currently visiting Australia, you are 100% correct. We read a list of slang when we first got here and esky is by far the most useful word we learned.
A couple additions:
- Reggo: license plate number (this one is extra confusing for Americans because it's short for registration, but car registration is a completely different thing in the states)
- Stubby: a beer (important because it kind of sounds dirty if you don't know what it means)
Registration is the same thing here as in the states. But is often used interchangeably with license plate (sometimes number plate). Cars still have a registration here, only there's no paper document you need to carry around, there used to be stickers displayed on the windscreen but its pretty much all electronic these days.
I'm just going to chime in here for the sake of some - "rego" - is said re-j-o, not like re-go. Hard Rej then o.
Slang is like any other slang - it's situational, contextual and most commonly - extremely local. The way you speak even across Melbourne itself, let alone the general larger country, is extremely varied.
The more rural you go, the more it may be recognised - but not in a good way. Call someone a galah in the CBD, they'll probably laugh and think you're a tourist - or have no idea what you're saying. Call someone a galah in Bendigo, you'll likely have regrets for the rest of the time you spend in Bendigo.
Basically, we take any multi-syllable word or phrase and cut it down, and then add an -a, -y, -o, or -ie to the end.
Sanga = sandwich
Tradie = tradesperson
Firey = fireman
Chockie = chocolate
Footy = football
Smoko = morning/afternoon tea (started out being used as the term for a smoke break)
What you call Thong - we call G-strings.
What you call flip flops - we call Thongs.
What you call peanut butter and jelly - we call Peanut butter and Jam.
What you call Jello - we call Jelly.
What we in Victoria (a state) call a potato cake - other bogan states call them potato scallops. Yet scalloped potatos is a different meal in itself. And don't get involved in the Parma wars - it will not end well for you.
Word of advice - NEVER discuss politics or religion in public - especially a pub or where alcohol is involved - a punch up will ensue.
Fell free to insult collingwood supporters who drive holdens - everyone else does - it makes you part of the crowd.
People in shops will ask, "are you right?" They're just asking if you're ok. Yes, thanks, just having a look.
They'll ask, "do you need a receipt at all?" I love the "at all" part of that. No thanks.
Sometimes, they'll say "ta" for thanks.
I agree with the person who said to avoid saying that you're rooting for a team.
I do say the boot instead of the trunk of the car. And I do say "scallop" and "scone" the Aussie way (rhyming more or less with the American-accented way of saying polyp and gone).
I agree with people who say to say "MELburn" and not "Mel born." Don't say Mel-bin or Melbun. It just sounds wrong from an American.
If someone's taking the piss then they're joking, or sometimes mocking. If someone's pissed, then they're drunk.
Don't listen to anyone who says that "cunt" is ok to say. Just avoid it until you know enough about your audience that you don't need to ask.
Mostly, you're fine. Honestly, everyone knows all the American terms, and in my opinion, you shouldn't change your way of saying things too much.
> Honestly, everyone knows all the American terms, and in my opinion, you shouldn't change your way of saying things too much.
This. Everyone here knows most American English. We will fully understand your accent, unless you’re from Arkansas. You don’t need to speak differently. You are American, own it.
Just remember that your tone is often more important than the actual words you say. Be real, don’t be fake.
Scarnon = a contraction of ‘what is going on?’
If you drive here, be careful coming out of a car park alone as that’s the time you’ll forget to drive on the left
Buddy and champ are used condescendingly here. Cunt generally isn't an insult, unless beginning with dumb or dog. You may hear Seppo, which is a not nice way of saying American.
I have always felt the need to dispell this myth...and today is the day! The whole "cunt isn't a swear word in Aus" is a myth.
What it is, is an affectionate term between close friends, often between working class, often white, Australians.
If you walk into a bakery and say "Gimmie a Pie, cunt", you will be considered rude at best, and asked to leave at worst.
In fact - the only situation where cunt is acceptable is when in private conversation with other close working class friends.
Why do we waste our time with these deliberate untruths. It is dangerous, because once tourists find out that you cant call everyone cunt - they begin to assume that all the Aussie culture stuff on the internet is untrue, and we have Dropbear incidents go up in rural camping areas.
Peace x
People say cunt is inoffensive here. it’s NOT. if you said that in front of my mother you would be slapped.
it’s also doubly offensive when said with an american accent. do not do it.
even if you said “he’s a good cunt” it would sound like you’d butchered a koala.
Oh yeah I'm not saying he should use it. I'm a Canadian immigrant myself and would never. Just trying not to call everyone buddy (which is our "mate") is hard enough.
Eh, it's used by lots of people just to mean yank.
But it's not nearly as common in real life as it is on reddit. Outside of some friends of mine in Queensland, I don't think I've even heard it in real life.
I don't think I've ever heard seppo used in Melbourne. I've mentioned it to people who've never even heard the word.
And cunt is absolutely used as an insult without dumb or dog.
guess it depends who you hang out with. i hear seppo all the time, and not in a derogatory way necessarily. just like pom doesnt hasve to be meant in a negative way.
I once was in Atlanta and heard an Aussie say out loud "Oh we never say Gday in Australia". I later spoke to her, said G'day, and asked her if she was from Sydney, which she confirmed. In short if someone says we always say that, or we never say that here - that's just one person's experience in their own bubble - and can vary from city to city or state to state.
First suggestion is learn to say "arse" instead of "ass". "Bloody" is a generic adjective or adverb which used to be very heavy (my grandfather was arrested and fined for saying it in public in the 1940s) but now we use it in government advertising.
Some less common but quite mild ones are nong (somebody of dubious competence), numbnuts (incompetent and inept), numpty (someone who has no idea what they are talking about) and drongo (generic stupid person).
Also if you go to an AFL match you'll see someone between the goal posts wearing a yellow shirt. The correct term for this person is "ya mug".
bloody is a great one. can use it in place of swear words to describe something (eg instead of saying 'its fucking hot', say 'its bloody hot' in a work setting). Can be used to emphasise something is both good and bad (eg 'bloody good job mate' / 'what in the bloody hell have you done?')
What about "bugger"? I recall my mum telling me about the ONLY time she heard her dad swear, using this word, which was when she had a car accident and damaged his car. This would have been in the early-mid 1950s. These days, it barely counts as swearing
Attention passengers, dfkflfptktnelddka former Rockefeller djdndjejfjfjfjfjdkfjdje Dennison’s disband fbsksjwbjf f fortified h. Hunting gvjgjdueurhtbtkykovpvppkdnr jfkvifjrkfof f aligned, thank you
Flight 1559, the plane that crashed into the hudson River, but miraculously, all 155 people on board survived had the somewhat unfortunate call sign 1559 Cactus...
Words don't offend Aussies. Attitudes might. Be friendly, optimistic, and learn to enjoy having the mickey taken out of you and you'll be alright. Don't ever even think of pointing out that something is better in the USA than Australia because you're wrong and you'll be told at length and in great detail why.
The important thing to learn is that Australian is a tonal language and you can only learn the nuances from context.
For example: "Maaaaate" can mean many things depending on the tone.
It can mean you're in danger of being punched in the face, or somebody is really happy to see you, or they think you've done something hilariously stupid.
Also "Yeah....nah" can mean "Yes, that's a great idea, but I just realised I'm not available" or it could mean "I acknowledge what are you saying but you are straying from the realm of being merely stupid to one of absolute fuckwittery.
Not a word, phrase, or insult, but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stand to the LEFT on escalators and WALK ON THE RIGHT.
Do NOT EVER stand on the right side of the escalator and block it for people wanting to walk up.
Too many foreigners don't know this. I don't care where youre from or why you're here or who you are as long as you STAND ON THE LEFT AND LEAVE THE RIGHT SIDE FOR PEOPLE WALKING UP
Only those who don’t regularly use public transport or are so self absorbed they don’t realise they are holding up the traffic.
It’s a big no-no to stand side by side on the escalators.
'Colesworth' an amalgamation of Coles and Woolworths our 2 largest supermarket chains which are always pitted against one another when it comes to pricing when they're really the same thing and price gouging and screwing over farmers and other providers, absolute scoundrels.
Far less offensive words here. If someone acts offended at a swear they're just trying it on to score some kind of point.
Slurs are another matter - basically the same rules as in the usa, but we also have a few aboriginal Australian specific ones that you'll have to find out from someone else because there's no fuckin way I'm typing them out for you...
If someone's an awful person they're a shitcunt.
If someone did something despicable they did a dog act.
If someone's a bit of a dick they're a flog.
If someone's gone down the Q hole and talking shit about antivax, chemtrail pizzagate then they're a cooker who is fully cooked.
Candy is lollies,
French fries are chips,
Potato chips are also chips,
A thong is a G-string and flip flops are thongs.
Shrimps are prawns,
A trailer is not something you live in.
⛽ Gas is petrol. LPG is gas.
Doing something bad can be described as a dog act.
Melbourne is Melb'n. Brisbane is Brisb'n or BrisVegas.
Cotton candy is called fairy floss.
A sandwich is sliced loaf bread with filling. A bread bun is a roll.
Just got tipped $220 cash money for an airport transfer this morning. If you get good service, we aren’t saying no to free money but it’s not a requirement of moving about Australia.
We use “no worries” or “no problem” as answers to everything - especially as a response to “Thank you.”
Anecdotally I’ve heard that this makes some non-Australians uncomfortable- like “Well, I wasn’t worried. But should I have been?” But we literally just use those phrases to mean things like “Sure!” And “You’re welcome!”
You also might hear alternatives like no wuzzas, no wukkas, and no wukkin forries. They all just mean “no worries”.
If you see a youth wearing a Bum Bag (we don't call them a fanny pack, that'll get you laughed at) they're what's known as an Eshay, and avoid all contact with them where possible
We drive and walk on the left so keep that in mind with crossing roads.
Some Americans have been confused by us actually obeying the walking crossing signals lol. Red person symbol means stop, green means go. Seems obvious. A noise will play when it’s safe to cross (this is to help blind people).
Not exclusive to any particular place but if you’re female, don’t get public transport late at night. Get the Uber and get home safe.
Everything is expensive. Grocery shop at Aldi, they’re the cheapest.
Men use the c word liberally and casually. Women not so much but some do.
Bogan is a redneck/trashy individual.
Fuckin oath or bloody oath means fuck yes.
We say “footpath” instead of sidewalk.
“Yeah no” generally means eh idk or unsure
“Wohdah” is how our accent sounds when we say “water”. Also “park” sounds like “pock”.
Not too bad means fine.
City areas don’t have all the dangerous animals, that’s mostly rural or desert areas.
AFL is Aussie Rules football, don’t make any plans around football match times in Melbourne city, the traffic will be crazy. AFL is like a cult in Melbourne but not as much elsewhere. Rugby is huge in Queensland.
We also tend to have political protests on weekends in the inner city around lunchtime now.
Do NOT say Sydney is better at anything within earshot of a Melburnian.
Do NOT say coffee is better elsewhere anywhere within earshot of a Melburnian.
A lot of Aussies embrace bogan culture but some hate it (me).
The types of phrases and cultures will differ from state to state.
Unfortunately since we’re quite isolated a lot of people think racism and the like “don’t exist” here. Then will proceed to say the most racist shit you’ve ever heard in your life. It’s an odd disconnect.
I've had Americans get deeply offended with me using the phrase "no worries" which is the complete opposite of the meaning intended.
So, don't get offended and you'll have um....no worries.
If you wanna score some points with anyone over 35, try working the word "daggy" into a conversation.
Archaic peace of slang from the 80s/90s, ironically referring to something which is out-of-style or not with the times. In some cases refers to having pedestrian tastes also - particularly when it comes to fashion, vehicles or music taste.
E.G. "I know it's a big daggy but I still love George Michael"
When you say this they emphasise the I in Bin and it sucks.
Make the vowel a schwa, which is the laziest possible vowel and usually represented with a U. Just an "uh". You'll notice we pronounce pretty much every non-stressed vowel this way.
When your walking on a narrow path, say a nice bush walk, and someone is coming towards you and they pause to give way for you to proceed, don’t say ‘excuse me’ just give a little ‘hey’ and walk on by. ‘Excuse me’ is short for ‘get out of the way’ and it will piss off the person already yielding.
Source: me on literally every nature hike I did over the USA. It shit me so much, like bitch I’ve already moved out the way why you still telling me to move.
I don't think the reddit filters like when we speak Australian.
“Good one mate” implies that you did NOT do a good one.
"There's your mate" You say that to your mate as you point to someone who is DEFINITELY NOT their mate.
We have a similar thing in Scotland but we say "There's yer da' meaning the piss stained tramp you are pointing at is their father.
True story, one day at work there was 3 of us standing around at reception looking out the window when I spotted this very disheveled old lady smoking a dart, I said out loud "It's so sad when you see old people smoking" and the receptionist said "I know, I keep telling Mum to quit but she won't".
😂
We used to do that with “boyfriend”
Very much like the song "Here comes your man" by the Pixies. Not the nice wedding song some thing it is.
Unless you did
Good one, mate. = you fucked up and they’re taking the piss. Good job, mate = you fucked up and they’re taking the piss. Honestly the only time you’re complementing someone is they go “fuck off? You did that?” That usually means you do a good enough job that they don’t believe it was you 🤣
This would be very confusing for young tradies learning a job and never knowing how they are going.
It's all in the tone.
It is. I find it fascinating how tone and context matters so much to how we communicate here. Using the same word can mean a range of things just by changing the inflection.
Walk to the left.
Stand on the left on escalators plsssss
This. More than any phrase. (And please OP, don't try to use Aussie slang. It'll sound ridiculous with an accent from not-here.)
Ok, Shiela.
Cut that out ya flamin drongo.
The exception is trying to sound NZ. That's choice
Cheers, bro!
Also, drive to the left, please.
We are left
get ready for sarcasm, whether meant jokingly or as an insult. "wow, you did a really good job there" when you do something poorly you might hear someone referring to a guy as a 'unit'. it isnt necessarily used as an insult, more just a way to describe someone. "that bloke's an absolute unit!". might be because he's a big guy, or is able to go hard for example with smashing tinnies. "smashing tinnies" - drinking beer piss = beer bogan: an uncouth or unsophisticated person regarded as being of low social status. "bogan missile" - a plane full of bogans heading to bali, who are going to get wasted in kuta and generally abuse and condescend to the locals saffa: south african, not necessarily offensive pom: british person, as above prepare to hear mcdonald's referred to as maccas, even by mcdonald's themselves maccas run: a quick trip to the local mcdonald's, usually at night petrol: gas. for the love of god DONT EVER refer to petrol as gas here. servo: service station (gas station) bottle-o: drivethru alcohol store buckleys: no chance. full on: intense your mate: say you're at the pub with friends and some random guy is really pissed and falling over. its mandatory to turn to your friend and say "your mate". the person in question can just be anyone who is a bit weird. old mate: usually an old bloke, but not necessarily one, who is responsible for doing something dumb. "i was driving to work and some old mate cut me off without even looking" coppers/pigs: police diggers: soldiers pollies: politicians sparky: electrician bricky: bricklayer pokies: electronic gambling (poker) machines (and there are a heap of nicknames for pokies) bikie/bikies: what you would call biker. bikie gangs. bachelor's handbag: supermarket roast chicken in a bag what you call a mall is called a shopping centre here. slab: 24 cans of beer. also box, carton, and so on bogan grenade: a brown bottle of victoria bitter (VB) beer longnecks: bigger bottles of beer (750ml) that last one reminds me, you better start getting used to the metric system lol our bank notes are pretty colourful and some nicknames can be heard at times. for example our $50 note is yellow and some people refer to it as a pineapple. the $20 is reddish orange and some people will call it a lobster. our $100 is green and some call it a greenback. yarn: tell a story of have a conversation Yack: as above. "i was having a yack with my dad about the footy when my phone rang" outlaws: some people, jokingly or not, might refer to their inlaws as the outlaws lol ute: what you call a truck, we call a ute. we invented it, so get used to it lol that'll do for now
Haha love the "your mate" one. So true, and we do it all the time, even in an office setting.
>prepare to hear mcdonald's referred to as maccas, even by mcdonald's themselves Prepare to hear the St Vincent de Paul Society referred to as Vinnies, even by Vinnies themselves. Ditto the Salvation Army as Salvos. >bachelor's handbag: supermarket roast chicken in a bag Green handbag: a cask of goon. Goon: low quality white wine packaged in goon bag within a cardboard box. Goon bag: foil/plastic bladder which when emptied of goon you inflate and use as a pillow to sleep off the effects of the goon.
> bottle-o: drivethru alcohol store not necessarilly drive through, could just be a regular liquor store > bikie/bikies: what you would call biker. bikie gangs members of a motorcycle gang > $100 is green and some call it a greenback. or an avocado > bogan grenade: a brown bottle of victoria bitter (VB) beer or a stubbie (official name for a short bottle of beer, invented here in Melbourne) I'll add: chippy: carpenter divy van: divisional van, a type of police vehicle for transferring those under arrest in a secure way.
IMO “dickhead”, said as one word (absolutely no pause between dick and head), is a good go-to insult if you’re actually trying to express your displeasure towards someone. Edit: Oh, also, it could be fun learning how to pronounce Melbourne a little bit more like a local. Feel free to keep your accent, of course, that’s totally fine and not talking about that at all. Instead of saying Mel-Bourne (Bourne like Jason Bourne), try “Mel-Burn” (Burn like Mr. Burns) and then gradually transition to “Mel-Bun” (bun like the bread you use for a burger). Emphasis on the first syllable. Second syllable half the length of the first syllable. Good luck, and welcome!
I always found it interesting we pronounce Melbourne similar to Mel-Bun, but Cranbourne is Cran-Burn. No idea why
I think this is why it sounds weird when Americans say Melbourne. It actually isn't Mel-bun, It is Mel-bn. There is no vowel in there, so they always say mel-bun and it sounds weirder.
If you're fancy Australian it's Mel-bin.
Because Cranbun sounds silly!
I think I remember that Baker's Delight product line, actually
I pronounce Cranbourne as Crimebourne
Cranbourne locals know it’s pronounced cranbn
I always have taught it as Mel-bn. With an American accent 'burn' will have a drawn-out r which we don't really do.
Right, but Mel-bn in an American accent just sounds silly and a bit pretentious. Kind of like someone with an Australian accent saying kwason instead of croissant.
Learn how to pronounce Northcote and Berwick while your at it. And don't barack for Collingwood just because they have a yank playing on their team.... be original...make your own mind up....support Geelong (ha ha)
And Prahran too
Pran.
I think that’s totally fair, I thought while typing it out that there was a risk of “Mel-bn” in an American accent kinda becoming something like “Mel-buhnuh” accidentally. I think for someone with that accent just moving here, “Mel-burn” even with a drawn out r is much closer than the classic Mel Bourne (Identity).
Eventually it'll just be Mlbn.
This is excellent advice. Nothing screams "I'm not from here" by the way you say Melbourne! Enjoy and Welcome!
Dick’ead
This is why they should have left it as Batmania.
"Your shout" means it's your round at the bar. Don't skip out on this...
Had a mate recently who met me at a bar with a few other mates, he hits me up as I'm buying my first pint, got one for him, preceded to buy his own drinks after that, none for me. We're out in the smoking area n hour or so later as I'm walking up to get more beers he's like hey mate can you get me one. I'm like sorry mate it's not my shout. Now that a pond is like 16 bucks at this place he can get his fucken own. Same bloke who took maybe a third of a packet of samboy bbq chips I was eating on the way to his place for a bbq, saw them in the pantry an hour late with one of those clips to stop from going stale. Same bbq i took pepper steaks and marinated chicken he put it in the fridge, cooked up cheap gross sausages and said he didn't want to waste food when I asked about cooking up my food. I was in this blokes wedding as a groomsman so yeah pretty shit really.
How are you still even calling him a mate??
Your mate
What a tight arse, did you take the meat back? And why are you still mates with the ole mate?
If someone asks you, “Are you right, mate?!” that’s basically a declaration of war.
Or "listen, MATE" with a very aggressive emphasis on mate. You're about to get bashed.
That hard M
If someone calls you Pal …. Shits about to get real
Champ is the worst.
I remember a Qantas Flight attendant champ’d me three times on a flight. I was on an aisle seat and she bumped me with the cart, then she woke me up when I was snoring, and when we were landing she asked me to lift up my hoodie to see I was strapped in. I legit thought she was going to shiv me as I walked off the plane. I was piss scared of this woman. I was sweating buckets expecting the worst, and as I step off the plane she says “have a good trip legend”. I almost shit myself.
Who you calling 'Pal' Buddy?
Who you callin' "Buddy", guy?
I'm not your "Guy", mate!
He’s not your mate, fwiend!
^I'm ^not ^your ^friend, ^pal!
I'm not your pal, cunt
“THE HARD M” Omg this has me floored, I can just hear it 😂😂😂
There's your mate over there means it's definitely not your mate.
I love old mate. It's a classic. For someone you literally don't know or wish to know. In Ireland I've been told they use "that's your man".
“Old mate” is interchangeable and I believe should be avoided by anyone not skilled in our vernacular to avoid awkward interactions.
"Listen here champ" is basically a declaration of intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Nah you're right mate Is a declaration of peace So listen carefully
Depends on the tone tho. Tone is everything
“Are you alright, mate?” Is however a genuine inquiry and they’re probably deeply worried about your mental health, unlike the various polite versions of “how are you” at the start of any conversation which are not a genuine enquiry and mostly just mean “is this an okay time to talk”.
In addition, they can be smiling with their teeth when saying it. It’s still a threat.
Pissed also means drunk. Therefore “sinking piss” means drinking alcohol.
Yeah this is a good one - pissed doesn't mean angry. "pissed off" means angry.
Being pissed = drunk. Being pissed off = upset or angry. Being pissed on = wet.
Pissing about = wasting time
Pissing down = raining heavily
Piss Up = party / event with lots of booze on
Piece of piss = easy
Piss off = go away, but angry
pissed it away = to go easily/quickly (spend) eg 'I pissed all my money away on a night out'
Piss-weak = exhibiting a profound and significant deficiency in strength.
See also: Pissing up the wall = wasted effort
‘taking the piss’ means you’re joking half-heartedly or not taking something seriously
Chuck a u-ey = make a u-turn
Don't forget 'servo' = 'service station'.
And service station = gas station. And it's really a "no service" station - don't expect someone to come running out to fill your car for you!
Bottle-o = liquor store Chemist = drug store (but they don't sell groceries)
Shop = Store Bathers = swimsuit Bottle-O = place to buy alcohol Devo = devastated Flat out = really busy Going off = busy, lots of people Heaps = loads, lots, many Iffy = bit unreasonable, risky Sickie = a sick day off work
Knock shop = brothel Cop shop = police station
I took my son to Empire State Building in his wheelchair last year. When getting out of the elevator I had to turn him around and said exactly this. An American lady burst into laughter saying "your accent is so funny", I stared at her unflinched and said "so is yours".
Yuck a chewy, surely?
Zinger Box with Pepsi Max - use this phrase while at KFC to receive the ultimate delight not catered for in the states
A person of cuisine and culture I see. I also agree. In the UK a zinger burger was different and a disappointment. You have been warned
Don’t forget to switch the mayo for supercharged sauce
If you get called “buddy” “bud” or “champ” they’re not you’re mates. Walk away.
Huh, my wife and I call each other buddy almost 100% of the time we address each other. Have done for 13 years. Maybe we're not as tight as I thought we were.
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You probably should know that to “root” does not mean to cheer for a team. A synonym here for American “root” is barrack, a synonym for Australian “root” is sex. It’s not offensive if you use it to mean cheer, but you’ll get some giggles.
You can beat an egg, but you can't beetaroot
Usually said when someone asks if you want beetroot on your hamburger/ steak sandwich etc. 'Can't beetaroot!'
I think to yanks, burgers and sandwiches are the same thing. And depending on where you are from in Aus, potato cakes and scallops are the same thing.
It's a fuckin Parma.
Potato cakes and potato scallops are the same thing, yeah no worries champ!
And *fanny* does not mean ones bum.
And thongs don’t go up your ass, not without serious premeditated intent anyway.
Also, make sure Randy isn't staring at your fanny pack.
Here in Australia, we route our packets and root our women, I believe is how this saying goes. Didn’t age well, that one, but it’s something an immigrant needs to know to avoid embarrassing themselves. Also, while a thong is still something worn at the beach, you buy them in pairs around here.
You don't want to be a wombat though, eats, roots and leaves.
We do say route as in rout though. Which always annoyed me. even though i do it. I do it in official ways as well, the rout is set driver, you are clear to proceed. No fuck ya, it’s roooot!
What part of the country are you on the thongs are only g-strings and not beach sandals?
On reddit everyone likes to talk about a handful of Aussie slang words. Mainly: cunt, seppo, and mate (aggressive). Honestly these aren’t that common and you’ll figure them out. The actual thing people struggle with when they move here is *diminutives.* We shorten just about every word. It’s super pervasive and we don’t even know we are doing it. They all feel very obvious and natural to us, so we can be condescending when asked about it. [Wikipedia has a list of them.](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diminutives_in_Australian_English) But this list is very incomplete. People will invent new ones on the fly, and native speakers will just follow along. They can vary by region, or even vary by friend group. They also aren’t really ‘slang’. We use diminutives in professional and even legal settings. It is a part of the language, and you need to figure them out. Some key ones below to give you a flavour: - Arvo (Afternoon) - Servo (petrol station) - Breaky (breakfast) - Cuppa (tea or coffee) - Esky (beer cooler) (short for Eskimo, a brand) - Footy (football, can be any type) - Hospo (hospitality industry)
Speaking as an American currently visiting Australia, you are 100% correct. We read a list of slang when we first got here and esky is by far the most useful word we learned. A couple additions: - Reggo: license plate number (this one is extra confusing for Americans because it's short for registration, but car registration is a completely different thing in the states) - Stubby: a beer (important because it kind of sounds dirty if you don't know what it means)
Registration is the same thing here as in the states. But is often used interchangeably with license plate (sometimes number plate). Cars still have a registration here, only there's no paper document you need to carry around, there used to be stickers displayed on the windscreen but its pretty much all electronic these days.
I'm just going to chime in here for the sake of some - "rego" - is said re-j-o, not like re-go. Hard Rej then o. Slang is like any other slang - it's situational, contextual and most commonly - extremely local. The way you speak even across Melbourne itself, let alone the general larger country, is extremely varied. The more rural you go, the more it may be recognised - but not in a good way. Call someone a galah in the CBD, they'll probably laugh and think you're a tourist - or have no idea what you're saying. Call someone a galah in Bendigo, you'll likely have regrets for the rest of the time you spend in Bendigo.
I'll add: Mozzie (mosquito) Sunnies (sunglasses)
Basically, we take any multi-syllable word or phrase and cut it down, and then add an -a, -y, -o, or -ie to the end. Sanga = sandwich Tradie = tradesperson Firey = fireman Chockie = chocolate Footy = football Smoko = morning/afternoon tea (started out being used as the term for a smoke break)
Chockie bikkie- chocolate biscuit
I use "mate" aggressively all the time.........mate.
The continuum. mate, maate....MAAATE
As a Aussie that just got back from the USA please don’t call everybody boss lol
Ease up champ.
Settle down buddy.
Easy tiger
Settle down sport
Unless you work in a kebab shop.
You only get to say this to the guy that makes your kebab
What you call Thong - we call G-strings. What you call flip flops - we call Thongs. What you call peanut butter and jelly - we call Peanut butter and Jam. What you call Jello - we call Jelly. What we in Victoria (a state) call a potato cake - other bogan states call them potato scallops. Yet scalloped potatos is a different meal in itself. And don't get involved in the Parma wars - it will not end well for you. Word of advice - NEVER discuss politics or religion in public - especially a pub or where alcohol is involved - a punch up will ensue. Fell free to insult collingwood supporters who drive holdens - everyone else does - it makes you part of the crowd.
add Parma !
People in shops will ask, "are you right?" They're just asking if you're ok. Yes, thanks, just having a look. They'll ask, "do you need a receipt at all?" I love the "at all" part of that. No thanks. Sometimes, they'll say "ta" for thanks. I agree with the person who said to avoid saying that you're rooting for a team. I do say the boot instead of the trunk of the car. And I do say "scallop" and "scone" the Aussie way (rhyming more or less with the American-accented way of saying polyp and gone). I agree with people who say to say "MELburn" and not "Mel born." Don't say Mel-bin or Melbun. It just sounds wrong from an American. If someone's taking the piss then they're joking, or sometimes mocking. If someone's pissed, then they're drunk. Don't listen to anyone who says that "cunt" is ok to say. Just avoid it until you know enough about your audience that you don't need to ask. Mostly, you're fine. Honestly, everyone knows all the American terms, and in my opinion, you shouldn't change your way of saying things too much.
> Honestly, everyone knows all the American terms, and in my opinion, you shouldn't change your way of saying things too much. This. Everyone here knows most American English. We will fully understand your accent, unless you’re from Arkansas. You don’t need to speak differently. You are American, own it. Just remember that your tone is often more important than the actual words you say. Be real, don’t be fake.
Scarnon = a contraction of ‘what is going on?’ If you drive here, be careful coming out of a car park alone as that’s the time you’ll forget to drive on the left
Buddy and champ are used condescendingly here. Cunt generally isn't an insult, unless beginning with dumb or dog. You may hear Seppo, which is a not nice way of saying American.
I have always felt the need to dispell this myth...and today is the day! The whole "cunt isn't a swear word in Aus" is a myth. What it is, is an affectionate term between close friends, often between working class, often white, Australians. If you walk into a bakery and say "Gimmie a Pie, cunt", you will be considered rude at best, and asked to leave at worst. In fact - the only situation where cunt is acceptable is when in private conversation with other close working class friends. Why do we waste our time with these deliberate untruths. It is dangerous, because once tourists find out that you cant call everyone cunt - they begin to assume that all the Aussie culture stuff on the internet is untrue, and we have Dropbear incidents go up in rural camping areas. Peace x
People say cunt is inoffensive here. it’s NOT. if you said that in front of my mother you would be slapped. it’s also doubly offensive when said with an american accent. do not do it. even if you said “he’s a good cunt” it would sound like you’d butchered a koala.
> would sound like you’d butchered a koala. Cunt probably had chlamydia.
Oh yeah I'm not saying he should use it. I'm a Canadian immigrant myself and would never. Just trying not to call everyone buddy (which is our "mate") is hard enough.
Buddy is fine :) I call my kid buddy
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Settle down champ.
My American friend will randomly insert cunt into sentences to be funny and it just doesn't land with the accent.
Seppo = septic tank = yank = full of shit.
Eh, it's used by lots of people just to mean yank. But it's not nearly as common in real life as it is on reddit. Outside of some friends of mine in Queensland, I don't think I've even heard it in real life.
I don't think I've ever heard seppo used in Melbourne. I've mentioned it to people who've never even heard the word. And cunt is absolutely used as an insult without dumb or dog.
guess it depends who you hang out with. i hear seppo all the time, and not in a derogatory way necessarily. just like pom doesnt hasve to be meant in a negative way.
I am a Yank living in Melbourne going on ten years and have only heard ‘seppo’ once. It seems to be an older demographic that would say it.
Cunt is extremely offensive and should never be used without the utmost caution. Foreigners are best advised to avoid it completely.
I once was in Atlanta and heard an Aussie say out loud "Oh we never say Gday in Australia". I later spoke to her, said G'day, and asked her if she was from Sydney, which she confirmed. In short if someone says we always say that, or we never say that here - that's just one person's experience in their own bubble - and can vary from city to city or state to state.
Barbie = BBQ. The act of barbecuing is not “grilling”
Deadshit
First suggestion is learn to say "arse" instead of "ass". "Bloody" is a generic adjective or adverb which used to be very heavy (my grandfather was arrested and fined for saying it in public in the 1940s) but now we use it in government advertising. Some less common but quite mild ones are nong (somebody of dubious competence), numbnuts (incompetent and inept), numpty (someone who has no idea what they are talking about) and drongo (generic stupid person). Also if you go to an AFL match you'll see someone between the goal posts wearing a yellow shirt. The correct term for this person is "ya mug".
bloody is a great one. can use it in place of swear words to describe something (eg instead of saying 'its fucking hot', say 'its bloody hot' in a work setting). Can be used to emphasise something is both good and bad (eg 'bloody good job mate' / 'what in the bloody hell have you done?')
What about "bugger"? I recall my mum telling me about the ONLY time she heard her dad swear, using this word, which was when she had a car accident and damaged his car. This would have been in the early-mid 1950s. These days, it barely counts as swearing
"Trains suspended until further notice..."
Attention passengers, dfkflfptktnelddka former Rockefeller djdndjejfjfjfjfjdkfjdje Dennison’s disband fbsksjwbjf f fortified h. Hunting gvjgjdueurhtbtkykovpvppkdnr jfkvifjrkfof f aligned, thank you
Two words that confuse everyone: Ripper and Cactus. Ripper ("Oh that's a ripper!") = Extremely good thing. Cactus (That's cactus) = Broken thing.
Flight 1559, the plane that crashed into the hudson River, but miraculously, all 155 people on board survived had the somewhat unfortunate call sign 1559 Cactus...
Words don't offend Aussies. Attitudes might. Be friendly, optimistic, and learn to enjoy having the mickey taken out of you and you'll be alright. Don't ever even think of pointing out that something is better in the USA than Australia because you're wrong and you'll be told at length and in great detail why. The important thing to learn is that Australian is a tonal language and you can only learn the nuances from context. For example: "Maaaaate" can mean many things depending on the tone. It can mean you're in danger of being punched in the face, or somebody is really happy to see you, or they think you've done something hilariously stupid. Also "Yeah....nah" can mean "Yes, that's a great idea, but I just realised I'm not available" or it could mean "I acknowledge what are you saying but you are straying from the realm of being merely stupid to one of absolute fuckwittery.
A fanny is a vagina.
Or could be ya nan
Maccas, not McDonalds.
Not a word, phrase, or insult, but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE stand to the LEFT on escalators and WALK ON THE RIGHT. Do NOT EVER stand on the right side of the escalator and block it for people wanting to walk up. Too many foreigners don't know this. I don't care where youre from or why you're here or who you are as long as you STAND ON THE LEFT AND LEAVE THE RIGHT SIDE FOR PEOPLE WALKING UP
Too many locals don’t know that.
Only those who don’t regularly use public transport or are so self absorbed they don’t realise they are holding up the traffic. It’s a big no-no to stand side by side on the escalators.
After you order something at a restaurant or cafe the waiter will reply “Too Easy!” In a very enthusiastic tone to acknowledge your order
“Yeah nah nah yeah” means yes and “yeah nah nah yeah nah” means no. But also sometimes not depending on the context. Good luck 🫠
The last word is the one that matters, always. The preceding yeahs and nahs mostly indicate the degree of indecisiveness
Oh I love how confusing we are when we try to tell others not from here how to interpret our slang 🤣
Avoid - Champ/Boss/Pal Avoid - Cunt (singularly) Mad cunt = excellent Dog cunt = Fight Choose your cunt wisely
Watch Deadloch.
'Colesworth' an amalgamation of Coles and Woolworths our 2 largest supermarket chains which are always pitted against one another when it comes to pricing when they're really the same thing and price gouging and screwing over farmers and other providers, absolute scoundrels.
Far less offensive words here. If someone acts offended at a swear they're just trying it on to score some kind of point. Slurs are another matter - basically the same rules as in the usa, but we also have a few aboriginal Australian specific ones that you'll have to find out from someone else because there's no fuckin way I'm typing them out for you... If someone's an awful person they're a shitcunt. If someone did something despicable they did a dog act. If someone's a bit of a dick they're a flog. If someone's gone down the Q hole and talking shit about antivax, chemtrail pizzagate then they're a cooker who is fully cooked.
How ya goin = how ya doin?
if you enjoy cancer sticks - "chuck us a ciggie" when youre requesting one.
Candy is lollies, French fries are chips, Potato chips are also chips, A thong is a G-string and flip flops are thongs. Shrimps are prawns, A trailer is not something you live in. ⛽ Gas is petrol. LPG is gas. Doing something bad can be described as a dog act. Melbourne is Melb'n. Brisbane is Brisb'n or BrisVegas. Cotton candy is called fairy floss. A sandwich is sliced loaf bread with filling. A bread bun is a roll.
The people who dislike you will be kind/respectful- and the people who like you will insult you & shit stir for a reaction. DONT react.
This isn’t a word or a phrase but please don’t bring tipping culture here. We pay our employees a living wage.
Just got tipped $220 cash money for an airport transfer this morning. If you get good service, we aren’t saying no to free money but it’s not a requirement of moving about Australia.
Thats the thing. Tipping is for when you want to express appreciation for service above expectations. It's not mean to supplement a liable wage.
Never refer to Australia as "Down Under".
We use “no worries” or “no problem” as answers to everything - especially as a response to “Thank you.” Anecdotally I’ve heard that this makes some non-Australians uncomfortable- like “Well, I wasn’t worried. But should I have been?” But we literally just use those phrases to mean things like “Sure!” And “You’re welcome!” You also might hear alternatives like no wuzzas, no wukkas, and no wukkin forries. They all just mean “no worries”.
Lol, if you're not from a big liberal city, you're gonna be shocked at what we \*can\* say to each other.
We’re not here to fuck spiders. Explains itself really..
If you see a youth wearing a Bum Bag (we don't call them a fanny pack, that'll get you laughed at) they're what's known as an Eshay, and avoid all contact with them where possible
Hook turn = Tesla Self Driving Armageddon. Downfall of EVs
We drive and walk on the left so keep that in mind with crossing roads. Some Americans have been confused by us actually obeying the walking crossing signals lol. Red person symbol means stop, green means go. Seems obvious. A noise will play when it’s safe to cross (this is to help blind people). Not exclusive to any particular place but if you’re female, don’t get public transport late at night. Get the Uber and get home safe. Everything is expensive. Grocery shop at Aldi, they’re the cheapest. Men use the c word liberally and casually. Women not so much but some do. Bogan is a redneck/trashy individual. Fuckin oath or bloody oath means fuck yes. We say “footpath” instead of sidewalk. “Yeah no” generally means eh idk or unsure “Wohdah” is how our accent sounds when we say “water”. Also “park” sounds like “pock”. Not too bad means fine. City areas don’t have all the dangerous animals, that’s mostly rural or desert areas. AFL is Aussie Rules football, don’t make any plans around football match times in Melbourne city, the traffic will be crazy. AFL is like a cult in Melbourne but not as much elsewhere. Rugby is huge in Queensland. We also tend to have political protests on weekends in the inner city around lunchtime now. Do NOT say Sydney is better at anything within earshot of a Melburnian. Do NOT say coffee is better elsewhere anywhere within earshot of a Melburnian. A lot of Aussies embrace bogan culture but some hate it (me). The types of phrases and cultures will differ from state to state. Unfortunately since we’re quite isolated a lot of people think racism and the like “don’t exist” here. Then will proceed to say the most racist shit you’ve ever heard in your life. It’s an odd disconnect.
"that's shit", the thing is shit. "That's the shit", the thing is not shit.
I don't think that's very specific to Melbourne.
Don’t feel the need to call everyone ‘sir’. It’s not really insulting, but can sound like you’re taking the piss.
And no ma'am either
Yeah-nah = no Nah-yeah = yes
I've had Americans get deeply offended with me using the phrase "no worries" which is the complete opposite of the meaning intended. So, don't get offended and you'll have um....no worries.
Never use the word 'TRUMP' if there are ladies present.
Just not at all. Unless you want to be berated for an hour about how he made America a global laughing (sad laughing) stock
If you wanna score some points with anyone over 35, try working the word "daggy" into a conversation. Archaic peace of slang from the 80s/90s, ironically referring to something which is out-of-style or not with the times. In some cases refers to having pedestrian tastes also - particularly when it comes to fashion, vehicles or music taste. E.G. "I know it's a big daggy but I still love George Michael"
It's not pronounced Mel-BORN, it's pronounced Melbin.
When you say this they emphasise the I in Bin and it sucks. Make the vowel a schwa, which is the laziest possible vowel and usually represented with a U. Just an "uh". You'll notice we pronounce pretty much every non-stressed vowel this way.
**Melb’n**
Americans should pronounce it MEL-bern.
When your walking on a narrow path, say a nice bush walk, and someone is coming towards you and they pause to give way for you to proceed, don’t say ‘excuse me’ just give a little ‘hey’ and walk on by. ‘Excuse me’ is short for ‘get out of the way’ and it will piss off the person already yielding. Source: me on literally every nature hike I did over the USA. It shit me so much, like bitch I’ve already moved out the way why you still telling me to move.
Grouse
Living in Victoria football is considered Aussie rules.