Australian slang

Safe to say

• Across itSafe to sayA workplace phrase: you know the details of a task, a plan or a problem.
• ArvoSafe to sayThe short word for afternoon, used for the hours between lunch and dinner.
• BarbieSafe to sayA barbecue. People ask you to a barbie when they cook outside for friends or family.
• BathersSafe to sayWhat you wear to swim. Togs and cossie are other words for the same swimwear.
• Bottle shopSafe to sayA shop for alcohol to take home. Many are next to a pub or inside a supermarket.
• Bring a plateSafe to sayAn invitation to bring food to share. The plate is the dish, so bring something to eat.
• BYOSafe to sayShort for bring your own. On a restaurant door it means you may bring your own wine or beer.
• ChookSafe to sayA chicken. A backyard hen is a chook, and so is the roast one from the shop.
• CuppaSafe to sayA cup of tea. It is also an invitation: come in, sit down, and have one.
• DoonaSafe to sayThe thick quilt on a bed, usually with a washable cover.
• EskySafe to sayA carry box with ice for drinks and food, taken to the beach, the park or a camp.
• Flat outSafe to sayVery busy, with no spare time. A shop that is flat out has a queue to the door.
• FootySafe to sayFootball, but ask which game. In Victoria it usually means Australian rules; in New South Wales and Queensland, rugby league.
• G'daySafe to sayA friendly hello that works at any time of day. G'day is a greeting, and hi is the plain alternative.
• Good on youSafe to sayA kind way to say well done for something you tried or finished. Friends may say good on ya.
• Have a goSafe to sayTry it, even if you might not be good at it yet. Have a go at someone is different: it means to criticise them.
• HeapsSafe to sayMeans a lot of something. Thanks heaps means thank you very much.
• How ya goingSafe to sayA greeting, said fast. The person does not expect a long answer: good thanks, you?
• KeenSafe to sayReady and interested. I'm keen means yes, I would like to.
• Knock offSafe to sayTo stop work for the day. We knock off at five means work ends at five.
• No worriesSafe to sayThe usual answer to thank you or sorry. It also means yes, I can do that.
• ReckonSafe to sayTo suppose that something is so. I reckon so means I think so. You reckon? asks are you sure?
• ServoSafe to sayShort for service station: where you buy petrol, snacks and coffee.
• She'll be rightSafe to sayEverything will be all right. A calm thing to say about a small worry, not a danger.
• SmokoSafe to sayA short work break for a drink or a snack. It is used for a short break, not only for smoking.
• SnagSafe to sayA sausage, mostly one cooked on a barbecue and eaten in bread.
• SunniesSafe to saySunglasses. Sunnies is short for sunglasses.
• ThongsSafe to sayFlip-flops, the cheap sandals people wear to the beach. In the US the same word can mean underwear.
• TradieSafe to sayA builder, plumber, electrician or other skilled worker in a trade, said with respect.
• UteSafe to sayA car-sized truck with an open back, used for tools, gear and the trip to the tip.

Casual

• BrekkieCasualBreakfast, the friendly short way. You also see it on cafe menus.
• ChockersCasualFull to the top, or packed with people. A train or a fridge can be chockers.
• Chuck a ueyCasualTo turn the car right around in the road. A driver or passenger says it when they missed the turn.
• CrikeyCasualA cry of surprise, like wow. Mostly heard in jokes and from older people.
• CrookCasualFeeling sick, or a machine that no longer works. Crook can also mean a dishonest person, so listen to the sentence.
• DaggyCasualNot cool, in a way people find lovable. Mostly used about your own old clothes.
• DunnyCasualA toilet. People use it jokingly with friends, and for an old outdoor one.
• Fair dinkumCasualGenuine, honest or really true. People say it to check you are serious.
• Hard yakkaCasualTough work, often physical, said with respect for the person who does it.
• MaccasCasualThe nickname for McDonald's, used when people say let's grab something from there.
• MateCasualA friend, and also a friendly word for someone you are talking to. The tone makes it warm or cold.
• MozzieCasualA mosquito. In summer evenings people talk about mozzies and the repellent to keep them away.
• No dramasCasualA relaxed way to say it is no trouble. Workmates who know each other say it.
• RipperCasualGreat or excellent. A ripper of a day is a perfect one.
• SangerCasualA sandwich. A sandwich, for lunch or a sausage sizzle.
• SheilaCasualAn old-fashioned word for a woman. Some women find it dated, so avoid it with someone you have just met.
• SickieCasualA sick day, usually one taken when you are not really ill. Chuck a sickie and take a sickie both mean this.
• StokedCasualVery happy and excited, in a casual way, after good news or a good surprise.
• TaCasualA very short thank you, usually said quickly when something is handed to you.
• Yeah, nahCasualA gentle no. Listen to the last word: yeah, nah means no, and nah, yeah means yes.

Rude

• BloodyRudeA common rude word that adds strength to a sentence. It has nothing to do with blood.
• BoganRudeA label for someone others see as unrefined. Often an insult, sometimes used proudly or as a joke.
• BuggerRudeA mild swear word for annoyance or bad luck, like damn. Leave it out at work.
• DrongoRudeA fool. It is a dated, mild insult, often said about yourself after a silly mistake.
• GalahRudeA silly person. Friends use it as a joke, but it can feel like an insult. It is also a pink and grey parrot.
• Get stuffedRudeA rude way to say no or go away. It can be a joke among friends but it is usually said in anger.
• MongrelRudeA mean or unfair person, a stronger word than ratbag. For a dog of mixed breed it is not rude. Do not use it about a person's family or background: it is offensive that way.
• PissedRudeA rude word for drunk in Australia and the UK. In the US it often means angry, so the same word confuses.
• RatbagRudeAn annoying or unreliable person, like a rascal. Sometimes playful, sometimes a real insult.
• RootRudeA rude word for sex. Say you barrack for or support a team, because root for makes people laugh.

The Safe to say card

The 30 safe words fit on one A4 page. Print it, or save it as a PDF, and keep it by your desk.

How this list is arranged

The list has sixty words. Each row shows the word, one of three labels and one line about it. The label comes first because it answers the question a learner asks before anything else: can I say this?

Eight words have a page of their own. Each has examples, a note on who can say it and what people say in the UK or the US. The other words are explained in their row.

Safe to say means you can use the word with anyone: a manager, a customer, a neighbour or a stranger. Casual means it suits people you know, in a relaxed setting, but is too loose for a letter, an interview or a first meeting.

Rude means the word may upset someone, either because it is an insult or because it is crude. You will hear rude words, so it helps to know them, but wait before you say them yourself.

The words are in three groups, safe first, and in alphabetical order inside each group. That order is for scanning, not for importance.

If you only want the safe words, use the Safe to say button or add ?level=safe to the address. The search box looks at the word and at its line, so you can type afternoon or sandwich and find the slang word for it.

These labels are judgements, not facts, and speakers disagree. An older speaker and a teenager may place the same word in different groups.

Each label here was written for EasySay, and a person checks it before the page is released. When in doubt, listen first, say a safe word, and notice how other people react. The insults page lists the rude words and says what to say instead.