Welcome to Australia, where the sun is strong, the coffee is taken seriously, and the English language has its own local flavour. Australians love keeping things casual, and that shows in the way we speak.
If you’re new to Perth, Western Australia (WA), Aussie slang might sound like a whole new language at first. But once you get used to it, it becomes part of the fun. Here’s a handy introduction to some everyday slang you might hear around campus:
General
| Aussie slang | Meaning | How to use it |
| Straya | Australia | “I’m excited to call Straya home.” |
| G’day | Hello | “G’day! How are you?” |
| Arvo | Afternoon | “Let’s meet this arvo after class.” |
| Stoked | Happy, pleased | “I’m stoked I got into my preferred course.” |
| Crikey | Surprised, wow | “Crikey it’s a hot one today.” |
| Woop Woop | Middle of nowhere, a long way away | “Fire up the Google Maps, we’re off to Woop Woop.” |
Clothing and accessories
| Aussie slang | Meaning | How to use it |
| Thongs | Flip flops | “Don't forget to pack your thongs for the beach.” |
| Brolly | Umbrella | “Bring a brolly, it might rain later.” |
| Tracky-daks | Trackpants/ sweatpants | “I love wearing my tracky-daks while studying at home." |
| Runners | Trainers / sneakers | “Wear your runners, we’ll be walking a lot” |
| Flanno | Flannel shirt (often checkered) | “I’ll bring a flanno, the lecture theatres can get cold.” |
| Budgie smugglers | Speedos / men’s swimwear | "My housemates tried to convince me to buy budgie smugglers” |
University
| Aussie slang | Meaning | How to use it |
| Uni | University | “I’m heading to uni today.” |
| O-week | Orientation week | “Come to O-week to check-out the student clubs.” |
| Tute | Tutorial (smaller, interactive class) | “Our tute starts at 10am, so don’t be late!” |
| Sesh | Session (often referring to study or gym) | “Anyone keen for a study sesh after class?” |
| Wag | To skip class | “Don’t wag your lectures.” |
| D/HD/P |
Grades: Distinction (D) High Distinction (HD) Pass (P) |
“I got a HD for my essay! Woo hoo! |
Workplace
| Aussie slang | Meaning | How to use it |
| Hard yakka | Hard work | “This project’s been hard yakka, but it’s nearly finished.” |
| Squiz | Take a look | “Can you have a quick squiz at this report?” |
| No worries | That’s not a problem or it’s okay | “Thanks for covering my shift.” –“No worries.” |
| Sickie | A sick or personal day off work | “The latest episode is out so I might chuck a sickie today.” |
| Good on Ya | Good on you / Good work | “You handled that customer really well — good on ya.” |
| Chock-a-block | Crammed full of people or things | “My work schedule today is chock-a-block." |
Food and drink
| Aussie slang | Meaning | How to use it |
| Sanga | Sandwich | “I think I'll grab a sanga for lunch.” |
| Snag | Sausage | “Chuck some snags on the barbie.” |
| Barbie | Barbeque (BBQ) | “Come over to ours for a barbie this weekend.” |
| Brekky | Breakfast | “Let’s meet for brekky on campus before class.” |
| Cuppa | Cup of tea | “Do you want a cuppa?” |
Think you’ve mastered Aussie slang? Watch Tran from Vietnam and Chai from India put each other to the test and find out who wins.
From understanding local culture and language to managing study and life in Perth, The University of Western Australia offers dedicated support to help you succeed. Find out more.
