Can You Translate These Australian Phrases?

In Australian English, to "crack onto someone" means you're coming on to or flirting with someone. And no matter what language or culture you're in, it takes some smooth moves to do this right. Bonus: Sheila is slang for a woman.

One Aussie slang rule is similar to how Brits create nicknames: take the "r" in a name and make it a double "z." So Barry becomes Bazza, Terry becomes Tezza, etc. And then "shouting" is to buy a round of drinks.

"Chuck a sickie" or "to pull a sickie" means to call into work sick. "Sickie" itself means a sick day from work. And usually, if you're chucking a sickie, you're not really sick.

Yes, chunder is probably a word you know from the Men at Work song, "Land Down Under." And if beer is flowing too much, you may want to vomit.

"Whinging" is not only an Aussie word, but it's a British word, too. And that's where Australians got the word from. The etymology of the word comes from an older German word that means "to groan."

"Good on ya" means "good job" or "good work." And "you little ripper" means "that's awesome!" So, in the example sentence, your friend is excited and happy for you.

"Ute" is one of the 5,000 Australian English shortened words (the technical term is diminutive). Ute is short for "utility," but it's a pickup truck anywhere else, except New Zealand, which uses this term as well.

For an island nation, grabbing your togs is probably second nature for Aussies. Other words for swimsuit are "cossie" and "bathers."

In Australian slang, ratbag can mean that someone's being mischievous or sassy. It can also mean that someone is being stupid or idiotic.

Sook can also be a noun, meaning that you're a crybaby or you're too sensitive. Sook can also mean that you're a coward, or it can mean that you're inoffensive. Also, we hope you got that Cab Sav = Cabernet Sauvignon, so the friend is having a glass of red wine.

Chockers usually means a place is packed full of people. But chockers (also chock a block) can also mean that you are stuffed with food.

Well, you've just been insulted. A tosser is a jerk or jerk off, so someone who is being obnoxious or rude.

In Australian slang, a grommet is a young surfer. Another term for this person would be shark biscuit, and specifically they would be a new surfer (sometimes this is used dismissively).

When someone "spits the dummy," they have are having a tantrum, a fit of anger. This can also be seen as an overreaction to a situation. And a "dummy" is a pacifier in Australia.

If you're familiar with the Winnie the Pooh character, you're probably think "ta" means goodbye (TTFN, ta ta for now!) But in Australia, "ta" is a shortened version of thanks.

"There's no flies on me" is the Aussie way of saying "don't look at me, I didn't do it." It's also a way to say in a group situation, I'm not the missing or weak link here.

This is an example of Strine, where words run together. Ziff is like saying "as if" really quickly. So in the example sentence, your friend is incredulous to what you said about your partner's fidelity.

"Flat to the boards" means going to sleep quickly or instantly. "Flat" in Ozspeak is usually an emphasizing word. "Flat out like a lizard drinking" means that you're very busy.

Aussie have a lot of colorful and off-color phrases. Sparrow fart is Aussie slang, but it's also British slang that comes from 19th century UK.

Choof looks to be derivation of the verb chuff, which means to make loud breathing sounds, like a steam engine chugging along. So to choof off is to hurriedly move along.

"In good nick" is from 19th century Australian English, but the etymology is intriguing. It seems to be related to breeding racehorses, meaning the offspring of a crossbred horse would be a good nick.

Woop Woop (a desolate, out of the way place, like the bush or outback) has some interesting etymological origins including that Woop Woop was a mythical town in the outback. Another is that it's the name of an abandoned sawmill in Wilga, Western Australia. Other Aussie terms for the middle of nowhere are "Never-Never" and "Back O'Bourke."

Aussie slang has a lot of rhyming words for the intended words. So time to hit the frog and toad is a rhyme for road. And it's a funny juxtaposed image that has nothing to do with "hitting the road."

In Aussie slang, the word has to do with the truth, e.g., the straight Griffin is the truth. Similarly, someone who is fair "plays it straight."

'Stone the crows" can also be used as a phrase of annoyance (e.g., gosh darn it). The origin of this meaning would be more literal from a farming perspective because crows kill and eat newborn lambs. Otherwise, stone the crows as an exclamation of surprise is just as sensical as "I'll be a monkey's uncle."

It's another diminutive Aussie term. Mozzies is a slang word short for mosquitoes, and as you can imagine with an island nation, with some parts more tropical than others, mosquitoes are plenteous in Australia. There are over 300 species of mosquitoes there!

There are other names for the grab handle or roof handle of your car, one we can't repeat here, but it's an exclamation. And this is the same idea calling them Jesus bars or Jesus Christ bars, with the name being an exclamation.

"Fair dinkum" may have its roots in the 19th century UK word ding, meaning hard work. It's a way to say something genuine, honest and true. "Fair dinks" and "dinky-di" are versions of fair dinkum.

The Aussie salute is also known as the Bush salute as well as the Barcoo salute, named for a river in Queensland. The disease-carrying Australian bush fly (Musca vetustissima) is why the Aussie salute exists. Because it's attracted to body fluids, the bush fly can fly into one's mouth or eyes.

Strewth is from East End cockney and is a slang word for Brits, Aussies, and Kiwis (New Zealanders). It's a mashed-up way of saying "God's truth." It's similar to saying, "I swear to God!" but it can also be like saying "whoa" or "shoot."

In Australia, the word "piss" can be used in many ways, such as "piss off" means to go away, scram, get lost. "Pissed off" means that your annoyed or angry (and you probably recognize that one if you're an American). A piss up is a party or get together, "piece of piss" means easy (e.g. easy as pie), "pissed" means to be drunk or inebriated and "to piss" means to urinate.

"No dramas" means "no worries" or don't worry about it. "She'll be apples" means everything will be OK. "She'll be right" is another way to say it'll be alright.

This Aussie phrase is a recent one, from the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, with Australia's short track speed skater, Steven Bradbury. An unlikely contender in his race, he had the luck of all the other competitors falling in the last corner of the gold medal race, where he crossed first. The winner of Australia's first gold medal at the Winter Games is now a phrase about pulling out an unlikely win.

This phrase is for Australians and New Zealanders. The origins seem to be a phrase to describe great fuel economy from a car, "run on the smell of an oily rag."

Another phrase with British origins, "on ya bike" is not a kind way to tell someone to get going. In fact, it's a pretty rude way to tell someone to leave. If someone is still trying to talk to you, you can follow it up with, "tell your story walkin'!"