Learn the Lingo! Lesson 2 - Everyday Dictionary

You’ll recognize that much of the Kiwi slang is the same as British slang. They also use British spellings - adding a “u” (favourite), dropping the second “l” (enrolment), and replacing “s” with “zed” (analyse). Some of the words/phrases are specific to NZ/Australia. There are even a few that are 100% Kiwi! You’ll already know the meaning of most of these words/phrases, but the difference is that Americans don’t use them in the same context or with the same frequency.

• 111 – 911 (as in, dial 111 in case of emergency)
• Anorak – windbreaker jacket
• Bach - summer vacation home. Nothing fancy, usually a small cabin on the beach.
• Bloke - guy
• Boobtube – tank top
• Boot - car trunk
• Bugger! - Drats! Darn! Shucks!
• Chilly bin - Cooler. Australians call it an eskie.
• Cinema - movie theatre
• Crèche - nursery, daycare
• Crissy Prezzy - Christmas present. Kiwis have an annoying habit of giving cutesy short names to words that don’t need to be shortened. Kindergarten is called “kindee.” Sometimes, it’s like I’m dealing with a bunch of pre-schoolers.
• Drink driving - drunk driving
• Entrée - appetizer. I’ll never make this mistake again! I was very upset when my whole dinner consisted of 4 cold shrimp. NZ menus call main courses “mains.” Go figure.
• Flat - apartment
• Flat white - a very popular coffee drink. An espresso is called a short black. A double espresso is called a long black.
• Fog off – to blow someone off; ignore
• Fortnightly - biweekly. As in, “I pay my rent fortnightly.” I didn’t realize some parts of the world still used this word. I feel like Maureen Shakespeare every time I say it.
• G’day – Good Day. This Australian greeting is also used in NZ, but it seems limited to the older generation.
• Good on ya – good for you
• Lead – dog leash
• Lollies - candy. A mixed bag of candy you assemble with the plastic scooper is called a lolly scramble. I've enjoyed many a Kiwi lolly scramble!
• Mufti – casual dress; dress down day
• Nice – I notice that Kiwis often use this word to describe food. I think Americans tend to say food is “good” or “tastes good,” but Kiwis say food is “nice.”
• Oy! – An exclamation like “hey!” Americans would never say this, but it is ingrained in the Kiwis. This is what they would blurt out if their dog ran into the street. Also common in Australia.
• Partner - The US only uses “partner” to describe same-sex relationships, but NZ uses the term to describe any significant other. You rarely hear husband, wife, boyfriend, girlfriend. This makes it difficult to tell if someone has a wife or just a girlfriend. Another stumbling block on my search for a partner…
• Petrol - gas
• Plasters – band-aids
• Post - mail. Post is a noun.
• Power point - electrical outlet. Each socket has an individual power switch.
• Reckon - A Kiwi will not ask what you think of a situation. He will ask, "What do you reckon?"
• Rice Bubbles - Rice Krispies. Exact same cereal and packaging, just a different name. Ditto for Sultana Bran (equivalent to Raisin Bran).
• Rubbers - rubber bands
• Rubbish - No one in NZ says “trash” or “garbage.”
• Takeaways - takeout food. In the US, you’re asked “for here or to go?” In NZ, you’re asked “eat here or takeaway?”
• Torch - flashlight
• Trading hours - store’s hours of operation
• Trolley - shopping cart
• Twink – white out; correction fluid. I think this name is more suited for an illicit drug than office supplies.
• Vege - vegetable, veggies.
• Washing - laundry. I’m not sure why people have dryers because everyone (but me) hangs their clothes outside to dry, even in the winter. I’m surprised I haven’t seen anyone using a washboard from the 1800s.
• Whiteware - home appliances
• Windscreen – car windshield