"Having only one contact was great! I talked to one person that I knew and knew me all the time." Ethan

How to speak Kiwi?

In New Zealand, people speak English. Well, mainly… Like every country, it’s developed a few words that aren’t used anywhere else. A bit of Maori (native New Zealanders), a bit of Australian expressions, and a big influence from the UK gives New Zealand a very rich vocabulary.

Nothing to be afraid of; we just thought you should know that “togs” is a swimsuit and that “sweet as” means cool. To immerse even faster in this English environment or just refresh your vocabulary, get together with other travellers in your hostel or during you Arrival Pack orientation.

New Zealand slang

A

ANZACAustralia New Zealand Army Corps during WWI. ANZAC Day is a national day of remembrance of them.

Aotearoamost widely known and accepted Maori name for New Zealand, translated as “Land of the Long White Cloud”

Aroha for love

AussieAustralian

B

Barbiebarbeque

Bangerssausages

Bickiesbiscuits

Blokea man

Blow me downan expression of surprise

Bootcar trunk

Brekkiebreakfast

Britperson from Britain

Brofriend, brother

Bubblysparkling wine

Buggerdisappointed

Bushsmall forest, native trees

B.Y.O.certain license given to restaurants which allow customers to bring their own alcoholic beverage

C

Cartonbox

Chickfemale

Chipscrips or deep fried potato slices, thicker than French fry

Choice!Excellent!

ChurThank you, cheers

Collegehigh school

Come again?please repeat what you said more clearly

Courgettezucchini

Crayfishedible saltwater spiny lobster

Cuzfriend, cousin

D E F

Dairycorner store

Dearexpensive

Ehused at the end of a sentence when expecting a response; pronounces “A?”

Fancysomething attractive

Feedmeal

Fizzy drinksoda

Flickmovie

Flatan apartment, so “Flat mates” are the people who live together in a flat or house

Footyrugby, not the Australian footy.

G

Giddayhello

Gumbootrubber boots

Give it awayto abandon something

Give it heapstry your best

Going nutsgoing insane or angry

Good on youexpression of approval, friendly approval of somebodys actions

Good as goldaffirmative answer, aproval of quality

Greasesfish and chips, popular takeaway meal in New Zealand

GuttedVery disappointed

H

Haere maiMaori for Welcome

Hakatraditional Maori dance

Hand bagpurse

Handlepint of beer

Hangitraditional Maori meal prepared in an underground oven

Hard caseGood sense of humour

Heapsa lot, “There are a lot of boats in the harbour – There are heaps of boats in the harbour”

Hirerent

Hokey pokeyvery popular type of ice cream flavour in New Zealand

How it going matea common greeting

I J

Ice blockice pop

Jandalflip flop, thong

Jarglass of beer

Jugkettle

Jerseysweater

Jumperwoollen sweat

K

Kaifood (Maori origin)

Ka paigood job (Maori origin)

Kia Orahello (Maori origin)

Kiwi birdflightless bird native to New Zealand, national symbol of New Zealand

Kiwifruitpopular New Zealand fruit

KiwiNew Zealander

Kindykindergarten

L M N

Liftelevator

Lootoilet

Lollyany sweet or confectionery

Maorinative people to New Zealand

Marmitepopular spread, made from yeast extract

Matecommonly used for friend, but can also be used for a stranger

Meangood, “That’s a mean car!”

Minceground meat

MuntedMunted: Wrecked, ruined

Nanagrandmother

Nappydiaper

No worriesno problem

Notemonetary bill

Nicksteal, “He nicked my shoes!”

O P

OzAustralia

Pauaabalone, popular and highly expensive eatable shell

Pavlovameringue tort, covered in cream and fruit, named after the Russian ballerina Anna Pavlova

Petrol fuel for engine, gasoline, benzene, so *Petrol station* is the gas station

Pinkysmall finger

Pissing aroundwasting time

Pisseddrunk

Piss offgo away

Pissed offangry

Post codezip code

Primoexcellent, good, “This ice cream is primo!”

Publocal bar

R

Raining cats and dogsraining heavily

Relliesrelatives

Ring-maketelephone call

Ripped offpaid to much, “You got ripped off on buying this car”

Rubberelastic eraser

Rock meloncantaloupe

S

Shake a legcommand to hurry up

She’ll be righteverything will be fine, “Don’t wary about your broken car, she’ll be right”

Shoutto buy something for everyone

Spannerwrench

Spudpotato

Stuffed upmade a mistake

Stubbysmall bottle of beer

Stuffedtired

Sticky tapecello tape

Sunniessunglasses

Sweet asomething really good

T

Takeawaysfastfood

Taxicab

Tertiary educationeducation above secondary school

Togsswim suit

The StatesU.S.A.

Tiki tourThe senic route

Tin foilaluminum foil

Too muchgreat, very pleased

U V Y Z

Uniuniversity

Valetprofessional car cleaning service

Varsityuniversity

Vegemitepopular spread, made from yeast extract, imported from Australia

Yakgeneral conversation, “We have been yaking on the phone for a while”

Zedcommon pronunciation of letter Z

For more click here and here.