Aussie Lingo to American

Despite the fact that the United States is an English speaking country, some Australian words are very different to American and can cause confusion when asking simple requests.

Food:
Biscuits - cookies, crackers
Chips (hot) - fries
Capsicum - bell pepper
Gherkin - pickle
Fairy Floss - cotton candy
Lollies - candy
Full cream milk - whole milk, half and half
Ice Block - popsicle
Jam - jelly
Jelly - jell-o
Peanut utter - peanut paste
Potato cakes/bubble and squeak - hash browns
Prawns - shrimp
Chicken wings - buffalo wings
Rockmelon - cantaloupe
Paw paw - papaya
Sultanas - yellow raisins
Rocket - arugula
Spring onion/ shallot - scallion
Sauce - ketchup
Scones - biscuits (often served at brunch with eggs, or dinner with gravy)
Icing - frosting
Morning tea - coffee or tea break
Soft drink - soda
Coffee - coffee or cup of joe
Ginger ale - root beer
Lemonade - 7Up
Lemon juice - lemonade
Iced Coffee (Australian style) - no equivalent, don't order it or you will be disappointed with cold coffee, a little bit of milk and lots of ice cubes to make it extra watery.
Takeaway - take out, to go
Cafe - diner
Entree - appetizer
Main course - entree
Meat and salad roll - hero, dagwood, submarine, hoagie sandwich

Clothing:
Cossies - bathing suit, trunks
Jumper - pullover
Pyjamas - pajamas
Sandshoes - trainers
Singlet - tank top
Stockings - nylons
Thongs - flip flops
Tie - neck tie
Tracksuit - sweat suit
Undies - panties

Transport:
Aeroplane - airplane
Bitumen - asphalt
Bonnet (car) - hood
Boot (car) - trunk
Caravan - trailer
Car Park - parking lot
Freeway - expressway
Four Wheel Drive 4WD - Sports utility vehicle (SUV)
Motorbike - motorcycle
Mud Guard - fender
Petrol - gasoline
Roadhouse - diner
Truckies - truckers
Underground railway - subway
Ute - pickup
Windscreen - windshield

General:
Autumn - fall
Bag - sack
Bathroom - restroom
Beetle - bug
Biro - ballpoint
Blackboard - chalkboard
Bloke - guy
Booking - reservation
Bushwalking - hiking
Bucket - pail
Central Business District (CBD) - downtown
Chemist shop - drug store
Clever - neat
Cyclone - hurricane
Cutlery - flatware
Doona - duvet
Drawing pins - thumb tacks
Film star - movie star
Finish - quit
Flat/unit - apartment
Footpath - sidewalk
Fortnightly - biweekly
Friends/mates - buddies
Fringe - bangs
Grid Iron - American football
Ground floor (level with the street) - first floor
Guinea pigs - hamsters
Holiday - vacation
Jokes - gags
Jug - pitcher
Lift - elevator
Knives - cutlery
Medicine - drugs
Mozzy - mosquito
Newsagency - newsstand
Noticeboard - bulletin board
Pay TV - cable TV
Pegs - clothes pins
Primary school - elementary school
Postcode - zipcode
Post a letter - mail a letter
Powerpoint - wall plug
Purse - pocket book
Queue - line
Reception - lobby
Road train - big rig
Rubber (for pencils) - eraser
Rubbish bin - trash can
Sent - shipped
Shopping Centre - shopping mall
Sticky Tape - scotch tape
Survey - poll
Tap - faucet
Tea towel - dish towel
Tin - can
Toilet - restroom, washroom
Torch - flashlight
Track - trail
Trolley - cart
Verandah - porch
Wallet - billfold
Wardrobe - closet
Whinge - complain
Australian Emergency 000 - U.S. Emergency 911






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