The Street Language Dictionary

A snag is the humble hero of every Aussie barbie—just a sausage, but treated like a national treasure. Doesn’t matter if it’s fancy or cheap, burnt or barely cooked, a snag on bread with sauce is peak Aussie cuisine. It’s the first thing to run out at any barbecue and the last thing anyone admits to burning. If someone forgets the snags, that’s a crime against humanity.

He forgot the snags again—the galah.

In Aussie drinking culture, a shout isn’t yelling—it’s buying a round. It’s basically an unspoken contract of friendship: you get this one, someone else gets the next. A person who dodges their shout is instantly sus and might get branded a bludger. It keeps the drinks flowing, the vibes high, and the group united. If someone says “your shout,” they’re either reminding you politely or calling you out loudly.

It’s your shout, mate—don’t be a bludger.

Mate is the universal Aussie word—friend, enemy, warning, compliment, you name it. Tone does all the heavy lifting. A cheerful “mate!” means you’re legends together; a stretched out “maaaate…” means someone’s done something dodgy. It’s friendly, warm, sarcastic, aggressive, or supportive depending on the vibe. Aussies use it nonstop, even with strangers. If someone calls you mate, you’re either in their good books or about to get told off—flip a coin.

Listen here, mate… you’ve messed this up.

Maccas is the Aussie nickname for McDonald’s, because even global megabrands need a lazy abbreviation here. It’s the go-to spot after a big night, before a big day, or during a big craving. Aussies hit Maccas for fries, frozen Coke, shame nuggets, and the emotional support of a 24/7 drive-thru. You haven't lived the Aussie experience until you’ve done a late-night Maccas run with mates yelling about missing their order. It’s chaotic, comforting fast food culture at its finest.

Let’s swing by Maccas after the footy.

Goon is cheap wine in a box—the official fuel of broke backpackers and chaotic uni students. It’s not classy, but it gets the job done, usually too well. Comes in a silver bag that doubles as a pillow after your life decisions catch up with you. Aussies have a weird love-hate relationship with goon: we roast it constantly, but somehow it ends up at every party. If someone offers you goon, you’re either about to make a new best friend or deeply regret tomorrow.

Only bogans and backpackers smash goon like that.

A galah is basically someone acting like a full-on goose. Aussies call you a galah when you’ve done something silly, ridiculous, or just plain spaced out. It comes from the bird that’s always flying into windows, so the vibe is chaotic energy with zero awareness. It’s not super mean—more of a friendly roast to remind your mate they’ve messed up again. If someone forgets the snags, loses their keys, or tries to do a u-ey in a tiny street, yep, that’s a proper flaming galah moment.

He forgot the snags again—what a flaming galah.

Footy is basically the heartbeat of Aussie weekends. Could be AFL, could be rugby, could even be soccer if you're pushing it—no one fully agrees and that’s part of the fun. It's what everyone’s yelling about on the telly, what half the country builds their social life around, and the reason some blokes lose their voices every Sunday. Footy isn’t just a sport; it’s beers, mates, drama, and yelling at refs who cannot hear you but somehow deserve it. If someone invites you for footy this arvo, cancel your plans—you already have new ones.

Let’s grab Maccas and watch the footy this arvo.