Although New Zealand is dominantly English speaking, there are things for Americans to learn about their dialect. Here I record unique terms and language used in New Zealand:
- Bars me up: annoys me
- Billy: a bucket
- Bundy: (adj) cheap, poor quality
- Bush: the forest, the backcountry
- Chea boi: a casual greeting (I’ve only heard it used at University)
- Fatpants: sweatpants
- Goon: a box of cheap wine
- Heaps: a lot “That party was heaps of fun”
- Haka: Maori war dance. It’s often performed as a ceremonial greeting or challenge.
- Hooning: speeding “That crazy car is hooning down the road”
- Jandals: Sandals, flip-flops
- Kiwi: A person born/raised in New Zealand.
- Kiwi Bird: a native, flightless bird.
- Kiwi Fruit: a brown, fuzzy fruit the size of a large egg. When cut open it reveals sweet green flesh with a ring of small black seeds.
- Knackered: tired, weary
- Lollies: candy (not just lolly-pops)
- Niggly: (adj) describing something slightly annoying
- Oh Bugger: made a mistake “Oh bugger, I forgot to lock the door”
- Reckon: (v) indicating thought or judgement “I reckon it’s going to rain”
- Scroggin: trail mix
- Stubbies: shorts or swimtrunks
- Sweet as: a common phrase expressing approval or thanks
- Torch: flashlight
- Yum: delicious “I love this cake, it’s yum!”
- Z: the letter z is pronounced “zed”