20 Aussie words
G'day. Thongs. Crikey. Sanga. Cool Bananas.
If those words mean nothing to you yet, or if you only understood one or two words, this is exactly where to start.
The Aussie Top 20 guide is a free introduction to the G'Day Galah guides, and it covers 20 commonly used, and most wonderfully Australian words you'll need to know. Each word comes with a plain English definition, pronunciation guide, and fun facts about the culture behind the word.
The combination of pronunciation guide, word explanation, image prompts, activities and resources helps you to learn and remember Aussie English in a fun casual memorable way.
Created by an Aussie who has spent years having genuinely funny, confusing, and enlightening conversations with international friends and colleagues. Those conversations are what G’Day Galah is based on. Every word, every expression, every cultural quirk in these guides comes from real life, real laughs, and the genuine realisation that Australian English is a language all of its own.
What's included in the Aussie Top 20
Online guide
A self-paced online guide introducing 20 common Australian words, expressions, and cultural references, all with plain English definitions, pronunciation guides, and the cultural context behind each one. Work through it at your own pace, in your own time, with lifetime access so it's always there when you need it.
Essential words
From G'Day (Australia's most iconic greeting) to Straya (what Australians actually call their own country), the Aussie Top 20 gives you a genuine taste of Australian language and culture — the animals, the food, the slang, and the quirks.
Downloadable
Take your learning offline with the Aussie Top 20 downloadable — 28 pages with a full Quick Reference Guide, illustrated word cards, a word search, and a crossword to help everything stick.
A taste of what's inside
🦘 Kangaroo — the only large animal that moves by hopping. Females carry joeys in a pouch. The biggest red kangaroos can leap over 8 metres in a single bound.
🩴 Thongs — flip-flops worn on your feet. Not to be confused with skimpy underwear…an important distinction.
☀️ Arvo — short for afternoon. Don't confuse it with avo, which is short for avocado. Both are very Aussie. Neither is the same thing.
🌭 Sanga — a sausage sandwich. Cheap, simple, iconic. Also known as the Democracy Sausage as they are often sold at polling booths on election days across Australia.
🍬 Lollies — what Australians call candy. Favourites include Killer Pythons, Fantales, Musk Sticks, and Caramello Koalas.
...and 15 more common Aussie words.
Get your Aussie learning journey started
The Aussie Top 20 is completely free — no credit card required. You'll just need to create a G'Day Galah account to access the guide and download your free resources. It takes less than a minute, and it means your guide is always there waiting for you whenever you want to come back to it.
Ready for more?
Join the waitlist for our upcoming paid comprehensive guides — Choose Your Aussie or 100% Total Galah.