Speaking Kiwi

Although the official language of New Zealand is English, like any country it has its own colloquialisms. Below is a list of a few you might encounter on your holiday. You’ll be “sweet as” in no time!

Bach: Small holiday home, pronounced “batch”

Bonnet: Car hood; Boot: Car trunk; Bumper: Fender

Boy Racer: Young person in a fast car with a very loud stereo

Capsicum: Green or red pepper

Chilly bin: Sealable polystyrene or plastic box for keeping food or beer cold

Choice: Good

Chook: Chicken

Dairy: Corner store selling bread, milk, newspapers, cigarettes and the like

Duvet: Quilt

Flannel: Face cloth

Good on ya, mate: Congratulations, well done

Gumboots: Rubber boots, wellingtons

Ice block: Popsicle

Jandals: Thongs, flip-flops

Jersey: Pullover;

Jumper: Sweater

Judder bar: Speed bump

Lollies: Candy

Loo: Toilet

Pakeha: Non-Maori person

Panelbeater: Auto body shop

Piss: Beer, as in “get on the piss”; Pissed: drunk; Pissed off: Angry; Pissing down: raining

Reserve: A park in a town or city

Ring: Phone someone, as in “I’ll give you a ring”

Rubbish: Trash or garbage, as in “throw it in the rubbish”

Sealed road: Paved road

Serviette: Paper napkin

She’ll be right: It will be ok, not a problem

Sparrow’s fart: Crack of dawn

Ta: Thanks

Tea: Dinner, evening meal

Tiki tour: Roundabout way of getting somewhere, scenic route

Tip: Dump or recycling depot

Togs: Swimsuit

Wop-wops: Out-of-the way location

Zed: Z, the last letter of the alphabet