New Zealand English

Koru

Te koru

New Zealand is an English speaking country, however some words and phrases are used there, which are unknown elsewhere in the English speaking world. Other words and phrases are used to mean something slightly differnt in New Zealand to elsewhere. There are also some Maori words which have been adopted into common usage by English speakers. This is an attempt to list many of the words and phrases which may be unfamiliar to English speakers outside New Zealand

kumara
beanie
jandals
Swandri/swannie
lollies
chippies
hot chips
singlet
vest
wapwaps
backblocks
tiki tour
crook
chook
crook as a chook
sparky
chippy
smoko
sedan
station wagon
ute
dairy
sneakers
jandals
gumboots
togs
hoon
paddock
section
shed
subdivision
ice box
mainland
ice block
bach
crib
islander
bogan
 
westie
Pom
choice
munted
freezing works
awesome
sickie
soccer
flash
bush
bushwalk
tramp

sweet potato
woollen/teacosy hat
flip flops
heavy checked shirt
sweets
crisps
chips
vest
waistcoat
the middle of nowhere
the middle of nowhere
a meandering trip
sick
chicken
really sick
electrician
carpenter
break from work
saloon car
estate car
flat bed truck
corner shop
trainers
flipflops
Wellington boots/wellies
swimming trunks/swimming costume
wild driver
field
garden
garage
large piece of land divided up for residential property development
refrigerator
South Island
ice lolly
holiday home
holiday home
someone from the Pacific Islands
someone who loves and owns grunty cars, tends to wear black and have big dogs!!
a bogan from West Auckland
Brit
great
ruined
slaughter house
great
a day off when you're not sick
football
really good
dense woodland
a walk through woodland
a long walk