But wait, shouldn't I have had an easy time since I was used to Ben? One would think, but then he got around his 'cuzzies' and 'bros' and he too got smiles, nods, and blank stares. I know you think I'm exaggerating, but picture this, you're sitting at a red light, and some random dude yells "Aye, Ben!!" (yes, this happens ALL THE TIME, I swear I expected Ben to see someone he knew while we were over in Oz) Ben leans over me and proceeds to yell back out the window to random dude "Ah, chur cuz! Chu been up to bro?" "Ah yeah, nah, yeah, just got back aye...shot over to Ragz for the day yesterday." "Choooice!!" "Yeah, it was primo, but I got the chop from the kids and my wife cuz they weren't on holiday." (they both laugh at this and I did too because laughing seemed appropriate) "Yeah man, that's us..light's green!" "Sweet as!" "Catch!"
WHAT JUST HAPPENED THERE?!?! Here's that conversation translated: "Hey, Ben!" "Hey, friend! What have you been up to?" "I just got home. I went over to Raglan for the day yesterday." "Awesome!" "Yeah, it was great, but the wife and kids were upset they didn't get to go because they weren't off of work and school." "Gotta go, green light" "That's alright!" "Bye!" That conversation took place during the 10 seconds we were waiting for the light to turn, so yes, they too sounded like chipmunks on speed. Ben claims kiwis don't speak fast, but they do...they just do!
So, before you plan on coming for a visit or moving to another country, you should probably brush up on the local's lingo. Luckily, you have me here to translate and give you a heads up on a few things you can expect to hear around our ways. Like other parts of the world, you're going to get different little expressions and sayings depending on your exact location (example, other parts of the States don't say 'bless your heart' or 'y'all' nearly as often as southerners), but I can give you the gist of things. Also, this is not THE definitive kiwi sayings list. These are common phrases I hear. If you're around a bunch of expats, you may not hear these phrases being said.
Oh, and one more thing...if someone asks you what you've been up to, don't say 'piddling around'. I earned blank stares from Ben and his mother when I used this expression. Piddling is going to the bathroom, so a few times I told them I had been peeing around the house all day.
So, what you've all been waiting for...common expressions used around here!!
kia ora - hello
You will hear this and see this from the moment you log on to the Air New Zealand website to book your plane tickets. This is actually Te Reo Maori, but you'll hear pakeha (not of the tribe) using it as well.
cuz - friend or cousin (non gender specific)
bro - male friend or brother
sis - female friend or sister
sweet as - you're welcome/no problem/yes (in agreement)/expression of admiration/I don't want to but I will/I'll be happy to
Example: "Thanks for shouting lunch!" "Sweet as!"
How not to use it: "We're going out for a sweet as lunch." "We're going to lunch and it's gonna be sweet as." You may go to a sweet restaurant for lunch, but you are not going to a sweet as restaurant for lunch. See the difference? It takes some getting use to to be able to see how and when to use this correctly.
sweet - awesome, primo, choice
You may have a sweet new ride, you may go to a sweet new restaurant. Sweet is used to describe a noun.
primo or preemz - awesome
Example: "The weather was priiiiimo!!"
mean - mean is not a bad thing, it's good! See sweet as, primo, awesome, or used as an emphasis
Example: "You mean got told!" "You mean got the chop" or "That party was meeeeaaaan!"
choice - may be accompanied by a thumbs up and can be a positive or negative. See sweet as, primo, mean, shot
Example: "I got a new job!" "Ah, choice bro, that's mean!" On the other hand, if someone cuts you off in traffic... "Ah yeah, you're choice..."
shot - awesome/thank you/good on you or can be a negative when used sarcastically
Example: "Shot bro, you're awesome" that would be a negative because someone just did something stupid or inconsiderate, but if they said "Shot bro, you're awesome!" that's a positive because they used it with a happy tone!
chur - when accompanied by the appropriate individual identifier, it is a greeting, farewell, acknowledgement, thank you, you're welcome, all good, no worries
Example: "Chur bro, chu been up to?"
is that us - asking about someone's eagerness to do something
Example: When getting ready to leave the house. "Right, is that us?" in other words "Are you ready?"
sorted - all good/ready/everything is taken care of
Example: When getting ready to leave the house "Are you sorted?" or "I sorted my doctor's appointment."
safe as - I've got it covered/no worries/sorted
Example: "Can you make sure the back door is locked before you go?" "Safe as"
got the chop - embarassed/denied/told off
Example: You ask a girl out, and she says no. You're buddies are in the background snickering because "You mean got the chop!"
got told - getting scolded/berated
Example: You've been out too late with your friends, and when you get home you're partner is upset about this, so "You got told!"
cheap as - just that, cheap or inexpensive
Example: "I just sorted tickets for our trip to Oz. They were cheap as!"
a feed - a meal
Example: We're heading over to mom's for a feed."
shout - pay for
Example: "I'm shouting lunch."
good as gold - no worries/you're welcome
Example: "Thanks for lunch!" "Ah, good as gold!"
nice one - thank you/primo/congratulations/awesome
Example: "I scored a new job!" "Nice one, bro!"
too much - that's fantastic/that's awesome/thank you so much
Example: "Oh, you're compiling a kiwi to American dictionary? You're too much alright."
good on ya - depending on how it's used, it can be good or bad. It is a call on behavior if you do something stupid or inconsiderate. It can be used to say good job if you do something considerate.
Example: "I've been cleaning house all day." "Good on ya, darling put your feet up." On the other hand, if you just drop a glass and it shatters "Good on ya"
no worries - all good/you're welcome
Example: "Thanks for helping clean up the shattered glass." "No worries, cuz"
stuffed - tired
Example: "What's for dinner?" "I can't be bothered cooking, I'm stuffed."
she'll be right - it'll be okay
Example: "You think the number 8 is gonna hold the muffler on?" "Yeah mate, she'll be right" (number 8 is fencing wire)
on to it - clever or getting things done
Example: "I've been sorting through the kids stuff getting everything organized today." "Ah, you're on to it."
church it up - exaggerate
Example: "I'm stuffed! I've been busy all day!" "Don't let her church it up, she's had her feet up all day!"
save it for Sunday - don't exaggerate
Example: "I'm stuffed after cleaning all day!" "Save it for Sunday!" You'll also hear "Don't church it up, save it for Sunday!" or "Save it for Sunday, don't church it up!"
you don't know - whatever
Example: "Man City's gonna lose tonight!" "Shut up, you don't know!"
yeah, nah, yeah...(may have an 'aye' before you receive the explanation)- yes or no depending on context and tone, or may just be used to start a sentence
Example: "Did you get out to the beach this weekend?" "Yeah, nah, yeah, we were going to but the wife had to shoot out to her mom's." or "Yeah, nah, yeah, we got out there on Saturday."
what's your buzz - what's your problem/what are you on about/what do you think you're doing
Example: You're having a rant at the kids, and your partner walks in "What's your buzz?"
This is just a smidge of what I hear and try to understand. It's gotten much better, and I use some of the little expressions myself. However, I still get lost at times...let the whanau get together and start slinging around Maori words, and I am left trying to decipher through the muddle of confusion that Google Translate can't figure out. If I get too lost, I remember to...
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