Quizzes at Fun Trivia Fun Trivia | quizzes Quizzes | games Games | community People | services Services | help Help | me Me
New Player - Log In
Currently 12170 players online.   Trivia games, quizzes, and contests - FREE !     Get Started! quiz register
Fun Trivia: V : Varieties of English

Special Sub-Topic: Kiwi Speak


What am I if I'm "up the duff?"

    Pregnant.

If Auntie sends you out for a feed of kina, what are you getting?
    Seafood. A kina is a spiny sea creature, also called a "sea egg." A bit of an aquired taste, not a favorite of mine! Although "Auntie" is the same as "Aunt," it is often a name given to any female friend or relative, particularly if they are older than you.

If I told you I was going to "take a gander" at something, what would I be doing?
    Looking at something. "Giz' a gander" basically means "Let me have a look."

What is something if its "up the booai?"
    No good. "Up the booai" generally means something is broken or useless.

What would you get me if I asked for my "Swani?"
    A jersey/jumper. "Swani" is short for "Swandri," which is a thick chequered jersey or coat made of wool. Favoured by farmers and hunters, a "swani" is something of a kiwi institution!

Why would someone call you "cockle-ears?"
    You didn't hear them. If someone is not listening or didn't hear a whole comment, or maybe even misunderstood something said to them, they are a "cockle-ears!" Also "diddle-ears" means the same thing.

If I told you to "rattle your dags," what would I want you to do?
    Hurry up. If you were taking a long time to do something, you might be told, "Come on, rattle your dags!" Dags are the dirty, matted bits of wool on the rear end of a sheep...charming saying isn't it!

If I said "I'm off to see that joker at the garage," what kind of person would I be going to see?
    A man. A "joker" is another word for a man, as is a "bloke."

What would I mean if I said "She'll be Jake?"
    That everything will be okay. Also "she'll be 'right." The classic kiwi attitude! If something is "Jake" then it is fine/good/okay. The word "she'll" tends to replace "it will" in kiwi slang.

If someone is a "hard-case" they are...
    Funny. Someone who clowns around or tells jokes a lot is often called a "hard-case," or a "hard-shot." Generally someone who is slightly crude, or outspoken. Not usually associated with females, or with weaker men.

"_______ as gold."
    Good. If something is as "good as gold" it is fine or good. If I did a job that was okay, it could be described as "good as gold."

What is a "barbie?"
    A barbeque. Short for the good old kiwi barbeque!

In New Zealand the word "Piss" means something different than in most other places. What is "Piss?"
    Alcohol. Although it can be used in place of the word "urine," in New Zealand it is more commonly used in place of "alcohol." A party with a lot of alcohol is a "piss-up." Not offensive as in other context.

If I said I had "three hundred-odd bottles," what would I have?
    Roughly three hundred bottles. If there were "twenty-odd" children in Tom's class, there were roughly twenty children in Tom's class. Putting the word "odd" after a number means that the number is an estimate, not an actual number.

Imagine you have just landed at Wellington airport in New Zealand. You walk into the building and someone walks up to you and says "Kia ora." What do they mean?
    Hello. "Kia ora" is "hello" in Maori, the native language of New Zealand.


Did you find these entries particularly interesting, or do you have comments / corrections to make? Let the author know!

  • Send the author a thank you or compliment
  • Submit a correction