American YouTuber, 24, mocks the slang terms that confuse her in Australia – including the words ‘larrikin’, ‘servo’ and people who say ‘how are you going?’
- American influencer Kristen McAtee mocked Australian slang in a YouTube video
- She joined Australian influencer Georgia Productions to compare national terms
- Americans say ‘how are you?’ while Australians prefer ‘how are you going?’
- Scanty underwear is known as a thong in the States and a G-string in Australia
- In the US, you buy alcohol from a liquor store but Down Under from a Bottle-O
Australian slang has left an American YouTube star speechless after she was introduced to a list of homegrown phrases used in daily life Down Under.
Californian social media influencer Kristen McAtee, 24, teamed up with New South Wales YouTuber Georgia Productions, 20, in a YouTube video to compare American and Australian terms, many of which left Kristen scratching her head in disbelief.
Australians are notorious for shortening words beyond recognition, using terms like ‘arvo’ instead of ‘afternoon’ and ‘crook’ to describe the sensation of feeling sick.
Americans say ‘how are you?’ while Australians prefer ‘how are you going?’, a phrase that often baffles overseas visitors like Kristen, who said: ‘How are you going? It just sounds like two different things – like doing and going? They’re different things!’
She was particularly amused by the Australian meaning of ‘rubber’, which is a stationery item used to remove marks from paper Down Under.
In America, the word rubber is a slang term for a condom.
Californian influencer Kristen McAtee (left) teamed up with New South Wales YouTuber Georgia Productions (right) to compare American and Australian slang terms, many of which left Kristen scratching her head in disbelief
Americans dab their mouth with a ‘napkin’ after eating ‘McDonald’s’, while Australians reach for a ‘serviette’ at ‘Maccas’, terms that left Kristen speechless.
Scanty underwear is known as a ‘thong’ in the US and a ‘G-string’ in Australia, where ‘thongs’ are the term for beach footwear called ‘flip flops’ in the States.
Alcohol is purchased from a liquor store in America, but Down Under it is stocked in a ‘Bottle-O’.
The rock band AC/DC is known as ‘Acca Dacca’ in Australia, a revelation that left Kristen shouting: ‘No way!’

Kristen (left) was particularly amused by the Australian meaning of ‘rubber’, which is a stationery item used to remove marks from paper Down Under; in America, the word rubber is a slang term for a condom
Cars are refueled at gas stations in the US and ‘servos’ across Australia, where people eat ‘sangas’ instead of ‘sandwiches’.
Australians ‘stuff it up’ while Americans ‘screw it up’ if they have done something stupid.
In Australia, ‘it’s my shout!’ means you are paying the bill, while in America you say ‘I’ve got it covered’.
Being horribly upset is the same as being ‘devastated’ in the US, but Down Under it’s simply described as being ‘devo’.
Pranksters are better known as ‘larrikins’ Down Under, where designated drivers are referred to as ‘deso drivers’.