When I first arrived in New Zealand, I expected the biggest differences to be things like the landscape or just being far from home, but honestly one of the most surprising things has been the language and how different English can feel depending on where you are. Everyone speaks English, but people use words in ways that are different from what I am used to in the United States. It reminded me of how language changes across different regions in the U.S., where different areas have their own phrases, but here it feels even more noticeable, like you’re hearing a slightly different version of the same language.
In the beginning I was confused and would try to translate what people were saying in my head. Someone would say “sweet as,” and I’d wonder what was “sweet,” before realizing they just meant “that’s good” or “all set.” After learning a bit and gaining the courage to ask people what they meant, it has become a fun new experience for me to learn as much New Zealand slang as possible!
A lot of words also come from the Māori language and are used in everyday conversation, which gives the language here a distinct feel. Here are some examples of words I’ve been learning:
