All good = Everything is fine

Aotearoa = New Zealand. Land of the long white cloud

Aroha = Love, affection, to feel pity, feel concern for, feel compassion, empathise

Bach = A small, often modest holiday home or beach house. Also called a crib in the southern half of the South Island

Bro = Brother, a male friend, or relative

Bugger = Something goes wrong

Buzzy Bee = A famous New Zealand children’s toy that has become a Kiwi icon. A brightly coloured, wooden pull-along Bee, with spinning wings. The toy originated in the late 1930’s in a small workshop in Auckland

Chilly Bin = Picnic cooler, or icebox

Chocka = Crowded or full

Choice = Awesome

Chur = Thanks, thank you, cheers

Cuz = Cousin, friend or relative

Dunny = Toilet

Eh = It is pronounced as it looks and often used to turn a statement into a question. E.g. “That was choice, eh”

Give it Heaps = A lot, or plenty. To try very hard

Ghost Chips = From the 2011 anti-drink driving campaign. It has become a pop cultural phenomenon (Written by Steve Ayson)

Gum Boots = A type of waterproof boot made of rubber

Haere Mai = A Maori expression of welcome

Hard Out = Means to try a lot, or to respond with great enthusiasm

Heaps = A large amount of

Jandals = Flip-flops or thongs

Kai = Food

Ka Pai = Well done or congratulations

Kia Ora = A friendly and traditional Maori greeting for Hello and Thank you. Wishing you good health.

Kiwi = Our national bird. A person from New Zealand

Knackered = Tired out. Broken or damaged

Massive As = Really big

Munted = Badly damaged or ruined

Nek Minnit = Next Minute (Written by Levi Hawkin)

No Worries = Don’t worry about it

Pavlova = Our national desert. The first recipe appeared in NZ in 1927

Righto = Used to say that you agree with, understand, or accept

Rugby = A team game played with an oval ball that may be kicked, carried, and passed from hand to hand.

Scarfie = University student. Especially one studying at Otago University

Scroggin = A mixture of dried fruit and nuts, eaten as a snack by hikers

She’ll be right = Everything will be fine

Silver Fern = A symbol of strength, stubborn resistance and attachment to our homeland

Stink = Very unpleasant, contemptible, or scandalous. A row or fuss

Sweet As = Thank you. It’s all good. No worries. You’re welcome

Te Reo = The Maori language

Tiki Tour = To take an extensive tour of a place

Togs = Swimsuit

Whanau = Family. People connected through a common ancestor

Wop-Wops = A location in the middle of nowhere

Ya Reckon = To think or suppose (something)

Yarn = A friendly Chat. “Spinning a yarn” involves some degree of exaggeration

Yeah-Nah = Means ‘no’, but it allows the speaker to ease into their response

You’re not in Guatemala now Dr Ropata = Pay attention, things have changed. From the very first episode of Shortland Street (1992). It is possibly, the most famous line in New Zealand television history (Written by Ken Catran)