5 patterns you'll hear every day
- "going to" → gonna, "want to" → wanna, "got to" → gotta.
- "you" becomes "ya" or "ja": didja, wouldja, see ya.
- "t" between vowels sounds like a soft "d": a bit of → a bidda, put it → puddit.
- "-ing" loses its "g": doing → doin', going → goin'.
- Short words disappear: What do you… → Whaddya…, Give me → Gimme.
Careful vs real speed
Press Careful first, then Real speed. Read the "sounds like" spelling while you listen.
The audio uses the voices on your device. They speed up well, but they can't fully copy how people blend words, so the "sounds like" spelling shows what real speech sounds like. Choose an Australian voice.
- What are you doing this arvo? sounds like: Whatcha doin' this arvo?
- Do you want to get a coffee? sounds like: D'ya wanna get a coffee?
- I'm going to head off now. sounds like: I'm gonna head off now.
- Did you have a good weekend? sounds like: Didja have a good weekend?
- I don't know. sounds like: I dunno.
- Give me a minute. sounds like: Gimme a minute.
- Let me have a look. sounds like: Lemme have a look.
- What do you reckon? sounds like: Whaddya reckon?
- Are you going to the barbecue? sounds like: You goin' to the barbie?
- I have got to go. sounds like: I've gotta go.
- How are you going? sounds like: Howya goin'?
- Not at all. sounds like: Nod-a-tall.
- Would you like a cup of tea? sounds like: Wouldja like a cuppa?
- See you tomorrow. sounds like: See ya tomorra.
- It's a bit of a problem. sounds like: It's a bidda problem.
- Put it over there. sounds like: Puddit over there.
Catch the words
Each sentence plays fast, like real conversation. Type the missing word.
Loading questions…
Keep practising
- Listen to a Listening Room episode at Normal speed and shadow the hosts.
- Learn what Aussies really mean when they say "yeah nah" or "no rush".
- Listen to Australian radio or podcasts for 10 minutes a day.
Frequently asked questions
Why do Australians speak so fast?
Most native speakers of any language join words together in fast speech. Australians also shorten many words (arvo, brekkie, servo). Once you know the common patterns, like 'gonna', 'wanna' and 'didja', you'll understand much more.
Should I talk like this too?
You don't have to. Clear, careful English is always fine. The goal is to understand fast speech. If you want to sound more natural, start with 'gonna', 'wanna' and linking words together.
Is the audio real Australian speech?
No. The audio uses your device's voices, played slowly and then fast. Device voices can't fully copy how people blend words, so read the 'sounds like' spelling while you listen. For real Australian speech, listen to local radio, podcasts and TV.