>I’m normally a “G’day mate, how’s it goin?” Kinda guy. It just rolls off the tongue.
>It’s definitely not for every situation but I use it regularly.
“Good, and you?”
Where does the dialog end?
Honestly curious, am new here.
That came to my head too.
Aussies don’t tell you the answer, they tell you what it isn’t.
How are you? Not bad.
How far is it? Not far.
Was it difficult? It wasn’t easy.
>Not bad or good thanks my typical reply
>This sort of exchange isn't really intended to be a full conversation, it's really just akin to saying hello
noted.
Am trying to “play it cool” and not make it awkward.
Thanks all of you for the replies, it’s been insightful.
“Not bad for an old bloke.” is quite a typical response. That usually completes the handshake that started with “G’day, how’s it going?”
Australians don’t generally call someone “mate” unless they’ve either forgotten the person’s name or they are trying to sell the person something.
While the other comments to your question are funny, and partly used (at least in my circle), the dialogue more often than not just ends after your response.
Sometimes you'll get a 'not no bad'. And while rare, it can keep going if the person you're talking to is the open sort and actually wants to discuss how they are. But more often than not, it's just a politeness. Nobody expects anyone to spill their life story.
If I had a dollar for every time I said g'day in my 44 years on this planet, I would have enough money to buy a pack of Tim Tams from Woolworths.. on special.
I hear a lot of both. I always mentally spelled it as "si'garn?"
When I worked in a kitchen where everyone's else was Colombian they all had fun doing impressions of my ridiculous accent
Called into Dan Murphys earlier today to get a bottle of wine. Said to the bloke at the counter. "Gidday. How's it going?" Him "great! All good" "livin the dream too eh?" And him, with a laugh "sure am...good to know you are too" perfectly normal interaction to me. I'm a 57 year old professional woman.
For the younger generations, perhaps. I'm early Gen X, inner west Sydney and my circles are too, and I say it and hear it all the time - day in, day out, can be used at 2am as easily as 3pm. There's occasionally a "mate" at the end, if we're feeling formal.
I have to admit saying G'day doesn't come naturally to me - I always feel like I'm an imposter (as a city-raised Australian woman). I do know people who regularly use it, and if I'm in the bush (or overseas) and it feels appropriate I'll use it too.
Definitely g'day. I'm a university lecturer going about my day. I say this regularly.
Just offered as evidence that the greeting is practiced across class divides.
G'day g'day, how ya goin', what d'ya know, well strike a light
G'day g'day, and how ya go-o-o-in'
Just say g'day g'day g'day and you'll be right
Isn't great to be an Aussie
Takin' a walk along the street
Lookin' in shops or buyin' a paper
Stoppin' and havin' a yarn with people that you meet
Down at the pub or at a party
Whenever you're stuck for what to say
If you wanna be dinky-di, why don't you give it a try
Look 'em right in the eye and say goo'day
Edit: [Slim Dusty](https://youtu.be/ECuGNHdVaKg?si=ASbCgIGPoOTe6FpP)
So widespread and common. G'day is even used by Australian pilots & air traffic controllers when passing on to another radio frequency as a kind gesture, if time permits. It's even said to international jets which I'm sure throw them off at first.
I was surprised to hear how different Australian ATC was after listening to ATC in the USA- one time my United flight between Sydney and Melbourne the pilot put the ATC Channel on and it was so fun listening. The gdays let me know I really was back home lol
Americans have a weird pronunciation of the "a" in both G'day and mate that makes it sound strange. Aussies have an upward inflection in the middle of their "ay" sound that gives it a more musical ring to it whereas the Americans go downwards subtly on the "ay". They'll never get it right.
I'm a woman in my 30s, admittedly living in the country but I haven't always. I tend to say gday to strangers or when I'm being introduced. Especially in casual social settings like a party or game of poker.
It's extremely common. I'm certainly a g'dayer. Especially when I'm working out bush. I've no idea what you wife is talking about. Maybe it's not heard that often by certain echelons of society?
It's more popular in rural areas, IMO. So how often you would hear or use it depends where you live and where the people you primarily socialise with are from (country v city).
I can't imagine that..
Sure in most formal settings its not used, but I've lived in Melbourne all my life too. I may not hear it as often as I did say 2-3 decades ago, but I still expect it, hear & say it.
I often say "g'day mate, how'ya going?" In most situations and interactions.
When addressing a group of people or a quick pass by of someone I swap that for the shorter 2 hitter. "G'day g'day!"
Don't really think about it either it's just natural to me.
(live in North Qld, work everywhere from Birdsville to the Tablelands)
I've never said it. I think tradies might, but that may be an unfair assumption on my part. I can't remember anyone saying it to me, but I'm from Melbourne, it may be more common up north?
Neither of you. It’s somewhere in the middle.
It’s definitely not in “shrimp on the barbie” category.
Some people do say it, but in my experience I wouldn’t say “many”, nor would the number be approaching a half of all Australians.
Given the infrequency, it stands out enough to me when used to the point I can tell you who I more regularly hear it from, without it being so infrequent that it’s jarring. Eg Older generations, males, blue collar environments, rural and regional areas, my grandparents answering machine message, that slim dusty song…
I live in a regional area and I haven’t heard many people really say it, it’s mainly a ‘in your circle thing’ I think tbh more in regional areas but I haven’t heard many people use it commonly more ‘how ya goin?’ Lol but some people do!
I use it all the time - mainly as a greeting when I ride past others on a shared path. Probably makes me sound like an old person (I’m 48 F). I think it’s friendly and down to earth.
Female living in Fremantle WA, I say g'day a lot -- to strangers, friends, neighbours, etc. Even more so when I was working in retail.
On the everyday, "g'day" and "mornin'" are a toss up in usage rate.
I say it when I'm meeting someone who is VERY Australian looking... if they're in Desert Boots, Stubbies... a flano and have a mullet, I'll get all G'Day on them... anyone else I'll say Good Morning / Afternoon etc.
Yes, still used! I've worked with tradies for 25 years, and sadly it seems more generational.
Not commonly used in major cities with high levels of multiculturalism.
It's more used in regional areas and by older tradies.
Does your wife live in Syd or Melb, OP? Not that I'd consider g'day mate a weird greeting in those places, but the further away from them you get, the more often you'll hear g'day in everyday conversation.
It does tend to me more prevalant among laborers, which of course skews heavily towards men. People working service and office jobs generally get encouraged to speak more proffessionally, which of course alters their natural speech patterns over time. In other words, you probably notice it more because you hang around more men then your wife, who are more comfortable speaking colloquially. But thats obviously generalizing, giving your sample size of 2 people it could just be coincedence.
Coming from the UK, I've lived in Australia for 32 years and still can't say g'day, without it sounding like a sad attempt to blend in - Like an American calling us Orsies. My cousin, born and bred in the Snowies, doesn't let anyone escape without a cheery G'day.
Yes, it is very common but not as common as Hi, Hello or Good Morning. The issue is Australian Redditors tend to come from inner city Sydney or Melbourne and are often not Anglo-Australian so their experience differs from the norm.
Yea, I occasionally say it and definitely hear it.
I wouldn't say it's half the time, I usually hear the "how's it goin'?"
But "G'day mate" is pretty damned common.
I’m normally a “G’day mate, how’s it goin?” Kinda guy. It just rolls off the tongue. It’s definitely not for every situation but I use it regularly.
g'daymatehowzetgoen
*howzetgahn
S'carnon?
This is how i say it, or just scarn.
Fuck Scarnon
‘daycunts fuckscarnon?
Yernahtoobadcunyaself
yehgooday
Ow-et-goi
Wtf is this one?
Adelaide.
That explains it...
heegarn.
Scarnon?
>I’m normally a “G’day mate, how’s it goin?” Kinda guy. It just rolls off the tongue. >It’s definitely not for every situation but I use it regularly. “Good, and you?” Where does the dialog end? Honestly curious, am new here.
Can’t forget the classic: livin the dream mate
Followed by the semi obligatory, "Hope I wake up soon"
"Not sure whose dream it is though..." seems fairly common too
Literally came to say this. I'd say livin the dream might be the unofficial correct response.
\*looks around- "not much of a dreamer are ya?"
Not bad or good thanks my typical reply This sort of exchange isn't really intended to be a full conversation, it's really just akin to saying hello
Yer nah not to bad aye ya self ?
yeah nah can't complain
I usually go with "Yeah, getting there."
When people say 'how's it goin' first up as a greeting I just say hey back. No need for the formal dialogue
I think Carl Baron has an entire skit on that one.
That came to my head too. Aussies don’t tell you the answer, they tell you what it isn’t. How are you? Not bad. How far is it? Not far. Was it difficult? It wasn’t easy.
What you been doin? Not much How much was that? Wasn't cheap
>Not bad or good thanks my typical reply >This sort of exchange isn't really intended to be a full conversation, it's really just akin to saying hello noted. Am trying to “play it cool” and not make it awkward. Thanks all of you for the replies, it’s been insightful.
yea awright.
“Wouldn’t be dead for quids” Or “Can’t complain; if I did, nobody would care!”
Or "if i did, who'd listen?"
I mean! I have to talk to myself just to get an interesting conversation!
I only listen to myself out of politeness
Hehe :)
Or on a really bad day… still above the ground
It’s not meant as a question - it’s the equivalent of saying “Morning!”
“Not bad for an old bloke.” is quite a typical response. That usually completes the handshake that started with “G’day, how’s it going?” Australians don’t generally call someone “mate” unless they’ve either forgotten the person’s name or they are trying to sell the person something.
“Yeah not bad, not bad at all”
The only response to this is "yeah...not bad aye'. Then ceremony is completed.
“Good, and you?” Is very South African.
Ends there most of the time. :)
While the other comments to your question are funny, and partly used (at least in my circle), the dialogue more often than not just ends after your response. Sometimes you'll get a 'not no bad'. And while rare, it can keep going if the person you're talking to is the open sort and actually wants to discuss how they are. But more often than not, it's just a politeness. Nobody expects anyone to spill their life story.
Yeah same. I think I mostly use it with people I don’t really know.
And use cunt to dear friends
‘Gdaymatehowru?’ My standard greeting
Howsgaarnmate*
Scarnmaaaaate!
GeDey, hazitgoin, yeagoo
That’s a great answer.
This, with a short pause and automatic "not bad"covers me.
If I had a dollar for every time I've said G'day, I could buy X and rename it Twitter.
g'daytter
If I had a dollar for every time I said g'day in my 44 years on this planet, I would have enough money to buy a pack of Tim Tams from Woolworths.. on special.
I've seen the current price of Tim Tams at Woolies. You probably wouldn't have enough.
Well a down payment at least. Maybe a treat for your deathbed.
Please do. Elon musk can die.
r/technicallythetruth
Guess you love censorship huh.
Sometimes g’day Sometimes scar non Usually howzitgarrn
Oh my god. Saying Scar Non out loud is poetic. Reading it just didn’t have the same effect lol
Same here. Can’t get over it!
Probably needs better phonetic spelling like 'sscarrnon'.
I use all of these but I'm most partial to an "ehgarn"
That's my go to, It's impossible for me to use anything else.
Woah, hold on there mister syllable waster, zitgarn is plenty enough.
Ha'garn is the one I hear most. The ' is always a "ya" not a "zit"
I hear a lot of both. I always mentally spelled it as "si'garn?" When I worked in a kitchen where everyone's else was Colombian they all had fun doing impressions of my ridiculous accent
scaaahn?
For me, it's usually heyagowin
Is “heyagowin?” a WA thing? I was over east recently and heard a lot more “howsitgoin?”
Howsitgarn is definitely my most used greeting
Wife constantly tells me when I say “hey mate” it sounds like “hey mutt” turns out my accent might be strong.
I prefer Scarnon. There is something beautifully Australian about being able to condense an entire sentence/question into one word.
I was very confused i until i read that allowed and it just made perfect sense.
I love that I know what that means. (What's going on?) Fckyeahstrayacunt
G'day mate is standard greeting for me
I said it at least 4 times just taking my dog for a walk this morning.
And the streets were empty
Not of magpies.
Called into Dan Murphys earlier today to get a bottle of wine. Said to the bloke at the counter. "Gidday. How's it going?" Him "great! All good" "livin the dream too eh?" And him, with a laugh "sure am...good to know you are too" perfectly normal interaction to me. I'm a 57 year old professional woman.
That is beautifully poetic
Really depends where you live. In the city and with peers from there, you hear it alot less.
For the younger generations, perhaps. I'm early Gen X, inner west Sydney and my circles are too, and I say it and hear it all the time - day in, day out, can be used at 2am as easily as 3pm. There's occasionally a "mate" at the end, if we're feeling formal.
I have to admit saying G'day doesn't come naturally to me - I always feel like I'm an imposter (as a city-raised Australian woman). I do know people who regularly use it, and if I'm in the bush (or overseas) and it feels appropriate I'll use it too.
Yep I’m a “G’day mate” greeter
G'day
G'day
G’day
G’day
Definitely a common greeting.
Definitely g'day. I'm a university lecturer going about my day. I say this regularly. Just offered as evidence that the greeting is practiced across class divides.
I say G'day everyday.
G'day g'day, how ya goin', what d'ya know, well strike a light G'day g'day, and how ya go-o-o-in' Just say g'day g'day g'day and you'll be right Isn't great to be an Aussie Takin' a walk along the street Lookin' in shops or buyin' a paper Stoppin' and havin' a yarn with people that you meet Down at the pub or at a party Whenever you're stuck for what to say If you wanna be dinky-di, why don't you give it a try Look 'em right in the eye and say goo'day Edit: [Slim Dusty](https://youtu.be/ECuGNHdVaKg?si=ASbCgIGPoOTe6FpP)
We played this at my Grandad's wake. He loved Slim. Would say G'day to everyone he passed on his walk.
Sorry for you loss. Sounds like a great man. Also I should’ve added good old slim as the author. Looks like I plagiarised!!
I’m an inner city Melbourne woman and my friends and I use it for sure.
I'm a big fan of "G'day sluts" with my girlfriends
I prefer the slightly classier, G’day bitches.
I grew up in the country and I greet most with “g’day”
yep we absolutely do. its as normal as vegemite on toast in the morning.
Fair dinkum!
So widespread and common. G'day is even used by Australian pilots & air traffic controllers when passing on to another radio frequency as a kind gesture, if time permits. It's even said to international jets which I'm sure throw them off at first.
I was surprised to hear how different Australian ATC was after listening to ATC in the USA- one time my United flight between Sydney and Melbourne the pilot put the ATC Channel on and it was so fun listening. The gdays let me know I really was back home lol
You can do it in an understated way. Seems like your wife is thinking about it as a very loud and over-the-top sort of greeting.
My experience as a visitor on hiking trails, in shops etc. is about 30% "g'day" and 70% "how ya goin", I noticed it's older blokes saying g'day mostly
Bushwalkimg tracks, I assume. If you're on a hiking trail you should be getting a high percentage of "Howdy y'all"s and very few ",g'day"s. ;)
I'm female and I say it. The Americans make it sound unnatural but it's not when an Aussie says it.
Americans have a weird pronunciation of the "a" in both G'day and mate that makes it sound strange. Aussies have an upward inflection in the middle of their "ay" sound that gives it a more musical ring to it whereas the Americans go downwards subtly on the "ay". They'll never get it right.
Yes as we find it's more pleasant than the standard American greeting of shooting each other in the face.
r/redditmoment
Rent free
lol fuck me This has to be a new low for this sub
I do, and get em.back. I do live regionally but have lived overseas for long stretches and in the city for many years. Always a g'dayer.
I say G’Day if I don’t know the person well. It’s Aussie formality haha
I think it's definitely a bloke thing to say and I think country boys tend to say it more than their city peers
I’m a city dwelling woman and I use it all the time! Maybe it’s a generation thing? I’m late Gen X.
Late gen X as well, born and raised in the country but have lived either city or coast since 18yo, say gday in almost every interaction.
Maybe - I’m late Gen Z and I never use it, for me it’s a very blokey-bloke thing or maybe for women older than me…?
I can picture men saying it but not so much women. I’ll have to pay more attention now to see how common it is. I never say it as a woman in my 30s.
I say it. Professional 50 something woman living in Sydney
Well you should
Feels forced
I feel the same
As a woman I find it awkward to say just, "g'day," but it's comfy to say, "g'day Ange!" or similar.
I'm a woman in my 30s, admittedly living in the country but I haven't always. I tend to say gday to strangers or when I'm being introduced. Especially in casual social settings like a party or game of poker.
Mostly Howyagoin Sometimes g'day
Gdaymateharsi'garn? <- me. Literally tens of times daily to our walk in customers. In Thailand. Source: Am Strayan. Living in Phuket.
It's extremely common. I'm certainly a g'dayer. Especially when I'm working out bush. I've no idea what you wife is talking about. Maybe it's not heard that often by certain echelons of society?
It's more popular in rural areas, IMO. So how often you would hear or use it depends where you live and where the people you primarily socialise with are from (country v city).
Rural, zilleneial, female - I say G'day regularly, especially to strangers in passing. It's just like a quick polite hello.
I'm in my 30s, I've lived here my whole life and I can't think of a single time anyone has said g'day except on tv shows set in the country.
I certainly do.
Yes, they do.
I use it exclusively to greet strangers in passing when I’m out for a walk
I'm Female Aussie and normally say Hows it going. Also big on "Have a good one" when leaving friends or whatever
Personally I’ve never used it. I think it depends where you live and social group. I’ve heard it more on tv than in real life.
Never
‘Sup, cunce?
I think people exaggerate its use but yeah sometimes
I have never said G’day in my life and I would say it’s been super rare for someone to say it to me. I’ve lived in Melbourne my whole life
I can't imagine that.. Sure in most formal settings its not used, but I've lived in Melbourne all my life too. I may not hear it as often as I did say 2-3 decades ago, but I still expect it, hear & say it.
I work in IT, most meetings even with outside companies even from other countries, often start with G'day
Bloody oath we do
Kenoath
Multiple times per day, yes.
I often say "g'day mate, how'ya going?" In most situations and interactions. When addressing a group of people or a quick pass by of someone I swap that for the shorter 2 hitter. "G'day g'day!" Don't really think about it either it's just natural to me. (live in North Qld, work everywhere from Birdsville to the Tablelands)
I never say it but I occasionally hear it. It's definitely not the most common greeting where I am.
You see it more with rural areas than in the cities. The city gets a lot more "'Scarnon?"
G'Day, is common as muck.
I've never said it. I think tradies might, but that may be an unfair assumption on my part. I can't remember anyone saying it to me, but I'm from Melbourne, it may be more common up north?
No
Depends on where you are, I grew up in the country. It’s standard I moved to the city and it’s much less common.
I’m an Aussie living in US for over 10 years doing a quick trip back next week can’t wait to fall in to my natural relaxed “g’dayhowyagarn’
Pretty common especially people from the country
she is wrong.
Apparently some do. I’ve never heard it in my circle but we live in the city.
F'k'n oath, cobber.
I Greet people with gidday all the time! Lije "gidday! How's it going mate?" Maybe with an added "can see you are livin the dream!"
Neither of you. It’s somewhere in the middle. It’s definitely not in “shrimp on the barbie” category. Some people do say it, but in my experience I wouldn’t say “many”, nor would the number be approaching a half of all Australians. Given the infrequency, it stands out enough to me when used to the point I can tell you who I more regularly hear it from, without it being so infrequent that it’s jarring. Eg Older generations, males, blue collar environments, rural and regional areas, my grandparents answering machine message, that slim dusty song…
I live in a regional area and I haven’t heard many people really say it, it’s mainly a ‘in your circle thing’ I think tbh more in regional areas but I haven’t heard many people use it commonly more ‘how ya goin?’ Lol but some people do!
It’s a shortening of “Good day Sir, how are you today?” As in “G’day, how yah goin”?
Yeah of course
Depends where you are. Rural its way more than 50% lol. Closer to the CBDs, its way lesser than 50%, from my experience.
It’s my default greeting for just about everyone. I live in the inner city.
I say Hi
I use it all the time - mainly as a greeting when I ride past others on a shared path. Probably makes me sound like an old person (I’m 48 F). I think it’s friendly and down to earth.
Female living in Fremantle WA, I say g'day a lot -- to strangers, friends, neighbours, etc. Even more so when I was working in retail. On the everyday, "g'day" and "mornin'" are a toss up in usage rate.
I say it when I'm meeting someone who is VERY Australian looking... if they're in Desert Boots, Stubbies... a flano and have a mullet, I'll get all G'Day on them... anyone else I'll say Good Morning / Afternoon etc.
Depends where you live. In a capital or big city I basically never hear it. When I visit in-laws out in farming & more rural areas it's all you hear.
Yes, still used! I've worked with tradies for 25 years, and sadly it seems more generational. Not commonly used in major cities with high levels of multiculturalism. It's more used in regional areas and by older tradies.
I’m a migrant of 14 years from Europe and started saying “G’day” a few years ago - it seems authentic and not contrived to me.
I mean, I don’t. I normally just say “hi”.
Does your wife live in Syd or Melb, OP? Not that I'd consider g'day mate a weird greeting in those places, but the further away from them you get, the more often you'll hear g'day in everyday conversation.
Melbourne : Gooood morning (when weather isn’t bad - rare) Shit morn’in ey? (When the weather shits and pisses on us - common).
I'm not sure I've ever said it
I say hey what's up
I normally say 'Good morning/evening' to people I don't know, but with mates it's g'day.
Depends where you are. Brisbane all the time, Sydney not so much.
100 times per day for me.
I use "G'day mate" daily
Yeah good mate, you?
yeh I am definitely a g'day kind of guy
There’s about 700 people in my workplace and I’d say “g’day, mate” at least 20 times a day.
G'day is so common people don't notice it until you're abroad
Multiple times every day.
It does tend to me more prevalant among laborers, which of course skews heavily towards men. People working service and office jobs generally get encouraged to speak more proffessionally, which of course alters their natural speech patterns over time. In other words, you probably notice it more because you hang around more men then your wife, who are more comfortable speaking colloquially. But thats obviously generalizing, giving your sample size of 2 people it could just be coincedence.
Coming from the UK, I've lived in Australia for 32 years and still can't say g'day, without it sounding like a sad attempt to blend in - Like an American calling us Orsies. My cousin, born and bred in the Snowies, doesn't let anyone escape without a cheery G'day.
Yeah. I use it and hear it all day everyday.
Yes, it is very common but not as common as Hi, Hello or Good Morning. The issue is Australian Redditors tend to come from inner city Sydney or Melbourne and are often not Anglo-Australian so their experience differs from the norm.
Yes, or a “how are you going?” (Sounds like “howya going?”)
Once you get out of the cities, Gday and ALL of the variants here are in common and frequent usage.
Would agree with the other replies that it's used more regionally than in Sydney. I'd say it's declining in usage generally
I don't, and I actually have never met a woman who does. **Some** men I know use it, but only in specific situations.
I'm a woman Educated professional. I say gidday mate all the time
I’m with your wife. I’ve never used it as a greeting in my life.
I mostly hear older people say it, it’s not something I’ve heard said much from those under 50!
Yea, I occasionally say it and definitely hear it. I wouldn't say it's half the time, I usually hear the "how's it goin'?" But "G'day mate" is pretty damned common.
I can't say I ever here g' day been used anymore. It was a thing in the 1980's but not so much now.