09-05-2025
American tourist panics over common Aussie phrase that confuses visitors: 'How do you know which one means yes?'
An American visitor has sparked an online debate that has thousands of Australians united in agreement.
The man admitted he was completely stumped by two of Australia's most commonly used (but least understood) expressions: 'yeah, nah' and 'nah, yeah.'
The confused tourist took to a Reddit forum to share their linguistic dilemma - and what followed was a masterclass in Aussie slang that left thousands in stitches.
'Sometimes it seems like 'yeah, nah' means no, but other times it feels like a soft yes or just part of the flow,' he asked. 'Is there a logic to this?'
As it turns out, yes - but also… no.
Australians are renowned worldwide for their love of abbreviations, sarcasm, and generally refusing to give a straight answer, and this latest viral thread proves that even the yesses and nos aren't always what they seem.
'Yeah, nah = no, Nah, yeah = yes,' one used commented.
'The first word is a soft opening colloquialism. The second word is always the intended answer/response,' another added with more context.
How to understand 'yeah, nah' and 'nah, yeah' in Australia
It all depends on the order, the tone, and the context:
'Yeah, nah' = No. A polite way to disagree.
'Nah, yeah' = Yes. They're on board - probably reluctantly - but they're in.
'Yeah, nah, yeah' = A strong yes
'Nah, yeah, nah' = A definitive no
Others also agreed, but said the meaning also had a lot to do with the tone.
'In my head, when I say 'yeah, nah' or 'nah, yeah' I'm trying to indicate that I'm listening to your pov [point of view], I've considered some fair points in the argument that supports your position, but, in my pov, I think the opposite,' another explained.
Whereas some viewed the slang as a way to agree or disagree with someone.
'As in 'yes (yeah,) I agree that this thing is wrong (nah)' or 'no (nah,) I agree (yeah) that idea just proposed wouldn't work,' one user broke down.
Others joked that Aussie slang is like a secret code with newcomers simply expected to figure it out eventually.
One thing tourists do seem to agree on however, is Australia's 'unique' sense of humour.
A recent Reddit post saw thousands come together to dissect the most baffling things about the island country, including its size, strange population density and distinct 'banter'.
'The banter is amazing,' one said. 'Aussies are surprisingly quick and have a great sense of humour. Also they tend to have a darker, irreverent taste in jokes. Makes for good entertainment.'
'A lot of the best British comics use same humour as Australians but make it more polite and accessible somehow,' another added. 'Ironically Australian comedians are substantially less funny than people you'd meet on the street.'
Australian's spelling on the other hand, has many scratching their heads.
A Norwegian woman who has settled in Australia has described how confusing some of the local 'lingo' is in a text message sent from her boyfriend.
Synnsa took to TikTok to share a picture of the exchange, which saw her partner try to fit in as many colloquialisms as he could in the space of a paragraph-long sentence.
'Just gonna head down to the servo later this arvo gonna pick up some choccy milk and a pack of durries, did you want anything from the bottlo cuz I'm not here to f*** spiders am I,' he had written.
Synnsa joked that she had studied English for 12 years and still couldn't make out what he was trying to say.
'Literally no Aussie says the f*** spiders thing. Unless they're from Melbourne,' one woman responded.
'Aw man I could really go for some choccy milk right now,' said another.
One woman translated: 'I'm just going to the service station (petrol station) later this afternoon to grab a pack of cigarettes. Do you want anything from the liquor store?'
