Lesson 6 — Activity 1: Understanding Idioms


Have you heard the term idiom before? This may be a word or phrase you are not familiar with; however, you probably use various idioms in your daily conversation with friends, family members, teachers, and co-workers.

Have you heard any of the following words or phrases in your daily conversations?

  1. hoodie
  2. chinook
  3. eh
  4. loonie
  5. runners
  6. poutine

All of these words are common Canadian idioms. So what is an idiom?




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An idiom is a common phrase or term whose meaning is not real but can be understood by its popular use. It is an expression that can't be directly translated into another language.



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Idioms are words, things, and ideas that the people who live in your part of the world use without any explanation as to the meaning — they are just understood. Most people use idioms without even being aware of it. However, these words and expressions can form a communication barrier because the meanings are not always clear. The six words listed above are unique to Canadians. Most Australians would not likely know them!

If you visited another country and spent time visiting with the people, you would learn some of the common idioms. After awhile, you would begin using them yourself!

Here are some common Australian idioms that you will not likely know:



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Can you think of some other words or phrases that are unique to you or to your friends and others who you live and work with each day? These common parts of speech are idioms!