A Canadian living in Sydney named the only phrase he hears in the city that he has never heard anywhere else.
Josiah Hein He said the phrase “you’re okay buddy” in response to “sorry” was jarring because he didn’t know if it was positive or negative.
When pronounced quickly in an Australian accent, it can also sound like “your perfect companion”, further confusing tourists and expats.
Josiah explained that he regularly hears the phrase on the street, usually after apologizing to someone, which, as a Canadian, he does many times a day.
“I’m in Australia walking down the street and there was this hot guy in a suit walking right towards me and he stopped and I stopped and I was like, ‘Oh, sorry, man,'” he explained.
‘He didn’t say “everything’s fine brother.” He didn’t say “it’s okay.” He didn’t say “oh, I’m sorry.” The boy told me “you’re okay.”
He said that, in the Australian way of speaking, it sounded like I was telling him he was right, like he had answered a question correctly.
If someone apologized to him in a similar way, he would respond ‘you’re all good’ or ‘you’re sweet’, ‘don’t worry, buddy’.
Josiah Hein said the phrase “you’re okay buddy” in response to “sorry” was jarring because he didn’t know if it was positive or negative.
He said this phrase feels “less warm,” though he admitted it “carries more arrogance.”
“There’s something nice about this,” he said.
Many Australians were quick to comment on his video and explain how it should be taken.
‘On a deeper level, it implies that you don’t need to worry about offering an apology. It’s almost as if there is no need to offer forgiveness for another’s actions, since it doesn’t even bother us. So yeah, you’re fine,’ one woman said.
‘It’s kind of a question and a statement at the same time. Like “are you okay?” and “everything is fine,” said another.
Others didn’t realize it was an Australian thing.
‘100 percent forget that this doesn’t happen everywhere and say it all the time in Hong Kong. I never thought anyone wouldn’t know what I meant,” said one traveler.
Some Australians warned the Canadian to be wary of the less friendly “you’re right mate?” which might sound similar to the untrained ear.
“That one has a significantly different vibe,” one warned.
“Yeah, we’re about to fight that one,” said another.
‘If it’s ‘yurightmayd’, everything is fine, but if we say ‘are you right friend?’ then that partner is about to not be well,’ explained a third.