With winter just over a fortnight away, one Sydney man has set out to decipher the many colourful ways Aussies describe the cold weather. Sharing a tongue-in-cheek linguistic lesson video, James Ashbridge demonstrated the 'local ways' of talking about the cooler climate.
Levels of Cold in Australian Slang
'In Australia, we don't really say, "I'm so cold",' James explained, in a post to his @YourAussieUncle account. 'We've got our own local ways of saying it, mate. From level one to level six - Aussie style.' The Sydney man then broke down the various levels, explaining which expression is appropriate for particular temperature ranges.
Level One: 'A Bit Fresh' (Around 20°C)
For level one, which in Sydney is around 20 degrees Celsius on a cloudy day, James said the correct descriptor is 'a bit fresh'. 'Look, you might want to throw on a jumper. But no dramas, mate,' he added.
Level Two: 'Chilly' (Around 17°C)
Level two is when it gets to about 17 degrees Celsius, with James noting you'll hear locals describe those days as 'chilly'. He elaborated: 'Look, now you're definitely feeling it. You might want to chuck your hands in your pockets or something, mate.'
Level Three: 'Proper Cold' (Around 12°C)
Level three is when the thermometer sits at around 12 degrees Celsius. The preferred local saying? 'Proper cold'. 'Now, the jacket's definitely coming out of the cupboard,' James confirmed.
Level Four: 'Freezing' (Around 8°C)
For level four, which is around 8 degrees Celsius, the go-to expression is simply: 'Freezing'. 'Jacket's on. Probably gonna need a beanie so my head doesn't freeze.'
Level Five: 'Bloody Freezing' (Around 5°C)
Next up, when the temperature drops a few degrees further, it's most accurately described in level five as: 'Bloody freezing,' James declared. 'This is every Aussie's go-to winter complaint. Trust me, you'll hear it all the time.'
Level Six: 'Freezing My T*ts Off' (Around 1°C)
And then finally, the coldest of all is level six - akin to just a degree or so above zero in Sydney - which, according to James, is when you can expect to hear the 'rude' expression: 'I'm freezing my t*ts off, mate.'
Public Reaction and Regional Variations
Hundreds of Aussies chimed in to the replies of James' video to applaud his hilariously accurate weather descriptions. 'I predicted "freezing my t*ts off" as level six even before you said it,' one Aussie laughed. 'I live in Sydney, so it is currently a bit fresh, mate,' another agreed.
However, some felt James had missed out on including a couple of classic Aussie cold weather descriptors in his scale. One common variant suggested for level six was: 'Colder than a witch's t*t.' Another similar level six-worthy expression also received plenty of support. The phrase? 'Cold enough to freeze the b*lls off a brass monkey.' A few even insisted there's a level seven worthy expression that involves an expletive. 'Level seven is "F***, IT'S COLD", usually yelled angrily,' one local explained. Another agreed: 'Anything under 10 degrees is f***ed, it's cold, aye.'
Residents from other states also chimed in to comment on the relevance of the Sydney winter level expressions. Several Queenslanders admitted the scale needed to be slightly different up north, with one saying: 'Yes, but in Queensland the scale is 5 degrees warmer. Otherwise no notes.' Another replied: 'Once it dips below 28 in Brissy I'm pulling out the jumper! Below 20 and it's beanie and jacket time'. A Gold Coast local added that anything below 20 meant it was time for a puffer jacket.
Meanwhile, in the colder southern states of ACT, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania, many locals confirmed that they were already well into the level system. In Canberra, one local confirmed that 'the regulation puffer jackets are already out!' 'I'm in Melbourne!!! Freezing my t*ts off, mate!!' declared a Victorian resident. 'It's proper cold in Adelaide right now,' an SA resident replied. 'But I'm still not putting that jacket on. I refuse.' 'For Tasmania, you need slide the scale down by a few degrees, or 10,' a local confirmed.
A number of Sydney locals admitted that the Harbour City - and its residents - often struggle when the temperature really plunges in winter. 'When it's one degree in Sydney, we die like flies,' read one dramatic reply. 'Sydney houses are not prepared,' another noted. 'Level "it's-colder-in-the-house-than outside",' another local observed.
The range of ways Aussies express just how cold it feels clearly struck a chord - even with visitors. One UK expat declared: 'As a British meteorologist living in Sydney, I appreciate this lesson.'
