good on ya

“Good on ya” means “well done” or “good for you.” In Australia and New Zealand it can also simply mean “thanks.”

What good on ya means

Wiktionary defines “good on you” as an exclamation of encouragement or congratulation, used in the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, New England and Newfoundland, and notes that in Australia and New Zealand it’s also used to say thanks. “Good on ya” is the relaxed spoken version, and it’s often shortened further to “onya.” Add “mate” and you have one of the most Australian sentences there is.

Tone matters. Said warmly, it’s genuine praise. Said with a flat voice and raised eyebrows, “well, good on ya” can be sarcastic: sure, congratulations, whatever.

Examples

• “You finished the marathon? Good on ya!”
• “You brought coffee? Good on ya, mate.”
• “Onya, that’s a great result.”

Where it came from

“Good on you” is used well beyond Australia, and Wiktionary lists “good for you” as an alternative form. Australia didn’t invent it, but Australians and New Zealanders made it their own, spelling it the way it sounds and stretching it into an everyday thank-you.

Related terms

• Fair dinkum: genuine, honest.
• Heaps: lots, very, as in “thanks heaps.”
• Stoked: thrilled.
• Bloke: a man.

See more terms like this in our Australian slang guide.