Australian Slang For Gas Station (Explained!)

The humble gas station—something a lot of us might not pay that much attention to in general, but it serves us as a vital piece of infrastructure, and they’re found everywhere.

They’re also rarely referred to in the same way by any two English-speaking nations.

So, what about in Australia?

What’s the slang term for gas stations?

Australians refer to gas stations colloquially as servos. This a shortening of the term “service station” and an adding of an O to the end—something Australians love to do with their slang. It could also be referred to rather as a petrol station, rather than a gas station, as the British do.

So, the one and only widely used slang term for a gas station in Australia is a servo, which has all but entirely replaced the use of the term service station.

Even with such a relatively mundane aspect of life, the history of the language around it is as interesting as ever, so let’s find out more.

In This Article

What do Australians call a gas station?

Firstly, let’s just contextualize the slang terms. In the United States and Canada, a commercial station for refueling your car is a gas station, and there really aren’t many widely used slang terms for these places.

Non-colloquially in Australian and British English, a gas station is rather a petrol station.

Gasoline, after all, is ultimately derived from the brand name Carzelene, which was composed of kerosine and not petroleum.

So, it makes more “sense” in one way to call it petrol as it is a liquid rather than gasoline or gas.

Although, funnily enough, a lot of these servos do now sell “gas”—as in, actual gas, butane, or propane, that you would use for a barbecue.

The Australian slang term for a gas station, though, is a servo.

This includes ordinary gas stations which are just refueling stations with a small convenience store attached, as well as larger, truck stop-style stations where you can rest and eat a proper meal.

In the past, such stations would also have provided a variety of “services”—but more on that shortly.

So, anywhere where the primary reason for its presence is as a fuelling station or for cars stopping on long journeys, that is a servo.

You might not even have to drive your car to the “servo”—much like going to a corner convenience store, you might just go round to the servo for a few snacks.

Where does this term originate, then?

Why do Australians say servo?

So, there’s naturally a simple answer here.

As I mentioned, the term “service station” was once more or less a catch-all term for refueling stations.

In the UK, this is still the most widely used term for stops on the highway with extensive amenities like fast food restaurants for breaks on long journeys.

But the term “service” originally referred to the fact that attendants at any kind of gas station would service your car.

They would provide and pump your gas, they would check the air pressure in your tires, and they would check your oil, among other things.

This has more or less entirely fallen out of fashion now, and you do all these things yourself.

Regardless, language endures even where services do not.

So, they continued to be called “servos”.

It’s hard to pin down the etymological origin of a term like servo.

Adding an O sound to the end of words is extremely common in Australia.

It probably started being used once these service stations were common and widely used.

Some suggest that it was a portmanteau of service station and linoleum, or lino, which was sometimes used for flooring in said service stations.

Unfortunately, we don’t know for sure where it originated, and we likely never will!

Do Australians say service station?

Yes, Australians do still say service station on some occasions.

As I said, in the UK and in Australia, service stations can still refer more specifically to a large, off-highway truck stop where you can sleep and get a good meal.

This is as opposed to simple small petrol or gas stations where refueling is all you can do.

A service station is not really slang in that sense, then, but it’s where the one slang term for gas stations comes from.

But, as I said, “servo” is a catch-all slang term for any gas station, and not just a large one.

What about gas station?

Do Australians say gas station?

Generally, no, Australians do not say gas station.

As I said, they are more likely to call it a petrol station.

In any kind of formal setting or even just among those who are not as inclined to use slang in their everyday speech, it is going to be a petrol station and not a servo.

But it is really never going to be a gas station.

This divergence has its origins in the way gas companies marketed and branded their products when cars were first becoming widespread in the 20^th Century.

So, if you’re looking for the most widely used slang term for gas station in Australia, look no further than servo.

It’s interesting to consider the disparate uses of terms like “gas” and “petrol”, but ultimately you don’t have an outright slang term for gas station other than servo.

As I said, if you’re wondering what any given Australian slang is, there’s a good chance it’s just a variation of the word with an -o affix!

More in Australian Slang

Founder - @PollyWebster

Polly Webster is the founder of Foreign Lingo and a seasoned traveler with a decade of exploration under her belt.

Over the past 10 years, she has journeyed to numerous countries around the globe, immersing herself in diverse cultures, traditions, and languages.

Drawing from her rich experiences, Polly now writes insightful articles about travel, languages, traditions, and cultures, sharing her unique perspectives and invaluable tips with her readers.

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