Bogan

[0846] Heaps

🎲 Good on ya
English Idioms
All Idioms

Explanation

  • An adverb or determiner common in Australia and New Zealand, meaning a lot, lots, many, much, or very.

Origin

  • Derived from the standard English noun heap (an untidy pile or mass of things).
  • Its use as a quantifier (heaps of...) and intensifier (heaps good) is characteristic of Australian and New Zealand informal speech.
  • Reflects the tendency towards informal and sometimes understated (or uniquely phrased) expressions.

Synonyms & Related Expressions

  • A lot (of)
  • Lots (of)
  • Many / Much
  • Very
  • Tons (of) (Informal)
  • Loads (of) (Informal, esp. UK/Aus/NZ)
  • Plenty (of)
  • Oodles (Informal)
  • Gobs (Informal, esp. UK)
  • Stacks (Aus/NZ informal)
  • Bags (Aus/NZ informal)

Alternatives

Slang/Informal:

  • Loads (of)
  • Tons (of)
  • Stacks (of) (Aus/NZ)
  • Bags (of) (Aus/NZ)
  • Oodles / Gobs / Scads (Informal/Regional)
  • Way (as intensifier, e.g. way better US informal)

Milder/Standard:

  • A lot (of) / Lots (of)
  • Many / Much
  • Very
  • Plenty (of)
  • Numerous
  • Greatly / Significantly
  • Considerably

Situational Appropriateness

  • Informal.
  • Extremely common in everyday Australian and New Zealand speech.
  • Generally acceptable in most spoken contexts, though might sound slightly too informal for very formal writing or presentations.

Misunderstanding Warnings

  • Generally understood in context, even by non-Aus/NZ speakers.
  • The adverbial use (heaps good) might strike speakers of other varieties as grammatically unusual or overly informal, but the meaning is usually clear.

Examples

  • There were heaps of people at the concert. (many people)
  • I've got heaps of work to do. (a lot of work)
  • Thanks heaps for your help! (Thanks very much!)
  • That movie was heaps good. (very good)
  • Are you feeling better? Yeah, heaps. (much better)

Dialogue

Person A: How was your holiday?

Person B: It was great, thanks! Had heaps of fun.

Person A: Awesome! Where did you go?

Social Media Examples

  • Instagram Caption: Got heaps of photos from the trip to share! #Travel #Memories
  • Tweet: Feeling heaps better today after that cold. Thanks for the well wishes! #Recovery

Response Patterns

  • Simple acknowledgement: Okay., Right., Good to know.
  • Expressions of surprise or interest: Really?, Wow!
  • Follow-up questions based on the quantity: Heaps? Like, how many?

Common Follow-up Questions/Actions

  • Depends entirely on the context of what there are heaps of.
  • Might involve asking for more specific details about the large quantity or degree.

Conversation Starter

  • No.
  • Functions as a quantifier or intensifier within a sentence.

Intonation

  • Generally neutral in tone.
  • Can be stressed for emphasis, especially when used as an adverb: It was HEAPS better.

Generation Differences

  • Used widely across all generations in Australia and New Zealand.

Regional Variations

  • Core informal vocabulary in Australian and New Zealand English.
  • Understood but sounds distinctly Antipodean when used elsewhere.
  • North Americans are more likely to use a lot, lots, tons, very.
  • Brits are more likely to use lots, loads, very.
Bogan
🎲 Good on ya