
In an Australian shop, a staff member asking “You right?” will usually mean “Are you being served?” or “Do you need any help?” They are not questioning whether you are correct. The Australian National Dictionary Centre identifies it as an informal Australian equivalent of the standard service question and notes that its casual wording is not disrespectful.
A: You right there?
B: Yes, thanks. I’m just looking.
If you need assistance, you can answer, “Actually, could you help me find this?” If you prefer to browse, “I’m right, thanks” or “I’m just looking, thanks” is natural. Tone and setting matter: during a confrontation, “You right?” can genuinely challenge whether something is wrong, so the shop meaning should not be applied mechanically everywhere.
https://slll.cass.anu.edu.au/centres/andc/meanings-origins/all
Discover more from Geoffrey Chen
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.