Barry learns the lingo

US President Barack Obama has entertained his Australian hosts by trying his hand at the local lingo at an official dinner.

Mr Obama told of speaking to American troops in Afghanistan who were mystified as to why their Australian counterparts were always talking about cheese.

It transpired the Aussies were just greeting them with "Cheers''.

"We may not always speak the same way or use the same words but I think it's pretty clear ... that we understand each other, we see the world in the same way,'' Mr Obama told the more than 600 dinner guests last night.

He told last night's parliamentary dinner hosted in his honour he'd had "a real chinwag'' with Julia Gillard.

"When Julia and I meet we listen to each other, we learn from each other. It's not just a lot of ear-bashing. That's a good one - ear-bashing. I can use that in Washington,'' Mr Obama said.

Read more: News.com