Where "Sanger" Comes From
The more common spelling of sanga — both come from clipping "sandwich" down and adding an Australian "-a"/"-er" ending, the same instinct behind brekkie and bikkie. The two spellings are fully interchangeable, not two different foods.
We haven't found a documented first use, but "sanger" has become the more common way to write it, even though both are pronounced identically.
Sources: sanger, n. (Green's Dictionary of Slang) · Meanings & origins: S (Australian National Dictionary Centre)
“I'll make a ham and cheese sanger to take on the train.”
“Grab a sausage sanger on your way in, the school is raising money.”
"Made you a vegemite sanger for lunch."
How Aussies Actually Use It
It's used for sandwiches of any kind, from a school lunchbox staple to a pub counter meal.
Sanger is a friendly, everyday word for a sandwich, and it comes out easily when you are talking about lunch, the lunchbox or a quick bite. It is informal, so it suits home, work and the pub more than a cafe menu, though you may see it on a chalkboard as a joke. It is not a special type of sandwich, just the word Aussies reach for.
Because it is so casual, it is normally paired with the filling: "cheese and tomato sanger", "steak sanger", "egg sanger", or the famous sausage sanger at a fundraising barbecue. Learners can use it alongside "sandwich" without any problem, and both spellings, sanger and sanga, are understood. When ordering in a cafe, "sandwich" is safer, but saying sanger in a relaxed setting sounds natural and friendly.
See also: Sanga (the alternative spelling of the same word), Snag (the sausage in a sausage sanger), Vegemite (the classic spread).
"Vegemite sanger" is one of the most iconic Australian lunchbox items.
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