Well, I feel sometimes that impolite translates well into German “unhöflich”; but that “rude” does not so easily. Sure, we have word like “grob”, “unverschämt” and so on but I am not sure if they communicate quite the same idea as “rude” does. Maybe it is too much our normal state of mind compared to others.
LOL has this been r/ireland approved?
We need a memorial for all the British (and Irish?) who starved in Germany because of this.
As a German living in Ireland:
My colleagues (back in the days when we were all in the same building for several hours a day… What a weird concept, innit? But sure, look it) : “Cake?”
Me, still full from lunch: “oh, how kind. Im still full from lunch though, but thanks, maybe next time” (because I know the cake dance and think I can avoid the cake dance somehow)
Colleague: “you sure? Just a tiny slice won’t hurt.”
Me: “no, really, I couldn’t possi…”
Colleague: “you’re not sick, are you? Everything alright?”
Me: “huh? No, I’m grand, I just”
Colleague, now close to tears: “IT’S CHOCOLATE CAKE”
Me: “ah well, I take a tiny…”
Colleague (giving me like 30% of the cake) : “Ah, bless”
I’ve had issues like this with my in-laws because they don’t recognise the nuance of a British “maybe.” Like whether it’s “ooh maybe yes!” or “hmm…maybe” makes no difference to them even though they’re basically equal to yes and no in English.
My family doesn’t even bother with the “Bitte” part, it’s simply “Jo freilich!”
Mrs Doyle has entered the chat
Someone: “How about I give you $500, no strings attached?”
Me: “Okay, thank you 😃” *takes money*
Someone: *surprised/disappointed* (that I didn’t pretend to turn it down).
How about, don’t gift money when you don’t mean it? 🤷♂️
Hilarious!
This guy strongly resembles our Swedish exchange student while pitching his pie to our German exchange student (though they’ve never met).
I laughed so hard at this.
why does that make me feel so… _exposed?_ rude
Lol, I ran into that when I lived in Scotland and tried to just pay for everyone’s drink during a get-together at a café – maybe 5 people? Everyone was fighting so hard against me paying that I said, okay, maybe it’s just a cultural thing, sorry to offend… and then they had to explain to me that I had to ask at least four times and practically force them to accept my offer.
Everyone learned something that day, but I never tried that stunt again.
Some cultures: Leave a little bit of food on your plate, so the host knows you are satisfied and they didn’t give you too little.
Germans: Mmmmh, this is tasty! Who knows when there will be something this good again? Let not go anything to waste! This last bite is for the children in Africa! Oh and let me see if I can mop up the rest of the sauce with this piece of bread…
Wait, is this real? So like, how do States folks handle this?
This is spot on!
*cries in middle eastern culture*
Turkish culture equals irish culture in this context. Although I am a turk, I hate that they constantly ask me if I were sure that I don’t want to have a second dish, another turkish delight etc. while I have friendly declined them three times… *sigh*
My inner German has quite an impact on me.😅
That’s a good one, showing the cultural differences
While I find this funny, it’s not the way the cake dance works in northern Germany:
**Host**: Do you want a slice of cake? *slice of cake already on the cake pusher*
**Guest:** Yes please! (only acceptable answer. Every other answer will lead to the same result)
*Host delivers slice of cake*
**Host:** Some whipped cream with the cake?
*Host delivers two large scoops of cream without waiting for the answer*
*after 2 slices*
**Host:** Want some more cake? *slice of cake already on the cake pusher*
**Guest:** No, I’m really…
*Host continues to deliver the slice anyways*
**Repeat until cake is gone.**
Mexicans are *exactly* like Irishmen, then!
… And I’d not be considered weird in Germany… And I’d be happy :’)
Also the white knit woolen pullover vs the originally black, slightly washed out, now grayish tutleneck pullover. Perfect!
How do you actually say no then? Like, say no 10 times and eventually let it get awkward?
We do the same in portugal 😵
That’s funny, I’m Brazilian and we have the same dance of politeness… I wonder what influences culture to such a thing to happen
Same procedure every single time with my bulgarian in laws…
Dang, this is hilarious
Is there perhaps a collection of different culture interaction comparisons and then when they interact with each other?
Weird but still interesting social stuff. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
A Finnish student I know, was very pissed when she was asked if she wanted cake and she answered “Danke” (thanks). And then she got no cake.
In old fashion German you say Danke instead of “no”.
A lot of Germans are pissed with this also. I remember a movie, German, where the protagonist answers with “Danke” and the person offering the cake or whatever gets all pissed “Danke JA oder Danke NEIN?”
So what do I say to an Irish folk if I don’t want cake?
So on point 😂
Simpel und klare Aussagen
For me (as a german) people who wants to be convinced are kinda attention seekers. They stole time and words just for getting a yes.
Otherway round people who do not accept a “no” are also rude, because they do not accept your boundaries.
What I take away from this is: The German in every constellation gets cake.
I found this really funny. But there are some Germans who insist I take a drink or snack. They even made me a cup of tea on several occasions after I said no lol
This is spot on – unless it’s your Grandma. Then saying no to cake means yes, and saying yes means yes. And saying “maybe later” means yes.
Stimmt do gar nich!
In America it kinda switches depending on who you ask, if I’m with my friends it’s
“Hey you want some?”
“Nah I’m good”
“You sure?”
“Yep”
And that’s it, at someone’s house or with certain older relatives it takes 6-7 attempts for them to actually stop offering and sometimes they just insist you take it
Works with salves, too.
Didn’t known Irish and slavics have similar behaviours regarding cake.
As an Irish person who has gone to a German school the way of asking for things is so drastically different too. I got soo confused and even a little offended when someone asked “Hast du ein Blatt für mich?”
This literally translates to “Do you have a sheet of paper for me?”. In Ireland it would be as tame as “Could I borrow/get a sheet of paper off of you?” (note the “borrow” even though you have no intention of giving it back)
41 comments
Well, I feel sometimes that impolite translates well into German “unhöflich”; but that “rude” does not so easily. Sure, we have word like “grob”, “unverschämt” and so on but I am not sure if they communicate quite the same idea as “rude” does. Maybe it is too much our normal state of mind compared to others.
LOL has this been r/ireland approved?
We need a memorial for all the British (and Irish?) who starved in Germany because of this.
As a German living in Ireland:
My colleagues (back in the days when we were all in the same building for several hours a day… What a weird concept, innit? But sure, look it) : “Cake?”
Me, still full from lunch: “oh, how kind. Im still full from lunch though, but thanks, maybe next time” (because I know the cake dance and think I can avoid the cake dance somehow)
Colleague: “you sure? Just a tiny slice won’t hurt.”
Me: “no, really, I couldn’t possi…”
Colleague: “you’re not sick, are you? Everything alright?”
Me: “huh? No, I’m grand, I just”
Colleague, now close to tears: “IT’S CHOCOLATE CAKE”
Me: “ah well, I take a tiny…”
Colleague (giving me like 30% of the cake) : “Ah, bless”
I’ve had issues like this with my in-laws because they don’t recognise the nuance of a British “maybe.” Like whether it’s “ooh maybe yes!” or “hmm…maybe” makes no difference to them even though they’re basically equal to yes and no in English.
My family doesn’t even bother with the “Bitte” part, it’s simply “Jo freilich!”
Mrs Doyle has entered the chat
Someone: “How about I give you $500, no strings attached?”
Me: “Okay, thank you 😃” *takes money*
Someone: *surprised/disappointed* (that I didn’t pretend to turn it down).
How about, don’t gift money when you don’t mean it? 🤷♂️
Hilarious!
This guy strongly resembles our Swedish exchange student while pitching his pie to our German exchange student (though they’ve never met).
I laughed so hard at this.
why does that make me feel so… _exposed?_ rude
Lol, I ran into that when I lived in Scotland and tried to just pay for everyone’s drink during a get-together at a café – maybe 5 people? Everyone was fighting so hard against me paying that I said, okay, maybe it’s just a cultural thing, sorry to offend… and then they had to explain to me that I had to ask at least four times and practically force them to accept my offer.
Everyone learned something that day, but I never tried that stunt again.
Some cultures: Leave a little bit of food on your plate, so the host knows you are satisfied and they didn’t give you too little.
Germans: Mmmmh, this is tasty! Who knows when there will be something this good again? Let not go anything to waste! This last bite is for the children in Africa! Oh and let me see if I can mop up the rest of the sauce with this piece of bread…
Wait, is this real? So like, how do States folks handle this?
This is spot on!
*cries in middle eastern culture*
Turkish culture equals irish culture in this context. Although I am a turk, I hate that they constantly ask me if I were sure that I don’t want to have a second dish, another turkish delight etc. while I have friendly declined them three times… *sigh*
My inner German has quite an impact on me.😅
That’s a good one, showing the cultural differences
While I find this funny, it’s not the way the cake dance works in northern Germany:
**Host**: Do you want a slice of cake? *slice of cake already on the cake pusher*
**Guest:** Yes please! (only acceptable answer. Every other answer will lead to the same result)
*Host delivers slice of cake*
**Host:** Some whipped cream with the cake?
*Host delivers two large scoops of cream without waiting for the answer*
*after 2 slices*
**Host:** Want some more cake? *slice of cake already on the cake pusher*
**Guest:** No, I’m really…
*Host continues to deliver the slice anyways*
**Repeat until cake is gone.**
Mexicans are *exactly* like Irishmen, then!
… And I’d not be considered weird in Germany… And I’d be happy :’)
Also the white knit woolen pullover vs the originally black, slightly washed out, now grayish tutleneck pullover. Perfect!
How do you actually say no then? Like, say no 10 times and eventually let it get awkward?
We do the same in portugal 😵
That’s funny, I’m Brazilian and we have the same dance of politeness… I wonder what influences culture to such a thing to happen
Same procedure every single time with my bulgarian in laws…
Dang, this is hilarious
Is there perhaps a collection of different culture interaction comparisons and then when they interact with each other?
Weird but still interesting social stuff. Thanks for sharing! 🙂
A Finnish student I know, was very pissed when she was asked if she wanted cake and she answered “Danke” (thanks). And then she got no cake.
In old fashion German you say Danke instead of “no”.
A lot of Germans are pissed with this also. I remember a movie, German, where the protagonist answers with “Danke” and the person offering the cake or whatever gets all pissed “Danke JA oder Danke NEIN?”
So what do I say to an Irish folk if I don’t want cake?
So on point 😂
Simpel und klare Aussagen
For me (as a german) people who wants to be convinced are kinda attention seekers. They stole time and words just for getting a yes.
Otherway round people who do not accept a “no” are also rude, because they do not accept your boundaries.
Persians call it [“Taroof”](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taarof). Didn’t know it was also common in Ireland. TIL
What I take away from this is: The German in every constellation gets cake.
I found this really funny. But there are some Germans who insist I take a drink or snack. They even made me a cup of tea on several occasions after I said no lol
This is spot on – unless it’s your Grandma. Then saying no to cake means yes, and saying yes means yes. And saying “maybe later” means yes.
Stimmt do gar nich!
In America it kinda switches depending on who you ask, if I’m with my friends it’s
“Hey you want some?”
“Nah I’m good”
“You sure?”
“Yep”
And that’s it, at someone’s house or with certain older relatives it takes 6-7 attempts for them to actually stop offering and sometimes they just insist you take it
Works with salves, too.
Didn’t known Irish and slavics have similar behaviours regarding cake.
As an Irish person who has gone to a German school the way of asking for things is so drastically different too. I got soo confused and even a little offended when someone asked “Hast du ein Blatt für mich?”
This literally translates to “Do you have a sheet of paper for me?”. In Ireland it would be as tame as “Could I borrow/get a sheet of paper off of you?” (note the “borrow” even though you have no intention of giving it back)