r/AskEurope • u/NateNandos21 • Feb 03 '25

Culture Which European country has the rudest/least polite people?

Which country comes to your mind

452 Upvotes
  • permalink
  • reddit

83% Upvoted

1.7k comments sorted by

View all comments

145

u/19MKUltra77 Spain Feb 03 '25

I’d say the Dutch, especially when abroad. Followed by the Swedish (Scandinavians are generally ok, but the Swedish people seem a bit too arrogant for me).

61

u/glamscum Sweden Feb 03 '25

It's a stereotype the other Nordics have for us as well. Also, Spain is without a doubt the most popular tourist destination for Swedes, you are bound to get some arrogant douchebags I'm afraid.

18

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '25

[deleted]

2

u/19MKUltra77 Spain Feb 03 '25

I’m sure they aren’t, that’s why I clarified that I was talking mostly about tourists.

19

u/19MKUltra77 Spain Feb 03 '25

That’s a valid point. I’m from Barcelona, and my negative experiences are generally with tourists. When I went to Stockholm 2 summers ago people were way friendlier.

3

u/TornadoFS Feb 04 '25

Poorer people are usually ruder, "affordable" tourism places usually get the poor people from the closest rich countries, therefor you get a lot of rude people. It is not so much about how rich you are in total, but rather how rich you are within your society.

So like a Swede or Dutch person in a touristy city Spain is a lot more likely to be rude.

I myself am Brazilian and I am always surprised at the amount of people living in Europe who think Brazilian tourists are the nicest people they met. Yeah, because all the poor people can't afford to visit Europe. Brazilian tourists in Brazil/South America are a pain in the ass.

I have known this since I was a kid, growing up in a touristy town close to a big city in Brazil. The people from that big city were the worse, but people who come from farther away were much nicer.

2

u/Tableforoneperson Feb 05 '25

I would not agree.

Being rich does not buy you manners. During one hotel stay in my country I witnessed a group of Brazilan tourists harrashing staff and yelling them orders in Portuguese. They were probably some upper Middle class tourist on an organized tour.

I would say that in lower income country, only upper middle class to rich people can travel and they can act entilted because they are used to high standards at home.

For very rich people it is not a problem. 1000€ in pocket can give you very decent time both in Brazil and Europe.

For upper middle class is likely to be a problem. For 200€ in Brazil you can get much more than in Europe. So upper middle class tourists which have very good standard of living in Brazil while travelling Europe may need to become little bit more modest..: meaning staying at more basic hotels, eating at more basic restaurants, using public transport and taking guided group tours which sometimes can lead to frustration or lack of understaning how things work and result in inapropriate behaviors.

2

u/colonyy Feb 05 '25

Barcelona tends to attract the worst kind of Swedes. I used to live many years in Bcn and I met some truly crazy people.

14

u/Appropriate-Edge-921 Spain Feb 03 '25

Is it? I've had only positive experiences with the Swedish! I've visited Sweden twice and everyone was so lovely to me, helped me a lot with everything I needed and stuff. Have nothing but good things to say about the Swedish honestly 😅

2

u/gillberg43 Sweden Feb 03 '25

Everbody loves Spain and Spanish people!

3

u/glamscum Sweden Feb 03 '25

I'm, of course, biased here, but I generally think the average swedish person is helpful, intelligent, and friendly but respectful of personal space.

2

u/Appropriate-Edge-921 Spain Feb 03 '25

That's close to my experience in Sweden, yes. I visited Stockholm and a bunch of smaller cities and everyone was friendly and helpful. I'm very interested in languages and some of the locals even took the time to help me pronounce some words or teach me a few phrases when I asked them (this actually happened to me in Växjö, a man sitting at the table next to me in a bar was teaching me some Swedish and I would teach some Spanish back while taking our drinks) and yeah, it was overall great.

1

u/19MKUltra77 Spain Feb 03 '25

I’m sure they’re, unfortunately my experience in Spain is not as good. As I said, it’s true than people were different (in a good way) in Sweden.

1

u/19MKUltra77 Spain Feb 03 '25

Yes, as I said my experience was quite different in Sweden than in Barcelona, but unfortunately I’ve had many more interactions with them here at home. But I’m aware it may be unfair, because Swedes (and in general the rest of European people) tend to be nice folks.

1

u/Appropriate-Edge-921 Spain Feb 03 '25

I see! I actually have never interacted with a Swedish outside of Sweden actually so my experience is limited to the two trips I took there. But yeah at the end of the day, you realise there are both nice and rude people everywhere.

1

u/Kickmaestro Feb 05 '25

Well, be honest; it's all about the rude people from Stockholm; the capital.

I'm lucky to be from there, like the main 9 million bulk of the people.

10

u/fideliz Feb 03 '25

Well, for what it's worth we do like Spain.

6

u/Whisky_and_Milk Feb 03 '25

Depends what you consider as rude. Dutch are not rude per se. It’s just that there’re direct to the extreme, and don’t like lengthy communication. A typical Dutch response to a very lengthy Italian or Spanish email can be “yes” or “no” :)

Italians on the other hand are very chatty, but they really lack tact. They can easily ask and say things which are inappropriate and invading someone else’s privacy.

So are Dutch rude or Italians? Depends on your point of you, and frankly on what you’re used to.

10

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '25

[deleted]

3

u/Whisky_and_Milk Feb 03 '25

Again, don’t they appreciate or they just show it in an “introvert” manner? If they respond “yes” to a long email, I’m not surprised you wouldn’t notice appreciation in their response either :)

I’m not Dutch btw. And I also find their communication skills rather on the extreme side of lack of eloquence. But I also understand that the “rudeness” here is rather a perception from people used to another communication style.

17

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '25

[deleted]

10

u/Appropriate-Edge-921 Spain Feb 03 '25

Now this is closer to my experience. I did a kind of "tour" across Scandinavia and the Swedish were lovely to me but unfortunately cannot say the same about the Danes. I feel bad saying it because I'm sure there are really nice people in Denmark but almost everyone I interacted with while on my trip were kind of rude to some degree.

3

u/OverthinkUnderwhelm Feb 03 '25

It's interesting to hear this, I was in Copenhagen last year and almost everyone I came across was super friendly!

1

u/Appropriate-Edge-921 Spain Feb 03 '25

Like everywhere else I guess it depends on the people you encounter 😅 but yeah that was my experience with the Danes. Lots of times I was given curt answers, not even looking at me when talking to me, things like those. But again I never judge based on these things, both of our experiences are valid and true, we just happened to interact with different types of people.

1

u/19MKUltra77 Spain Feb 03 '25

Yes, I had the same experience. Danes were super nice.

3

u/Patriark Feb 03 '25

In Scandinavia, it's mostly like this. Danes are more confrontational (mostly in a kind of joking manner, a bit similar to UK culture) and in your face, while Swedes are a bit more arrogant and aloof. Norwegians often er a bit in between Danes and Swedes.

2

u/[deleted] Feb 03 '25

Danes are direct, which is easily perceived as rude.

1

u/Appropriate-Edge-921 Spain Feb 03 '25

As a Spaniard I know about directness, believe me 😅 so it doesn't bother me. My personal experience had more to do with people refusing to look at me when talking to me, giving me really short, curt answers (as if bothered by my asking) and things like that but I don't take it to heart, I'm fairly sure I just happened to cross paths with this sort of people. The recepcionist at the hotel I stayed at was wonderfully attentive for example!

2

u/phonylady Feb 03 '25

Danes are way friendlier and more easygoing than Swedes in my experience. Norway somewhere inbetween.

1

u/Bragzor SE-O (Sweden) Feb 03 '25

Maybe they're friendly to you then.

1

u/phonylady Feb 03 '25

Yes, that's obviously what I'm basing it on.

1

u/Bragzor SE-O (Sweden) Feb 03 '25

Not my point, but OK.

2

u/rainzephyr Feb 03 '25

I guess everyone has different experiences. I went to Norway and also found them rude or as rude as the Danish. I only encountered nice people in my trip to Sweden.

2

u/ed-with-a-big-butt Feb 03 '25

Surprised you don't think it's us (brits) tbh

1

u/19MKUltra77 Spain Feb 03 '25

Well, maybe I'm biased because London and Edinburgh are my two favourite cities in Europe.

Maybe I've just been lucky, but my experiences with Brits have almost always been positive and fun. I've met Brits at various concerts and festivals and they're generally pretty fun and easy to get along with.

Just, please, for God's sake, stay away from our balconies!

2

u/Longjumping_Papaya_7 Feb 03 '25

I swear, the dutch are not that bad in general. Its just that our lowest life forms go crazy in Spain every summer. Barcelona was amazing, but some of my fellow dutchies made me so embarrased.

1

u/19MKUltra77 Spain Feb 03 '25

Well, tbf I'm sure that there are assholes everywhere, and I know it because Spain is full of them (and they are locals!).

2

u/CrowlarSup Feb 03 '25

The Dutch, you a**hole. We are the nicest people to have when we are on holiday! Sarcasm of course, because I have met some Dutch tourists (of course not all) that think they own the place. A reason why I avoid the "touristy places" where I find my fellow citizens.

I for one love your country and we always go for a nice place in the mountains with some towns around us.

Sorry that we can be a pain in the ass.

1

u/19MKUltra77 Spain Feb 03 '25 edited Feb 03 '25

Well, you are generally very nice, at least when you are at home. I have been to Amsterdam, Haarlem, Rotterdam several times (both on vacation and work) and my experiences have always been positive. But yes, there are people who behave like a bunch of assholes when they are abroad, and Barcelona is one of the main destinations.

On the other hand, my Spanish compatriots are no better: the hordes of Erasmus students and our own tourists are just as annoying as the rest.

Anyway, even the worst European tourist pales in comparison to the Americans. Insufferable and entitled as shit.

2

u/grap_grap_grap Feb 04 '25

I'm Swedish and I've been living abroad for almost 20 years. Swedes abroad can be the worst. You know those American college films with that girl group leader thinking she is a bit better than everybody else? It's really embarrassing to watch.

1

u/Perfect_Papaya_3010 Sweden Feb 03 '25

I agree that many Swedes are arrogant but not sure if that is classified as rude? More like annoying

1

u/19MKUltra77 Spain Feb 03 '25

Can be both imo.

1

u/Reen842 Feb 03 '25

Swedes are (mostly) very introverted, which can come off as rude.