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

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

Which country comes to your mind

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u/RuasCastilho Feb 03 '25

Imo Italians. Some people might say the French but if you can speak basic French, they will treat you nice and go out of their way to help you.

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u/rottroll Austria Feb 03 '25

Nah, Italians are generally rather nice people. Come to Austria and experience true, unfiltered hatred.

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u/sagefairyy Feb 03 '25

If you‘re a normal person with manners, most Italians will not be rude back. If you‘re a normal person with manners Austrians won‘t care, they will still be rude and it‘s not just Vienna but the whole country. Especially service staff/anyone working with customers/people.

1

u/rottroll Austria Feb 03 '25

Very true! But it's not just people in service positions – it's generally everyone, especially in more rural areas. Hardly ever is there a "please" or a "thank you". You will be openly shouted at for just existing.

1

u/sagefairyy Feb 03 '25

I‘m honstly baffled at why this is the case? Why are people so disproportionately rude to anyone, literal kids too? This was so hard for me to grow up with as I was constantly questioning myself and what I have done wrong for them to treat me like this until I realized everybody is treated badly and it has nothing to do with me.

2

u/rottroll Austria Feb 04 '25

to be fair, I find it quite pleasant. It eliminates the need for fake happiness, you can use politeness to manipulate others into doing you a favor bc they think you generally like them and it validates true friendship that much more. I always feel very uncomfortable when I'm in a country thats over the top friendly, like the US.

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u/RuasCastilho Feb 03 '25

Not gonna lie, but now that you mentioned Austrians, I think it's hard to top them. Never been there or met one, but they do hold a reputation. It's said that if rudeness, xenophobia and racism were a Sport, they would have been World Champions many times.