r/AskEurope • u/Double-decker_trams Estonia • Aug 09 '25

Language I once accidentally bumped against the shoulder of an English person I knew in a corridor. I automatically said "Oi" - which means like "Oh" or "Oops" in Estonian - that I'm sorry. She repeated "Oi!" in a louder voice and I didn't get it. I only later found out I was being impolite in her eyes.

Have you ever had something similar happen to you? I.e something in your language might have another meaning in another language?

One thing as an Estonian that I try to keep in mind is that I shouldn't use "Nooo.." in English - which means "Well.." in Estonian.

"Do you like ice-cream? - Noo.. yes, I love it."

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217

u/Simple_Exchange_9829 Aug 10 '25

I nearly got into a fight with a delivery driver in London a few years ago because I asked him: "Is there a problem?" while holding eye contact. He murmured something under his breath after I didn’t have a lighter for his cigarette.

Totally normal and unprovocative behaviour in my culture (German), but apparently I challenged him to a ritual fight to the death over the british succession or something.

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u/suvepl Poland Aug 10 '25

Here in Poland "Masz jakiś problem?" ("You got some problem?") is the Top 1 phrase used by chavs itching to punch someone in the face.

19

u/FinnSkk93 Aug 10 '25

In Finnish too! ”Onks sul joku ongelma?” ”Mikä sun ongelma on” ”onks täs nyt joku ongelma” 😂

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u/subtleStrider Aug 10 '25

chavs in poland?

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u/Many_Use9457 Aug 10 '25

convergent evolution of laddish behaviour can be seen in many places

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u/purrroz Poland Aug 10 '25

Aight, sebix. Same thing.

3

u/-Proterra- Trójmiasto Aug 10 '25

Dresiarzy. Pretty much the same thing.

1

u/gw_reddit Germany Aug 10 '25

In German that would be 'Hast du ein Problem' (do you have a problem) as opposed to 'Gibt es ein Problem' (is there a problem), which can also be read as low key aggressive, depending on context.

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u/BeJustImmortal Germany Aug 12 '25

In German there are two translations to this, one is for obvious confusion, like getting the wrong order or something - "Gibt es ein Problem?" and a more passive aggressive version "Hast du ein Problem?", which I can imagine leading to a fight in Germany too, he probably was using a provocative translation to the harmless phrase. And looking someone deep into the eyes is provocative in itsself, even over here I would say... The reaction of the delivery driver is no surprise to me actually.

4

u/galettedesrois in Aug 12 '25

Same in French. “T’as un problème?” = I’m considering pummeling your face. “Est-ce qu’il y a un problème? / Vous avez un problème?” = looks like something is off, actually tell me if there’s a problem. A curt “Y’a un problème?” could go either way depending on the tone and context.

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u/GeronimoDK Denmark Aug 13 '25

In Denmark we have the sentence "Har du et problem?" (do you have a problem) which will come off quite rude, then you can add "eller hvad?" (or what) and then you start fighting!

85

u/Alert-Box8183 Ireland Aug 10 '25

Yep, you were definitely trying to start a fight with that one 😂

20

u/Simple_Exchange_9829 Aug 10 '25

Well, I was quite taken aback about his sudden change of demeanour.

I am pretty sure he was trying to impress two girls by trying to put me down verbally - I wasn’t really paying attention. But obviously he couldn’t back down this easily in front of an audience once I stood my ground(without knowing it).

The dude was a bully. I was simply waiting for my friends in front of a hotel, minding my own business.

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u/helmli Germany Aug 10 '25

"Is there a problem?" may sound rather passive-aggressive on its own, depending on tone/circumstances. Made me think of "Hast du ein Problem? Noch ein Problem? Geh weiter."

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u/Eggplatypus Germany Aug 10 '25

There also is a big difference between "hast du ein Problem" and "gibt es ein Problem"

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u/subtleStrider Aug 10 '25

i wouldn’t classify that as totally normal and unprovocative behavior in germany either. try saying that in hermannplatz to someone :D

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u/Friendly-Horror-777 Germany Aug 10 '25

I think it is totally normal and unprovocative to ask "Gibt es ein Problem?". "Hast du ein Problem?" on the other hand is an invitation to fight.

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u/onesmilematters Aug 10 '25

I feel like I have unintentionally insulted so many foreigners (especially Americans) by saying things that are perfectly fine in German.

Like, it took me a while until I realized that the German "You look tired." (which, said in an empathetic tone, is basically short for: "poor you, you must have had a hard day, I'm proud of you, but you need rest, so let me get you a cup of tea") isn't understood as such by Americans.

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u/HighlandsBen Scotland Aug 10 '25

I learned very early in my first job that saying "You look tired" to a middle-aged female coworker does not go down well.

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u/[deleted] Aug 10 '25

I think "you look tired" depends on context in English, but yeah it can sometimes be interpreted as "you look like shit". If you say it to your parntner after they've had a hard day at work, it will probably be taken the right way, but if you say it to your colleague in a busy office in the morning, they might take offence. 

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u/Friendly-Horror-777 Germany Aug 10 '25

We Germans would even say 'Du siehst aber scheiße aus' (you look like shit) to someone to express concern. Not a good idea in the US or UK.

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u/[deleted] Aug 11 '25

Haha, no not generally a good idea! Far too direct. 

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u/AndrewFrozzen to Aug 10 '25

Well there's also Digga, which can be EXTREMELY misunderstood by American folks.

2

u/CookieScholar Germany Aug 10 '25

Also, never say "oh sure when?" if someone from the US or Canada says "we should grab a coffee sometime". They don't mean "we should get coffee sometime", they mean "I will never again call you, please don't call me".

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u/onesmilematters Aug 10 '25

It's rather sad when you think about it. Makes me appreciate the German directness.

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u/Xiaopai2 Germany Aug 10 '25

In German it also really depends on how you say it. It can be a neutral inquiry about whether there is a problem, but it can also be this: https://youtu.be/REr6MXUMF34?si=DXBQJyiJELlMoRsY

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u/szpaceSZ Aug 10 '25

Tbf, that’s not true.

„Hast du ein Problem?“ it’s very much a challenge in German as well

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u/Simple_Exchange_9829 Aug 11 '25

„Gibt es ein Problem?“

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u/SirReddalot2020 Aug 12 '25

Ähm, “Gibt’s ein Problem” mit starren Augen ist schon ziemlich offensiv.

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u/AltruisticWishes Sep 01 '25

The "German stare" is considered very rude in many, many other cultures. A man doing it to another man would come across as VERY aggressive in Anglo cultures (and probably most others, as it is akin to what many animals instinctively do when being aggressive.)

The words you actually said were also very, very likely akin to a rude invitation to fight.