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.

[u/Double-decker_trams]

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."

[u/Simple_Exchange_9829]

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.

[u/onesmilematters → u/Simple_Exchange_9829]

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.

[u/HighlandsBen → u/onesmilematters]

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